Refine
Has Fulltext
- yes (91)
Is part of the Bibliography
- yes (91)
Year of publication
Document Type
- Journal article (77)
- Conference Proceeding (8)
- Preprint (6)
Keywords
- PET (26)
- Positronen-Emissions-Tomografie (20)
- positron emission tomography (15)
- theranostics (12)
- CXCR4 (9)
- PET/CT (9)
- PRRT (9)
- multiple myeloma (9)
- molecular imaging (8)
- neuroendocrine tumor (8)
- prostate cancer (7)
- PSMA (6)
- SPECT (6)
- SSTR (6)
- RADS (5)
- somatostatin receptor (5)
- 18F-FDG (4)
- 18F-DCFPyL (3)
- 18F-LMI1195 (3)
- DaTscan (3)
- FDG (3)
- NET (3)
- Prostate Cancer (3)
- ageing (3)
- chemokine receptor (3)
- medicine (3)
- norepinephrine transporter (3)
- peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (3)
- prostate-specific membrane antigen (3)
- radioligand therapy (3)
- sympathetic nervous system (3)
- vandetanib (3)
- 11C-HED (2)
- 18F-FDG PET/CT (2)
- 18F-FDS (2)
- 68Ga-DOTATATE (2)
- DOTATOC (2)
- ECG (2)
- Ioflupane (2)
- MAG3 (2)
- MIBG (2)
- Multiple myeloma (2)
- Neuroendocrine Tumor (2)
- PSMA-PET (2)
- PSMA-RADS (2)
- Parkinson (2)
- Parkinson Disease (2)
- Parkinson-Krankheit (2)
- Positron Emission Tomography (2)
- Positron emission tomography (2)
- SSTR-RADS (2)
- Stammzelle (2)
- TKI (2)
- Virchow Node (2)
- [177Lu]-DOTATATE/-DOTATOC (2)
- [68Ga] (2)
- antidepressant (2)
- bone disease (2)
- cardiomyocytes (2)
- diabetes (2)
- fatty acid (2)
- fibroblast activation protein (2)
- glioblastoma (2)
- glioblastoma multiforme (2)
- heart failure (2)
- hiPSC-CM (2)
- induced pluripotent stem cells (2)
- kidney (2)
- medullary thyroid carcinoma (2)
- molecular medicine (2)
- myocardial sympathetic innervation imaging (2)
- personalized medicine (2)
- personalized treatment (2)
- precision medicine (2)
- prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) (2)
- radionuclide therapy (2)
- relapse (2)
- reporting and data system (2)
- sarcoidosis (2)
- stem cell therapy (2)
- survival (2)
- tracer (2)
- tumor heterogeneity (2)
- tyrosine kinase inhibitor (2)
- 11C-Hydroxyephedrine (1)
- 11C-Methionine PET/CT (1)
- 11C-hydroxyephedrine (1)
- 123I-Ioflupane (1)
- 123I-mIBG (1)
- 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (1)
- 177Lu (1)
- 177Lu-DOTATATE (1)
- 177Lu-DOTATOC (1)
- 18F-DCFPL (1)
- 18F-flurpiridaz (1)
- 18FDG-PET/CT (1)
- 18FFBnTP (1)
- 2- deoxy-2-(18F)fluoro-D-glucose (1)
- 2-deoxy-2-(18F)fluoro-D-glucose (1)
- 2-deoxy-2-18F-fluoro-D-sorbitol (1)
- 53BP1 (1)
- 68Ga-DOTANOC (1)
- 68Ga-DOTATATE/-TOC (1)
- 68Ga-DOTATOC (1)
- 68Ga-PSMA ligand PET/CT (1)
- 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT (1)
- 99mTc-DTPA (1)
- <sup>18</sup>F-FDG (1)
- <sup>68</sup>Ga-Pentixafor (1)
- Antibodies (1)
- Antidepressants (1)
- Arginine (1)
- Atherosclerotic plaque (1)
- BRAF mutation (1)
- C-11-methionine pet (1)
- C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (1)
- CD38 (1)
- CXCR4/SDF-1 (1)
- Capicua transcriptional repressor (1)
- Cardiovascular diseases (1)
- Cardiovascular risk factors (1)
- DNA double-strand breaks (1)
- DOTA-EB-TATE (1)
- Diabetes (1)
- Drug resistance (1)
- ECG-gated (1)
- EKG (1)
- Extramedullary disease (1)
- F-18-FDG PET (1)
- FDG PET/CT (1)
- FDG-PET/CT (1)
- GI (1)
- Ga-68 (1)
- Ganglia (1)
- Gastrointestinal (1)
- Glomerular filtration (1)
- HFmrEF (1)
- HMDP hydroxymethylene diphosphonate (1)
- Heart failure (1)
- Herz (1)
- Hyperkalaemia (1)
- IDH1/2 (1)
- Imaging pitfalls (1)
- Lysine (1)
- MDD (1)
- MI-RADS (1)
- MIBG scintigraphy (1)
- MOR202 (1)
- MPI (1)
- MRI (1)
- Macrophage (1)
- Medizin (1)
- Medullärer Schilddrüsenkrebs (1)
- Merkel cell carcinoma (1)
- Metaiodobenzylguanidine (1)
- Molecular imaging (1)
- Myeloma cells (1)
- Myelomas (1)
- Myocardial-perfusion SPECT (1)
- Myokarditis (1)
- NEC (1)
- Neuroendocrine (1)
- Nierenfunktionsstörung (1)
- Oncology (1)
- PROMISE (1)
- PSMA-RADS-3A (1)
- PSMA-RADS-3B (1)
- PSMA-targeted PET (1)
- Pancreas (1)
- Parkinson's disease (1)
- Parkinsonism (1)
- Parkinson’s disease (1)
- Pentixafor (1)
- Pitfall (1)
- Positron-Emission Tomography (1)
- Positronenemissionstomografie (1)
- Prostata (1)
- Radiofluorine (1)
- Radionuclide Therapy (1)
- Radiotracer (1)
- SOAT1 (1)
- SPECT Scanner (1)
- SPECT/CT (1)
- SSTR-PET (1)
- SUV (1)
- Single-Photon-Emissions-Computertomographie (1)
- Sodium-Glucose Cotransporters (SGLTs) (1)
- Somatostatin receptor (1)
- Somatostatin receptor expression (1)
- Standardisierung (1)
- T-shaped π-π stacking (1)
- T-shaped π–π stacking (1)
- Tracer (1)
- ZDF rats (1)
- [177Lu]/[90Y]PentixaTher (1)
- [68Ga]DOTATOC (1)
- [68Ga]PentixaFor (1)
- [68Ga]Pentixafor (1)
- [\(^{68}\)Ga] pentixafor (1)
- [\(^{68}\)Ga]Ga-FAPI (1)
- [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor (1)
- \(^{11}\)C-Methionine-PET (1)
- \(^{11}\)C-methionine (1)
- \(^{18}\)F (1)
- \(^{18}\)F-FDG (1)
- \(^{18}\)F-FDG PET/CT (1)
- \(^{18}\)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (1)
- \(^{68}\)Ga (1)
- \(^{68}\)Ga-Pentixafor (1)
- accuracy (1)
- agreement (1)
- amino acids (1)
- androgen deprivation therapy (1)
- angiogenesis (1)
- antidepressants (1)
- astrocytoma (1)
- autologous transplantation (1)
- autonomic nervous system (1)
- benzylguanidine (1)
- biokinetics (1)
- biomarker (1)
- biomarkers (1)
- biosynthesis (1)
- bone marrow cells (1)
- brain (1)
- brain tumors (1)
- cancer (1)
- cardiac (1)
- cardiac innervation imaging (1)
- cardiac neurohormonal system (1)
- cardiac sympathetic nerve system (1)
- cardiac sympathetic nervous system (1)
- cell staining (1)
- cells (1)
- cerebral gliomas (1)
- chemokine receptor-4 (1)
- clinical diagnosis (1)
- collimator (1)
- comparability (1)
- contrast agent (1)
- coronary artery disease (1)
- criteria (1)
- daratumumab (1)
- delineation (1)
- dementia (1)
- depression (1)
- detection rate (1)
- diabetic cardiomyopathy (1)
- diabetische Kardiomyopathie (1)
- diffusion weighted mri (1)
- disease (1)
- dosimetry (1)
- ejection fraction (1)
- endocrinology (1)
- endoradiotherapy (1)
- esophagogastric junction (1)
- evans blue (1)
- experience (1)
- extramedullary hematopoiesis (1)
- glioma (1)
- glomerular filtration rate (1)
- guidelines (1)
- head and neck cancer (1)
- heart (1)
- heart failure with mid-range ejection fraction (1)
- heart-to-mediastinum ratio (1)
- high risk (1)
- hydroxyephedrine (1)
- hyperkalemia (1)
- imaging (1)
- imaging techniques (1)
- immune infiltration (1)
- immunostaining (1)
- improves (1)
- in vivo imaging (1)
- inflammation (1)
- interobserver (1)
- interreader (1)
- intraindividual comparison (1)
- involvement (1)
- kidney function (1)
- left-ventricular function (1)
- lesions (1)
- linear conversion (1)
- lipid droplets (1)
- mIBG (1)
- mRNA (1)
- machine learning (1)
- macrophages (1)
- magnetic resonance imaging (1)
- major depressive disorder (1)
- malignancies (1)
- management (1)
- medium-sized animals (1)
