title: 18F-DOPA PET/CT in neuroblastoma: comparison of conventional imaging with CT/MR.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Role of 18F-DOPA PET/CT in neuroblastoma (NB) compared with CT/MR.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 21 patients (M:F = 14:7; mean age, 7.4 years) affected by advanced stage NB (III-IV) were prospectively enrolled. Overall, 37 paired 18F-DOPA PET and CT/MR scans were performed, and for each, we identified site and number of lesions. Standard of reference was based on a multidisciplinary assessment, including 123I-MIBG, selective biopsy, and clinical-instrumental monitoring. Both scan-based and a lesion-based analysis was performed, and for each modality, we calculated sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), positive predictive value (PPV), and accuracy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the scan-based analysis, 18F-DOPA PET and CT/MR showed the following rates: sensitivity, specificity, NPV, PPV, and accuracy were 100%, 92.3%, 100%, 96%, and 97.3% versus 91.7%, 61.5%, 80%, 81.5%, and 81.1%, respectively (P = 0.014). Overall 179 findings were reported at imaging, of which 139 (77.7%) resulted true sites of disease at final outcome. On the lesion-based analysis, the 2 imaging modalities showed the following sensitivity, specificity, NPV, PPV, and accuracy rates: 90.6%, 90%, 73.5%, 96.9%, and 90.5% versus 47.5%, 27.5%, 13.1%, 69.5%, and 43% (P < 0.00001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study, 18F-DOPA PET/CT results more accurate than CT/MR in advanced stage NB therefore should be taken into consideration for the diagnostic workup of these patients.
authors.affiliation: PET Unit, Nuclear Medicine Department, University Hospital S. Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy. egesta.lopci@gmail.com
authors.forename: Egesta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lopci
authors.forename: Arnoldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piccardo
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nanni
authors.forename: Vania
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Altrinetti
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garaventa
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pession
authors.forename: Angelina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cistaro
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiti
authors.forename: Giampiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Villavecchia
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fanti
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: C043437:fluorodopa F 18; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine