Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Gamma emitters in pancreatic endocrine tumors imaging in the PET era: is there a clinical space for 99mTc-peptides?

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) are rare neoplasms, sporadic or familial, even being part of a syndrome. Their diagnosis is based on symptoms, hormonal disorders or may be fortuitous. The role of Nuclear Medicine is important, mainly because of the possibility of a theranostic strategy. This approach is allowed by the availability of biochemical agents, which may be labeled with radionuclides suitable for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, showing almost identical pharmacokinetics. The major role for radiopharmaceuticals is connected with radiolabeled somatostatin analogues (SSA), being somatostatin receptors highly expressed on neoplastic cells.

DISCUSSION: At the present, in the category of radiolabeled SSA, although 111In-pentetreotide, firstly commercially proposed, is still used, the best choice for diagnosis is related to the so called DOTA-PET radiotracers labeled with 68Ga, such as 68Ga-DOTATATE, 68Ga-DOTANOC, 68Ga-DOTATOC. More recently, the labeling with 64Cu (64Cu DOTATATE) has also been proposed. In this review, we discuss the clinical interest of a SAA (Tektrotyd©) radiolabeled with 99mTc, a gamma emitter with better characteristics respect to 111Indium, radiolabeling Octreoscan©. By comparing both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Octreoscan©, Tektrotyd© and PET DOTA-peptides, on the basis of literature's data and of our own experience, we tried to highlight these topics to stimulate further studies, individuating actual clinical indications for all of these radiotracers.

CONCLUSION: In our opinion, Tektrotyd© could already find its applicative dimension in the daily practice of NETs, either pancreatic or not, at least in centers without a PET/CT or a 68Ga generator. Because of a wider availability, a lower cost, and a longer decay respect to peptides labeled with 68Ga, it could be also proposed , in a theranostic context, for a dosimetry evaluation of patients undergoing Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT), and for non-oncologic indications of radiolabelled SSA. In this direction, and for a more rigorous cost/effective evaluation , more precisely individuating its clinical role, further studies are needed.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app