- metabolic tumor volume (MTV) (1)
- metabolic tumour volume (MTV) (1)
- methionine (1)
- methionine pet (1)
- miRNA (1)
- microenvironment (1)
- microglial cells (1)
- mitotane (1)
- mouse (1)
- moycardial sympathetic innervation (1)
- multiple system atrophy (1)
- myocardial perfusion imaging (1)
- myocarditis (1)
- nephrology (1)
- neuroendocrine neoplasia (1)
- nonhuman primates (1)
- nuclear cardiology (1)
- nuclear medicine (1)
- ollimator (1)
- organic cation transporter (1)
- pancreas (1)
- pattern (1)
- peptide receptor (1)
- performance (1)
- peripheral nervous system (1)
- phaeochromocytoma (1)
- phenethylguanidine (1)
- pleural mesothelioma (1)
- positron emission tomography/computed tomography (1)
- positron-emission-tomography (1)
- post-reconstruction filtering (1)
- progression (1)
- quality (1)
- quantification (1)
- radiogenomics (1)
- radiotherapy (1)
- radiotracer (1)
- radiotracer kinetics (1)
- rats (1)
- recurrent prostate cancer (1)
- refractory (1)
- renal (1)
- renal failure (1)
- renal function (1)
- renal imaging (1)
- renal scintigraphy (1)
- reporting and data systems (1)
- risk (1)
- scanner (1)
- single photon emission computed tomography: sympathetic nerve (1)
- skeletal (1)
- skin biopsy (1)
- small animal SPECT (1)
- small-animal imaging (1)
- smoldering myeloma (1)
- software (1)
- solid tumors (1)
- somatostatin (1)
- somatostatin receptor (SSTR) (1)
- somatostatin receptors (1)
- spleen (1)
- split renal function (1)
- standardization (1)
- standardized reporting (1)
- stem cells (1)
- stem-cell research (1)
- stem-cell transplantation (1)
- stimulation (1)
- storage vesicle turnover (1)
- structure–activity relationships (1)
- sympathetic nerve (1)
- targeted therapy (1)
- total lesion PSMA (1)
- total lesion glycolysis (TLG) (1)
- total lesion methionine uptake (TLMU) (1)
- transcriptome (1)
- treatment response (1)
- tumor burden (1)
- tumor microenvironment (1)
- unilateral ureteral obstruction (1)
- urology (1)
- vestibular schwannoma (1)
- γ-H2AX (1)
Institute
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Nuklearmedizin (88)
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II (19)
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik I (11)
- Pathologisches Institut (10)
- Deutsches Zentrum für Herzinsuffizienz (DZHI) (8)
- Institut für diagnostische und interventionelle Radiologie (Institut für Röntgendiagnostik) (8)
- Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik (4)
- Abteilung für Molekulare Innere Medizin (in der Medizinischen Klinik und Poliklinik II) (3)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken (3)
- Institut für Anatomie und Zellbiologie (3)
Sonstige beteiligte Institutionen
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (16)
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (5)
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, U.S. (3)
- Department of Biomedical Imaging, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Research Center, Suita, Japan (2)
- Division of Medical Technology and Science, Department of Medical Physics and Engineering, Course of Health Science, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita Japan (2)
- Institut for Molecular Biology and CMBI, Department of Genomics, Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria (2)
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, The Russell H Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Baltimore, MD, USA (2)
