title: Clinical indications for Gallium-68 positron emission tomography imaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  (68)Ga-PET imaging is showing slow but steady progress when compared to (18)F-FDG PET. The advantage of in-house preparation of (68)Ga without necessity of a cyclotron, and the new generator configuration with future possibility of freeze-dried kits would make it a promising PET agent for the future.
  
  
  METHODS
  An exhaustive literature exploration was performed using the search engines High-Wire Press, Pubmed, Embase and library databases. Recent reviews on the subject and up-to-date studies on the topic were found that described the role of (68)Ga-PET imaging. Clinical experiences, including our own are described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent resurgence in development of peptides labelled with radiometals, for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, resulted in a new beginning for (68)Ga-PET imaging. Pre-clinical experience employing animal models and investigation of tracer kinetics/tumour uptake measurements using dynamic (68)Ga-PET have provided data regarding identification of Somatostatin receptors subtypes on many tumours. Present published experiences including our own support these and highlight current clinical utility of (68)Ga-PET imaging. (68)Ga-DOTATOC and (68)Ga-DOTANOC are the most prominent radiopharmaceuticals used nowadays.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (68)Ga-PET is employed in the management of neuroendocrine tumours and neural crest tumours (phaeochromocytoma and paraganglioma) with diagnostic and therapeutic implications where it compliments present radiologic and scintigraphic procedures. Diagnosis and radiotherapy treatment planning for meningiomas in pertinent clinical setting is another potential use of (68)Ga-PET. Limited studies have shown its utility in prostate cancer but further studies are contemplated. Therefore, current experience tends to open a new horizon for the clinical utility of (68)Ga-PET imaging in future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Center, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors.forename: M U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El-Refaie
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Win
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rubello
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Nahhas
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004067:Digestive System Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008579:Meningioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
chemical_list: D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals