title: O-(2-18F-fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine PET for evaluation of brain metastasis recurrence after radiotherapy: an effectiveness and cost-effectiveness analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conventional MRI is the standard method to diagnose recurrence of brain metastases after radiation. However, following radiation therapy, reactive transient blood-brain barrier alterations with consecutive contrast enhancement can mimic brain metastasis recurrence. Recent studies have suggested that O-(2-18F-fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (FET) PET improves the correct differentiation of brain metastasis recurrence from radiation injury. Based on published evidence and clinical expert opinion, we analyzed effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the use of FET PET in addition to MRI compared with MRI alone for the diagnosis of recurrent brain metastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A decision-tree model was designed to compare the 2 diagnostic strategies from the perspective of the German Statutory Health Insurance (SHI) system. Effectiveness was defined as correct diagnosis of recurrent brain metastasis and was compared between FET PET with MRI and MRI alone. Costs were calculated for a baseline scenario and for a more expensive scenario. Robustness of the results was tested using sensitivity analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with MRI alone, FET PET in combination with MRI increases the rate of correct diagnoses by 42% (number needed to diagnose of 3) with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of €2821 (baseline scenario) and €4014 (more expensive scenario) per correct diagnosis. The sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The model suggests that the additional use of FET PET with conventional MRI for the diagnosis of recurrent brain metastases may be cost-effective. Integration of FET PET has the potential to avoid overtreatment with corresponding costs as well as unnecessary side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Conservative Dentistry, Periodontology and Preventive Dentistry, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Juelich, Juelich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Cologne and Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heinzel
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Conservative Dentistry, Periodontology and Preventive Dentistry, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Juelich, Juelich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Cologne and Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Conservative Dentistry, Periodontology and Preventive Dentistry, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Juelich, Juelich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Cologne and Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Sareh Said
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yekta-Michael
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Conservative Dentistry, Periodontology and Preventive Dentistry, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Juelich, Juelich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Cologne and Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ceccon
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Conservative Dentistry, Periodontology and Preventive Dentistry, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Juelich, Juelich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Cologne and Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Karl-Josef
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Langen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Conservative Dentistry, Periodontology and Preventive Dentistry, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Juelich, Juelich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Cologne and Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Felix M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Mottaghy
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Conservative Dentistry, Periodontology and Preventive Dentistry, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Juelich, Juelich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Cologne and Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiesmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Conservative Dentistry, Periodontology and Preventive Dentistry, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Juelich, Juelich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Cologne and Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kocher
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Conservative Dentistry, Periodontology and Preventive Dentistry, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Juelich, Juelich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Cologne and Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hattingen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Institute for Health Economics and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Conservative Dentistry, Periodontology and Preventive Dentistry, University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Institute for Neuroscience and Medicine, Research Center Juelich, Juelich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology University of Aachen, Aachen, Germany; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; Center of Integrated Oncology (CIO), Universities of Cologne and Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Galldiks
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003663:Decision Trees; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
chemical_list: D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
keywords: 18F-FET PET; cost-effectiveness analysis; decision tree model; recurrent brain metastases