- Clinical Trial Center (CTC) / Zentrale für Klinische Studien Würzburg (ZKSW) (1)
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kanazawa University (1)
- Hospital Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany (1)
EU-Project number / Contract (GA) number
- 701983 (35)
We aimed to explore the impact of ageing on 11C-Hydroxyephedrine (11C-HED) uptake in the healthy rat heart in a longitudinal setting. To investigate a potential cold mass effect, the influence of specific activity on cardiac 11C-HED uptake was evaluated: 11C-HED was synthesized by N-methylation of (−)-metaraminol as the free base (radiochemical purity >95%) and a wide range of specific activities (0.2–141.9 GBq/μmol) were prepared. \(^{11}\)C-HED (48.7±9.7MBq, ranged 0.2–60.4μg/kg cold mass) was injected in healthy Wistar Rats. Dynamic 23-frame PET images were obtained over 30 min. Time activity curves were generated for the blood input function and myocardial tissue. Cardiac 11C-HED retention index (%/min) was calculated as myocardial tissue activity at 20-30 min divided by the integral of the blood activity curves. Additionally, the impact of ageing on myocardial 11CHED uptake was investigated longitudinally by PET studies at different ages of healthy Wistar Rats. A dose-dependent reduction of cardiac 11C-HED uptake was observed: The estimated retention index as a marker of norepinephrine function decreased at a lower specific activity (higher amount of cold mass). This observed high affinity of 11C-HED to the neural norepinephrine transporter triggered a subsequent study: In a longitudinal setting, the 11C-HED retention index decreased with increasing age. An age-related decline of cardiac sympathetic innervation could be demonstrated. The herein observed cold mass effect might increase in succeeding scans and therefore, 11C-HED microPET studies should be planned with extreme caution if one single radiosynthesis is scheduled for multiple animals.
Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT) for the treatment of neuroendocrine tumors may lead to kidney deterioration. This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of \(^{99m}\)Tc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (\(^{99m}\)Tc-MAG3) clearance for the early detection of PRRT-induced changes on tubular extraction (TE). TE rate (TER) was measured prior to 128 PRRT cycles (7.6±0.4 GBq \(^{177}\)Lu-octreotate/octreotide each) in 32 patients. TER reduction during PRRT was corrected for age-related decrease and analyzed for the potential to predict loss of glomerular filtration (GF). The GF rate (GFR) as measure for renal function was derived from serum creatinine. The mean TER was 234 ± 53 ml/min/1.73 m² before PRRT (baseline) and 221 ± 45 ml/min/1.73 m² after a median follow-up of 370 days. The age-corrected decrease (mean: -3%, range: -27% to +19%) did not reach significance (p=0.09) but significantly correlated with the baseline TER (Spearman p=-0.62, p<0.001). Patients with low baseline TER showed an improved TER after PRRT, high decreases were only observed in individuals with high baseline TER. Pre-therapeutic TER data were inferior to plasma creatinine-derived GFR estimates in predicting late nephropathy. TER assessed by \(^{99m}\)Tc-MAG3clearance prior to and during PRRT is not suitable as early predictor of renal injury and an increased risk for late nephropathy.
