gallium-ga-68-dotatate and Brain-Neoplasms

Similar to neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) at other sites, a wide array of intracranial tumors also express somatostatin receptors (SSTRs). This expression can be exploited for both imaging and therapy. The introduction of (68)Ga-labeled tetraazacyclododecanetetraacetic acid (DOTA)-peptide PET/CT has given new dimension to SSTR-based imaging because of its improved sensitivity and excellent spatial resolution.. However, in contrast to gastropancreatic and bronchopulmonary NETs, limited literature is available regarding the use of (68)Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT in intracranial tumors. Here, we briefly review the available literature and highlight the potential role that (68)Ga-DOTA-peptide PET/CT can play in the management of intracranial tumors.

Topics: Brain Neoplasms; Gallium Radioisotopes; Humans; Multimodal Imaging; Octreotide; Organometallic Compounds; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radiopharmaceuticals; Receptors, Somatostatin; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

A girl diagnosed with neuroblastoma at 33 months underwent I-MIBG scan after surgery and chemoradiotherapy. Although MIBG scan showed complete response, the bone marrow biopsy showed refractory disease. Therefore, she underwent Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT, which revealed bone marrow involvement and Ga-DOTATATE-avid brain metastasis. Rare physiological pineal gland uptake was also depicted. Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT showed active progressive disease earlier, before it was detectable with MIBG scan. For patients with MIBG-negative relapsed/refractory disease, Ga-DOTATATE may have an important role in restaging, detecting unsuspected metastasis, therapy planning.

Topics: Brain Neoplasms; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Neuroblastoma; Organometallic Compounds; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Radiopharmaceuticals

A 65-year-old woman with a long history of metastasized, highly differentiated (G1) neuroendocrine tumor of pancreatic origin presented for follow-up Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT after 7 peptide receptor radiotherapies. In the previous scan, she already had discrete intracranial tracer accumulations, which were massively progressive in the recent Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT 8 months later. This case illustrates that cerebral metastases in neuroendocrine tumors may occur many years after initial diagnosis, and their somatostatin receptor expression may rise within a few months to a level that reasonably justifies further peptide receptor radiotherapy.

Topics: Aged; Brain Neoplasms; Humans; Male; Neuroendocrine Tumors; Organometallic Compounds; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Radiopharmaceuticals

A 22-month-old boy diagnosed with neuroblastoma was evaluated by bone scintigraphy and I-metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy, and no metastases to skeletal system was detected. However, plain radiograph and MRI revealed suspected metastatic lesions. The patient was therefore evaluated by Ga-DOTA-TATE PET/CT, and Ga-DOTA-TATE uptake was observed in multiple bone and bone marrow areas, which were consistent with metastases. Biopsy was taken from the right iliac bone, and the pathological examination of the biopsy specimen was coherent with neuroblastoma invasion.

Topics: Brain Neoplasms; Humans; Infant; Male; Neuroblastoma; Organometallic Compounds; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Radiopharmaceuticals

Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) is a promising technique for infusing a therapeutic agent directly into the brain, bypassing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) with a pressure gradient to increase drug concentration specifically around the brain tumor, thereby enhancing tumor inhibition and limiting the systemic toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents. Herein, we developed a dual-imaging monitored virus-like nanotherapeutic agent as an ideal CED infusate, which can be delivered to specifically besiege and eradicate brain tumors.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Brain Neoplasms; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell-Penetrating Peptides; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Carriers; Epirubicin; Humans; Mice, Nude; Optical Imaging; Organometallic Compounds; Positron-Emission Tomography; Staining and Labeling; Virosomes

