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The influence of elevated hormone levels on physiologic accumulation of 68Ga-DOTATOC

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Abstract

Objective

PET/CT imaging with 68Ga-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N′,N″,N‴-tetraacetic acid-D-Phe1-Tyr3-octreotide (DOTATOC) is useful in patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Functioning NETs by definition secrete abnormal levels of hormones, causing clinical symptoms. It is known that physiologic accumulation can be seen in some organs, but it remains unknown whether elevated hormone levels can affect the physiologic accumulation pattern of 68Ga-DOTATOC. We aimed to investigate the influence of higher hormone levels on physiologic accumulation of 68Ga-DOTATOC.

Methods

A total of 167 patients with known or suspected NET lesions were enrolled in this study. The numbers of patients with elevations of ACTH, gastrin, insulin, and no elevation were 10, 25, 7, and 125, respectively. We compared the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) in various organs of each group.

Results

In the group with elevated ACTH levels, SUVmax in the pituitary gland, the uncinate process of the pancreas and adrenal glands was lower than those in the group with no elevation (5.7 ± 1.9 vs. 8.4 ± 3.1, P = 0.015; 4.7 ± 3.5 vs. 6.4 ± 2.8, P = 0.037; 10.8 ± 4.8 vs. 13.9 ± 4.7, P = 0.020, respectively). There were no differences in physiologic uptake of 68Ga-DOTATOC in the thyroid gland, the pancreatic body, the liver, the spleen, the bowel, or the kidney.

Conclusions

In NET patients with elevated ACTH levels, physiologic uptake of 68Ga-DOTATOC in the pituitary gland, the uncinate process of the pancreas and adrenal glands was significantly decreased. Other organs were unaffected.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful for support from a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan (16K10346). We have no conflict of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoinkawahara-cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan

    Masao Watanabe, Yuji Nakamoto, Sho Koyasu, Takayoshi Ishimori & Kaori Togashi

  2. Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo, 153-0041, Japan

    Sho Koyasu

  3. Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoinkawahara-cho, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan

    Akihiro Yasoda

Authors
  1. Masao Watanabe
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  2. Yuji Nakamoto
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  3. Sho Koyasu
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  4. Takayoshi Ishimori
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  6. Kaori Togashi
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Correspondence to Yuji Nakamoto.

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We have no conflict of interest to declare other than a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan (16K10346).

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Watanabe, M., Nakamoto, Y., Koyasu, S. et al. The influence of elevated hormone levels on physiologic accumulation of 68Ga-DOTATOC. Ann Nucl Med 32, 191–196 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-018-1233-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-018-1233-4

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