title: Ga-68 DOTA-NOC uptake in the pancreas: pathological and physiological patterns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gallium-68 (Ga-68) DOTA-1-NaI3-octreotide (DOTA-NOC) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) is increasingly used for neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), often found primarily in the pancreas. However, physiologic uptake of DOTA-NOC has been described in the uncinate process of the pancreas. We studied DOTA-NOC uptake in this organ.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-six patients underwent 103 DOTA-NOC scans, with pathology-proven pancreatic NET (n = 40) and nonpancreatic NET or biochemical suspicion of NET (n = 63).
  
  
  RESULTS
  DOTA-NOC uptake was detected in 35 documented pancreatic tumor sites (SUV: 5.5-165; mean: 25.7 ± 28.8; median: 17.8). Among 63 cases without previous known pathology, uptake was suspicious for tumor in 24 sites (SUV: 4.7-35; mean 16.3 ± 8.0; median: 14.1), and in 38 sites, it was judged as physiological, generally lower relative to adjacent structures (SUV: 2.2-12.6; mean: 6.6 ± 2.2; median: 6.2). In 24 scans with suspected tumor and in 37 of 38 scans with physiological uptake, diagnostic computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging or endoscopic ultrasonography failed to detect tumor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pancreatic DOTA-NOC uptake must be interpreted with caution, and further studies are required.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Medical Biophysics and Nuclear Medicine, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. yodphat@hadassah.org.il
authors.forename: Yodphat
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Krausz
authors.forename: Rina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
authors.forename: Liat
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Appelbaum
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mishani
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orevi
authors.forename: Merav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fraenkel
authors.forename: Sagi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tshori
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Glaser
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bocher
authors.forename: Asher
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salmon
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chisin
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Nanette
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Freedman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C504894:68Ga-DOTANOC; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals