FAPI-PET outperforms FDG-PET in diagnosing pancreatic cancer

F-18 FAPI-PET/CT is superior to F-18 FDG-PET/CT for diagnosing and staging patients with pancreatic cancer, according to a study published January 4 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine. In a clinical trial, F-18 FAPI-04 radiotracer performed better than F-18 FDG in identifying primary tumors, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastases in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The findings suggest that F-18 FAPI-04 PET/CT offers a new method for identifying malignancies in these patients, according to first author Xiang Li, PhD, of Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, and colleagues. “In the future, F-18 FAPI-04 PET/CT may play a greater role in the actual clinical management of PDAC,” the group wrote. F-18 FDG is the most widely used cancer PET imaging radiotracer, yet its effectiveness for the detection and staging of suspected PDAC remains debatable, with studies suggesting its sensitivity ranges from 73% to 94%, according to the authors.Conversely, FAPI radiotracers have been developed that target specific receptors in tumors. These tracers have shown promise in PDAC patients when labeled with gallium-68 (Ga-68) radioisotopes. Still, these Ga-68 tracers are short-lived, and preliminary research suggests FAPI tracers labeled with F-18 radioisotopes last longer, and thus may be delivered over longer distances and at a relatively lower cost, the researchers explained. Moreover, the advantages of F-18 FAPI-04 over F-18 FDG have not yet been systema...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Subspecialties Molecular Imaging Radiation Oncology/Therapy Nuclear Radiology Source Type: news