title: Comparison between 68Ga-DOTA-NOC and 18F-DOPA PET for the detection of gastro-entero-pancreatic and lung neuro-endocrine tumours.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  (18)F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) value for the assessment of neuro-endocrine tumours (NET) is limited. Preliminary studies indicate that (18)F-DOPA and (68)Ga-DOTA-NOC are more accurate for disease assessment and (68)Ga-DOTA peptides provide additional data on receptor status that are crucial for targeted radionuclide therapy. At present, there are no comparative studies investigating their role in NET.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare (68)Ga-DOTA-NOC and (18)F-DOPA for the evaluation of gastro-entero-pancreatic and lung neuro-endocrine tumours.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen patients with biopsy-proven NET (gastro-entero-pancreatic or pulmonary) were prospectively enrolled and scheduled for (18)F-DOPA and (68)Ga-DOTA-NOC PET. PET results obtained with both tracers were compared with each other, with other conventional diagnostic procedures (CT, ultrasound) and with follow-up (clinical, imaging).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common primary tumour site was the pancreas (8/13) followed by the ileum (2/13), the lung (2/13) and the duodenum (1/13). The carcinoma was well differentiated in 10/13 and poorly differentiated in 3/13 cases. (68)Ga-DOTA-NOC PET was positive, showing at least one lesion, in 13/13 cases while (18)F-DOPA PET was positive in 9/13. On a lesions basis, (68)Ga-DOTA-NOC identified more lesions than (18)F-DOPA (71 vs 45), especially at liver, lung and lymph node level. (68)Ga-DOTA-NOC correctly identified the primary site in six of eight non-operated cases (in five cases, the primary was surgically removed before PET), while (18)F-DOPA identified the primary only in two of eight cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the patients studied are few and heterogeneous, our data show that (68)Ga-DOTA-NOC is accurate for the detection of gastro-entero-pancreatic and lung neuro-endocrine tumours in either the primary or metastatic site and that it offers several advantages over (18)F-DOPA.
authors.affiliation: Unità Operativa di Medicina Nucleare, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Bologna, Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi, Padiglione 30, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy. valentina.ambrosini@aosp.bo.it
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ambrosini
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tomassetti
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Castellucci
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Campana
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Montini
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rubello
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nanni
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rizzello
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Franchi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fanti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: C504894:68Ga-DOTANOC; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C043437:fluorodopa F 18; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine