#Netspot gallium 68 dotatate update#

The advantage of scan fusion is obvious and works both ways, i.e. physiologic uptake – see pitfalls section below) – the CT remains a double check and is better at sizing tumours that can be seen.

Many people assume that the SSTR sees everything – it doesn’t and it’s more likely to over-report (i.e. Many measurements of tumours will have been taken from the CT rather than the PET which is in effect a ‘glow’. When you get the written report summarising the scan results, you may find some of the observations are written in the context of what was saw on the fusion view, i.e. Your specialist is likely to show you the fused images of the PET and the CT as this provides both anatomical (CT) and functional (PET) view which is more efficient because the PET scan does not show ‘anatomical landmarks’. Most PET machines have an inbuilt CT (or much less frequently, a built in MRI) which forms part of the scan but normally only the somatostatin receptor tracer will be given. The uptake can be at variable levels but they mostly look for ‘ focal intense abnormality‘ of the type that is regularly found with NETs (but see pitfalls section below).įusion of functional scans (e.g. where there are concentrations of somatostatin receptors (SSTR). The diagnostic imaging agent is a somatostatin analogue labelled radionuclide which is normally injected into the patient around one hour before the PET which is then used to see where the peptide/radionuclide mix ‘loiters’ i.e. It comprises two main components – a PET scanning machine, and the use of a diagnostic imaging agent (see radioligand section below for further detail). Somatostatin Receptor PET/CT – What does it do? How does it work? And I include the widespread availability and increasing advances in endoscopy/ultrasounds/cameras which have also been instrumental in picking up many Gastrointestinal NETs. if you can see it, you can normally detect it (whatever the ‘it’ is). Whilst there are really important factors involved in a diagnosis, such as tumour and hormone markers, and biopsies (tissue is the issue), imaging is very frequently what triggers many deeper investigations to unearth a NET, i.e. I want to focus on nuclear imaging (thus the title of the article). However, it’s not party time yet because there remains far too many misdiagnoses due to the low population of the disease and the difficulty in diagnosing it. Better diagnosticsĬombined with more awareness and education (including the important pathologists ), more NETs than ever are being found, and many found earlier. To sum that up – Neuroendocrine Cancer is also a growth industry. Another piece of good news is that the increase in Neuroendocrine Cancer incidence is also due to earlier diagnosis.

#Netspot gallium 68 dotatate update#

This has led to a revised set of epidemiological information in many countries that have made the effort to accurately update their cancer registries and there are consistent reports of incidence rates way beyond the recognised rare thresholds. So how does this affect Neuroendocrine Cancer?Īccording to the latest SEER database figures for Neuroendocrine Cancer, one reason for the 7 fold increase in incidence rates since the 1970s is all of those things above including better diagnostics. This is against a backdrop of better awareness, better screening in the big population cancers, and to a certain extent better diagnostic tools, all of which is leading to earlier diagnosis. Fortunately, more people are surviving than ever before. Cancer is a growth industry …literally! More people are being diagnosed than ever before.