Meningiomas are the most common primary intracranial tumors, typically treated with surgery and adjuvant radiation in cases of subtotal resection and/or higher histopathologic grade. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard for postoperative assessment and adjuvant treatment planning. However, MRI can have limited accuracy particularly in the presence of posttreatment change. [68Ga]-DOTATATE is a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) radiotracer targeting somatostatin receptor 2A (SSTR2A). SSTR2A is a reliable biomarker of meningiomas. We report a consecutive case series of 20 patients evaluated with [68Ga]-DOTATATE PET/MRI, propose a novel approach to quantitative analysis, and discuss clinical implications.. We present a consecutive case series of 20 patients with clinically suspected or pathology-proven meningioma evaluated between July 2018 and February 2019. [68Ga]-DOTATATE PET/MRI was obtained in order to confirm the diagnosis or determine tumor recurrence/progression to help guide surgical and/or radiation therapy management in cases in which MRI findings were indeterminate or equivocal.. Seventeen (85%) patients had undergone prior surgery and 11 (55%) underwent adjuvant radiation therapy. In 17 patients [68Ga]-DOTATATE confirmed the presence of recurrent meningioma. A total of 49 meningiomas were identified (median: 2 meningiomas/patient, range 0-14). There was excellent differentiation between meningioma and posttreatment change based on our approach of target lesion/superior sagittal sinus maximum standardized uptake values ratio (16.6 vs. 1.6, P < .0001).. [68Ga]-DOTATATE PET/MRI is a promising tool in the assessment of both treatment naïve and resected/irradiated meningiomas, allowing improved diagnosis and extent of disease evaluation. Future prospective studies are needed to determine utility of [68Ga]-DOTATATE PET/MRI in treatment response assessment.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Brain Neoplasms; Female; Gallium Radioisotopes; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Meningeal Neoplasms; Meningioma; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Organometallic Compounds; Positron-Emission Tomography; Prospective Studies

We report a case of a medullary thyroid carcinoma noncalcified brain metastasis characterized on Ga-dotatate PET/CT but not on an F-fluoride PET/CT performed 1 month later. Subsequent F-fluoride PET/CT studies performed 7 and 19 months after the Ga-dotatate PET/CT study demonstrated focal uptake in the metastasis. The CT images of the last PET/CT study also depicted a small focus of calcification beginning in the metastatic site.

Topics: Brain Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine; Fluorides; Fluorine Radioisotopes; Humans; Male; Organometallic Compounds; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Thyroid Neoplasms; Young Adult

Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors are benign tumors causing majority of tumor-induced osteomalacia. These tumors are most commonly located in the lower extremities followed by craniofacial regions. However, intracranial lesion is very rare. Here we describe Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT findings of a recurrent intracranial phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor in a 68 year old woman.

Topics: Aged; Brain Neoplasms; Female; Humans; Neoplasms, Complex and Mixed; Organometallic Compounds; Osteomalacia; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Radiopharmaceuticals

Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)-associated hemangioblastomas (VHL-HB) arise in the central nervous system (CNS), and are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in VHL disease. Currently, surgical resection is the most effective way to manage symptomatic VHL-HBs. Surgically unresectable VHL-HBs or those in frail patients are challenging problems. Therapies targeting oncologic and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathways have failed to demonstrate tumor control. Our experience and previous reports on VHL-HB avidity to somatostatin analogues suggested somatostatin receptor (SSTR) expression in VHL-HBs, offering an alternative therapeutic strategy. We explored this possibility by demonstrating consistent histologic expression of SSTR1, 2a, 4, and 5 in VHL-HBs. We found that somatostatin analogue octreotide induces apoptosis in VHL-HB stromal cells in a dose-dependent fashion by BAX - caspase-3 pathway unrelated to canonical VHL pathway. When administered to a patient with unresectable symptomatic suprasellar hemangioblastoma, octreotide resulted in tumor volume reduction, symptom stabilization, and tumor cytopenia on repeat

Topics: Apoptosis; Brain Neoplasms; Cells, Cultured; Female; Hemangioblastoma; Humans; Middle Aged; Octreotide; Organometallic Compounds; Radiopharmaceuticals; Receptors, Somatostatin; von Hippel-Lindau Disease

