title: Comparison of (18)F-FDG PET/CT and (68)Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT imaging in metastasized Merkel cell carcinoma.
abstract: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but very aggressive neuroendocrine tumor of the skin in elderly patients with higher mortality compared with melanoma. No evidence-based standardized chemotherapy exists for metastasized patients.We report the case of an 87-year-old patient with the history of resection of a large MCC of the parietal scalp planned for radiotherapy and staged with FDG PET/CT showing disseminated distant metastases. Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT revealed more extensive tumor load compared with FDG, and due to the intensive expression of somatostatin receptors the patient qualified for Y DOTATOC therapy.
authors: Departments of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
authors: Maximilian
authors: M
authors: Epstude
authors: Katharina
authors: K
authors: Tornquist
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Riklin
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: di Lenardo
authors: Ralph
authors: R
authors: Winterhalder
authors: Urs
authors: U
authors: Hug
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Strobel
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; C513399:gallium Ga 68 dotatate