Work

18F-FDOPA PET/CT for neuroendocrine tumors in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 6-18F-fluoro-L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine ( 18 F-FDOPA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the identification of primary and metastatic NETs in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1). Design This prospective MEN1 cohort study evaluated 16 genetically confirmed patients with MEN1. Inpatient subjects were imaged using CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 68 Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT, and 18 F-FDOPA PET/CT. A composite reference test combining up to 3 years of historical imaging and a multidisciplinary evaluation was used against the index test. Lesion-, patient-, and site-based analyses were performed. Setting The NIH Clinical Center was the setting for this study. Patients Patients with germline MEN1 variants confirmed to have MEN1 were included in the study. Results A total of 134 lesions were identified after review of CT, MRI, and 68 Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT. 18 F-FDOPA PET/CT detected 17% (23/134, 95% CI: 8.2–27.1). Of the total study participants, 50% (8/16) of the patients had 18 F-FDOPA PET/CT uptake in primary and metastatic sites with overlapping 68 Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT uptake and localization on CT and MRI. Region-based analysis showed that 18 F-FDOPA PET/CT had the highest avidity for lung (4/12, 33%) and pancreatic (8/38, 21%) NETs. Conclusion 18 F-FDOPA PET/CT has low efficacy overall in detecting MEN1-related NETs. Clinical Trial Registration https://clinicalstudies.info.nih.gov/protocoldetails.aspx?id=000344-DK&&query= , identifier NCT04969926.

Source: Frontiers in Endocrinology

DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2026.1849746