Pituitary carcinoma is a rare disease with a challenge in both diagnosis and treatment. A 50-year-old female patient who underwent transsphenoidal resection of a pituitary tumor experienced progressive headache. For the evaluation, Ga DOTATATE PET/CT was used and compared with F-FDG PET/CT and enhanced MRI. Multiple lesions were detected by Ga DOTATATE PET/CT at the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and cerebellopontine angle with a higher contrast than F-FDG PET/CT and enhanced MRI. With a biopsy, the patient was diagnosed as metastatic pituitary carcinoma. Moreover, it thus presents potential therapeutic implications on molecular-targeted therapy using somatostatin analogs and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy targeting the somatostatin receptors.

Topics: Brain Neoplasms; Carcinoma; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Multimodal Imaging; Organometallic Compounds; Pituitary Neoplasms; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radiopharmaceuticals; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor in adults. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) have been shown to promote malignant growth and to correlate with poor prognosis. [1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-NN',N″,N'″-tetraacetic acid]-d-Phe1,Tyr3-octreotate (DOTATATE) labeled with Gallium-68 selectively binds to somatostatin receptor 2A (SSTR2A) which is specifically expressed and up-regulated in activated macrophages. On the other hand, the role of SSTR2A expression on the cell surface of glioma cells has not been fully elucidated yet. The aim of this study was to non-invasively assess SSTR2A expression of both glioma cells as well as macrophages in GBM.. 15 samples of patient-derived GBM were stained immunohistochemically for macrophage infiltration (CD68), proliferative activity (Ki67) as well as expression of SSTR2A. Anti-CD45 staining was performed to distinguish between resident microglia and tumor-infiltrating macrophages. In a subcohort, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging using 68Ga-DOTATATE was performed and the semiquantitatively evaluated tracer uptake was compared to the results of immunohistochemistry.. The amount of microglia/macrophages ranged from <10% to >50% in the tumor samples with the vast majority being resident microglial cells. A strong SSTR2A immunostaining was observed in endothelial cells of proliferating vessels, in neurons and neuropile. Only faint immunostaining was identified on isolated microglial and tumor cells. Somatostatin receptor imaging revealed areas of increased tracer accumulation in every patient. However, retention of the tracer did not correlate with immunohistochemical staining patterns.. SSTR2A seems not to be overexpressed in GBM samples tested, neither on the cell surface of resident microglia or infiltrating macrophages, nor on the surface of tumor cells. These data suggest that somatostatin receptor directed imaging and treatment strategies are less promising in GBM.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antigens, CD; Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; Brain Neoplasms; Female; Glioblastoma; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Leukocyte Common Antigens; Macrophages; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Organometallic Compounds; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radiography; Receptors, Somatostatin; Retrospective Studies

(68)Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT is widely used for the evaluation of neuroendocrine tumours. Knowledge of the physiological distribution of the radiotracer is of critical importance in characterizing focal areas of uptake. In this case series, we report three paediatric cases (average age 4.7 years ± 0.6 SD) with diagnosed advanced stage IV Neuroblastoma. Two had (68)Ga-DOTATATE PET-CT scans and one underwent (68)Ga-DOTATATE PET-MRI scan to assess for suitability of molecular therapy. Focal increased tracer uptake in the pineal gland was noted in all cases with no morphological abnormality on the corresponding CT and MRI scans. The uptake within the gland was thought to be a physiological variant rather than metastases owing to the heterogeneity of somatostatin receptors expression. The pineal gland has been reported to express somatostatin receptors. The physiological distribution of (68)Ga-DOTATATE uptake in the pineal gland is not routinely seen. Furthermore, the possibility of pineal meningioma is very unlikely as pineal meningiomas are very rare and there was no convincing morphological evidence of meningiomas on CT/MRI scan.

Topics: Brain Neoplasms; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Multimodal Imaging; Neoplasm Staging; Neuroblastoma; Organometallic Compounds; Pineal Gland; Positron-Emission Tomography; Radiopharmaceuticals; Tomography, X-Ray Computed