Purpose
Multiple myeloma is a hematologic malignancy originating from clonal plasma cells. Despite effective therapies, outcomes are highly variable suggesting marked disease heterogeneity. The role of functional imaging for therapeutic management of myeloma, such as positron emission tomography with 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG-PET), remains to be determined. Although some studies already suggested a prognostic value of 18F-FDG-PET, more specific tracers addressing hallmarks of myeloma biology, e.g. paraprotein biosynthesis, are needed. This study evaluated the amino acid tracers L-methyl-[11C]-methionine (11C-MET) and [18F]-fluoroethyl-L-tyrosine (18F-Fet) for their potential to image myeloma and to characterize tumor heterogeneity.
Experimental Design
To study the utility of 11C-MET, 18F-Fet and 18F-FDG for myeloma imaging, time activity curves were compared in various human myeloma cell lines (INA-6, MM1.S, OPM-2) and correlated to cell-biological characteristics, such as marker gene expression and immunoglobulin levels. Likewise, patient-derived CD138+ plasma cells were characterized regarding uptake and biomedical features.
Results
Using myeloma cell lines and patient-derived CD138+ plasma cells, we found that the relative uptake of 11C-MET exceeds that of 18F-FDG 1.5- to 5-fold and that of 18F-Fet 7- to 20-fold. Importantly, 11C-MET uptake significantly differed between cell types associated with worse prognosis (e.g. t(4;14) in OPM-2 cells) and indolent ones and correlated with intracellular immunoglobulin light chain and cell surface CD138 and CXCR4 levels. Direct comparison of radiotracer uptake in primary samples further validated the superiority of 11C-MET.
Conclusion
These data suggest that 11C-MET might be a versatile biomarker for myeloma superior to routine functional imaging with 18F-FDG regarding diagnosis, risk stratification, prognosis and discrimination of tumor subtypes.
Purpose
While [\(^{18}\)F]-fluorodeoxyglucose ([\(^{18}\)F]FDG) is the standard for positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), diagnostic specificity is hampered by uptake in inflammatory cells such as neutrophils or macrophages. Recently, molecular imaging probes targeting fibroblast activation protein α (FAP), which is overexpressed in a variety of cancer-associated fibroblasts, have become available and might constitute a feasible alternative to FDG PET/CT.
Methods
Ten consecutive, treatment-naïve patients (8 males, 2 females; mean age, 62 ± 9 years) with biopsy-proven OSCC underwent both whole-body [\(^{18}\)F]FDG and [\(^{68}\)Ga]FAPI-04 (FAP-directed) PET/CT for primary staging prior to tumor resection and cervical lymph node dissection. Detection of the primary tumor, as well as the presence and number of lymph node and distant metastases was analysed. Intensity of tracer accumulation was assessed by means of maximum (SUV\(_{max}\)) and peak (SUV\(_{peak}\) standardized uptake values. Histological work-up including immunohistochemical staining for FAP served as standard of reference.
