PET/CT in diagnosis and management of neuroendocrine tumors compared to current FDA approved imaging modalities: a review of literature

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare group of neoplasms arising from nervous and endocrine systems. Somatostatin analogue imaging is a functional imaging modality of choice for evaluating the NETs. Recent availability of positron emitting radioisotope labeled somatostatin analogues to image neuroendocrine cancers, has raised the interests to use this new imaging modality in management of patients with NETs. 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT has demonstrated superiority in lesion detection compared to Octreoscan, MIBG scintigraphy and MRI. In this article, we reviewed the published studies evaluating the role of 68Ga-DOTATATE PET in diagnosis and management of patients with neuroendocrine tumors and comparing it to current FDA approved imaging modalities including Octreoscan, MIBG scintigraphy, 18F FDG PET/CT, CT and MRI.