Abstract
Aim. To evaluate the a role of 18F-FDOPA-PET/CT in the imaging of neuroendocrine tumors (NET) of carcinoid type.
Method. The sample of 16 18F-FDOPA-PET/CT examinations was assessed in patients suffered from NET of carcinoid type.
All examinations were performed after intravenous administration of 18F-fiuorodihydroxyfenylalanine in the dose of 1-2 MBq per kilogram of body weight, when the full diagnostic dual-phase MDCT forms the integral part of the examination. The accumulation of the radiopharmaceutical was evaluated in primary tumor, liver metastases, bony metastases or infiltrated lymph nodes.
Results. Nine bowel carcinoids, three urogenital carcinoids, one lung carcinoid, one pancreatic polypeptidoma were investigated.
Mean SUV max reached 13.75 in liver metastases, in lymph nodes 23.38, and significantly differed from those measured in the background. The relation between applied radiopharmaceutical activity and maximum tumorous accumulation levels was not confirmed (p = 0.9195, correlation coefficient r = -0.03685).
Conclusion. 18F-FDOPA-PET/CT is useful tool in the evaluation of the spread of NET even if the primary tumor is not previously detected. In such cases, the primary tumor could be detected effectively.
Also the assessment of the disease activity is possible.