title: 18F-fluorodihydroxyphenylalanine in the diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumors.
abstract: (18)F-fluorodihydroxyphenylalanine (FDOPA) is a powerful tool for the diagnosis and detection of neuroendocrine tumors when planning and monitoring surgical and oncologic therapies. Pheochromocytomas, paragangliomas, and medullary thyroid cancers especially are amenable to FDOPA imaging because of the high specific uptake of this amino acid analogue and excellent tumor-to-background contrast on PET/computed tomography.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Turku University Hospital, PO Box 52, Turku 20521, Finland; Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital, PO Box 52, Turku 20521, Finland. Electronic address: heminn@utu.fi.
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Minn
authors.affiliation: Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital, PO Box 52, Turku 20521, Finland; Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Turku University Hospital, PO Box 52, Turku 20521, Finland.
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kemppainen
authors.affiliation: Division of Digestive Surgery and Urology, Turku University Hospital, PO Box 52, Turku 20521, Finland.
authors.forename: Saila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kauhanen
authors.affiliation: Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital, PO Box 52, Turku 20521, Finland.
authors.forename: Sarita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Forsback
authors.affiliation: Turku PET Centre, Turku University Hospital, PO Box 52, Turku 20521, Finland; Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Turku University Hospital, PO Box 52, Turku 20521, Finland.
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seppänen
mesh_terms: D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010235:Paraganglioma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C043437:fluorodopa F 18; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine
keywords: (18)F-Fluorodihydroxyphenylalanine; Medullary thyroid cancer; Neuroendocrine tumor; PET/computed tomography; Pheochromocytoma