Results
[\(^{18}\)F]FDG and FAP-directed PET/CT detected all primary tumors with a SUVmax of 25.5 ± 13.2 (FDG) and 20.5 ± 6.4 (FAP-directed) and a SUVpeak of 16.1 ± 10.3 ([\(^{18}\)F]FDG) and 13.8 ± 3.9 (FAP-directed), respectively. Regarding cervical lymph node metastases, FAP-directed PET/CT demonstrated comparable sensitivity (81.3% vs. 87.5%; P = 0.32) and specificity (93.3% vs. 81.3%; P = 0.16) to [\(^{18}\)F]FDG PET/CT. FAP expression on the cell surface of cancer-associated fibroblasts in both primary lesions as well as lymph nodes metastases was confirmed in all samples.
Conclusion
FAP-directed PET/CT in OSCC seems feasible. Future research to investigate its potential to improve patient staging is highly warranted.
C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is a key factor for tumor growth and metastasis in several types of human cancer. This study investigated the feasibility of CXCR4-directed imaging with positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) using [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor in malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Six patients with pleural mesothelioma underwent [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor-PET/CT. 2′-[\(^{18}\)F]fluoro-2′-deoxy-D-glucose ([\(^{18}\)F]FDG)-PET/CT (4/6 patients) and immunohistochemistry obtained from biopsy or surgery (all) served as standards of reference. Additionally, 9 surgical mesothelioma samples were available for histological work-up.
Whereas [\(^{18}\)F]FDG-PET depicted active lesions in all patients, [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor-PET/CT recorded physiologic tracer distribution and none of the 6 patients presented [\(^{68}\)Ga]Pentixafor-positive lesions. This finding paralleled results of immunohistochemistry which also could not identify relevant CXCR4 surface expression in the samples analyzed.
In contrast to past reports, our data suggest widely absence of CXCR4 expression in pleural mesothelioma. Hence, robust cell surface expression should be confirmed prior to targeting this chemokine receptor for diagnosis and/or therapy.
Background: \(^{18}\)F-N-[3-bromo-4-(3-fluoro-propoxy)-benzyl]-guanidine (\(^{18}\)F-LMI1195) is a new class of PET tracer designed for sympathetic nervous imaging of the heart. The favorable image quality with high and specific neural uptake has been previously demonstrated in animals and humans, but intracellular behavior is not yet fully understood. The aim of the present study is to verify whether it is taken up in storage vesicles and released in company with vesicle turnover.
Results: Both vesicle-rich (PC12) and vesicle-poor (SK-N-SH) norepinephrine-expressing cell lines were used for in vitro tracer uptake studies. After 2 h of \(^{18}\)F-LMI1195 preloading into both cell lines, effects of stimulants for storage vesicle turnover (high concentration KCl (100 mM) or reserpine treatment) were measured at 10, 20, and 30 min. \(^{131}\)I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (\(^{131}\)I-MIBG) served as a reference. Both high concentration KCl and reserpine enhanced \(^{18}\)F-LMI1195 washout from PC12 cells, while tracer retention remained stable in the SK-N-SH cells. After 30 min of treatment, 18F-LMI1195 releasing index (percentage of tracer released from cells) from vesicle-rich PC12 cells achieved significant differences compared to cells without treatment condition. In contrast, such effect could not be observed using vesicle-poor SK-N-SH cell lines. Similar tracer kinetics after KCl or reserpine treatment were also observed using 131I-MIBG. In case of KCl exposure, Ca\(^{2+}\)-free buffer with the calcium chelator, ethylenediaminetetracetic acid (EDTA), could suppress the tracer washout from PC12 cells. This finding is consistent with the tracer release being mediated by Ca\(^{2+}\) influx resulting from membrane depolarization.
Conclusions: Analogous to \(^{131}\)I-MIBG, the current in vitro tracer uptake study confirmed that \(^{131}\)F-LMI1195 is also stored in vesicles in PC12 cells and released along with vesicle turnover. Understanding the basic kinetics of \(^{18}\)FLMI1195 at a subcellular level is important for the design of clinical imaging protocols and imaging interpretation.
Reliable standards and criteria for somatostatin receptor (SSTR) positron emission tomography (PET) are still lacking. We herein propose a structured reporting system on a 5-point scale for SSTR-PET imaging, titled SSTR-RADS version 1.0, which might serve as a standardized assessment for both diagnosis and treatment planning in neuroendocrine tumors (NET). SSTR-RADS could guide the imaging specialist in interpreting SSTR-PET scans, facilitate communication with the referring clinician so that appropriate work-up for equivocal findings is pursued, and serve as a reliable tool for patient selection for planned Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy.
Purpose: We aim to provide an overview of the conventional single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and emerging positron emission tomography (PET) catecholamine analogue tracers for assessing myocardial nerve integrity, in particular focusing on \(^{18}\)F-labeled tracers.
Results: Increasingly, the cardiac sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is being studied by non-invasive molecular imaging approaches. Forming the backbone of myocardial SNS imaging, the norepinephrine (NE) transporter at the sympathetic nerve terminal plays a crucial role for visualizing denervated myocardium: in particular, the single-photon-emitting NE analogue \(^{123}\)I-meta-Iodobenzylguanidine (\(^{123}\)I-mIBG) has demonstrated favorable results in the identification of patients at a high risk for cardiac death. However, cardiac neuronal PET agents offer several advantages inlcuding improved spatio-temporal resolution and intrinsic quantifiability. Compared to their \(^{11}\)C-labeled counterparts with a short half-life (20.4 min), novel \(^{18}\)F-labeled PET imaging agents to assess myocardial nerve integrity have the potential to revolutionize the field of SNS molecular imaging: The longer half-life of \(^{18}\)F (109.8 min) allows for more flexibility in the study design and delivery from central cyclotron facilities to smaller hospitals may lead to further cost reduction. A great deal of progress has been made by the first in-human studies of such \(^{18}\)F-labeled SNS imaging agents. Moreover, dedicated animal platforms open avenues for further insights into the handling of radiolabeled catecholamine analogues at the sympathetic nerve terminal. Conclusions: \(^{18}\)F-labeled imaging agents demonstrate key properties for mapping cardiac sympathetic nerve integrity and might outperform current SPECT-based or \(^{11}\)C-labeled tracers in the long run.
Diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis is often challenging. Whereas cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with \(^{18}\)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) are most commonly used to evaluate patients, PET/CT using radiolabeled somatostatin receptor (SSTR) ligands for visualization of inflammation might represent a more specific alternative. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of SSTR–PET/CT for detecting cardiac sarcoidosis in comparison to CMR.
15 patients (6 males, 9 females) with sarcoidosis and suspicion on cardiac involvement underwent SSTR-PET/CT imaging and CMR. Images were visually scored. The AHA 17-segment model of the left myocardium was used for localization and comparison of inflamed myocardium for both imaging modalities. In semi-quantitative analysis, mean (SUV\(_{mean}\)) and maximum standardized uptake values (SUV\(_{max}\)) of affected myocardium were calculated and compared with both remote myocardium and left ventricular (LV) cavity.
SSTR-PET was positive in 7/15, CMR in 10/15 patients. Of the 3 CMR+/PET- subjects, one patient with minor involvement (<25% of wall thickness in CMR) was missed by PET. The remaining two CMR+/PET- patients displayed no adverse cardiac events during follow-up.
In the 17-segment model, PET/CT yielded 27 and CMR 29 positive segments. Overall concordance of the 2 modalities was 96.1% (245/255 segments analyzed). SUV\(_{mean}\) and SUV\(_{max}\) in inflamed areas were 2.0±1.2 and 2.6±1.2, respectively. The lesion-to-remote myocardium and lesion-to-LV cavity ratios were 1.8±0.2 and 1.9±0.2 for SUV\(_{mean}\) and 2.0±0.3 and 1.7±0.3 for SUV\(_{max}\), respectively.
Detection of cardiac sarcoidosis by SSTR-PET/CT is feasible. Our data warrant further analysis in larger prospective series.