Comparison of (18)F-FDG PET/CT and (111)In-pentetreotide scan for detection of Merkel cell carcinoma Journal Article


Authors: Lu, Y.; Fleming, S. E.; Fields, R. C.; Coit, D. G.; Carrasquillo, J. A.
Article Title: Comparison of (18)F-FDG PET/CT and (111)In-pentetreotide scan for detection of Merkel cell carcinoma
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare cutaneous neuroendocrine neoplasm with propensity for nodal metastases. A few reports have presented imaging results with FDG PET/CT or In- pentetreotide (OctreoScan, OCT) indicating a higher sensitivity for FDG than OCT, but no reports have directly compared FDG to OCT in the same patients. We reviewed our experience in a limited number of patients who underwent both procedures. METHODS: Patients with MCC who had FDG PET and OCT between 2000 and 2010 in our center were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were included if they had FDG PET/CT and OCT scan within a 2-month interval. For each eligible patient, we compared all abnormal lesions identified on either scan. The findings were verified by pathology or other imaging techniques up to a 4-month follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 9 patients met the selection criteria with 10 dual scans (1 was scanned twice). Three patients had no documented sites of disease at the time of imaging. One patient had negative findings on both FDG and OCT initially, but 1 year later developed FDG-positive OCT-negative disease. Five patients had metastatic disease at the time of imaging: 2 were negative on OCT and positive on FDG; the other 3 were positive on both scans but had more lesions on FDG. CONCLUSIONS: Our data on a small number of patients are in agreement with prior individual FDG or OCT reports and suggest that, overall, FDG PET/CT detects more MCC lesions and upgrades MCC stage compared with the OCT scan. Importantly, there were no lesions identified by OCT that were missed by PET. Thus, given the added resolution and sensitivity of PET, the use of OCT in MCC in the modern era is of limited value and it remains to be seen whether newer Ga-labeled somatostatin analogs will perform better than OCT. © 2012 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.
Keywords: adult; clinical article; human tissue; aged; aged, 80 and over; middle aged; comparative study; cancer staging; follow up; metastasis; tumor biopsy; pathology; diagnostic agent; whole body imaging; fluorodeoxyglucose f 18; computer assisted emission tomography; fluorodeoxyglucose f18; neoplasm metastasis; drug derivative; scintiscanning; intermethod comparison; merkel cell carcinoma; merkel cell tumor; carcinoma, merkel cell; fdg pet/ct; pentetreotide in 111; somatostatin; pentetreotide; positron-emission tomography and computed tomography; somatostatin analog scintigraphy
Journal Title: Clinical Nuclear Medicine
Volume: 37
Issue: 8
ISSN: 0363-9762
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins  
Date Published: 2012-08-01
Start Page: 759
End Page: 762
Language: English
DOI: 10.1097/RLU.0b013e31825ae8e7
PROVIDER: scopus
PUBMED: 22785503
DOI/URL:
Notes: --- - "Export Date: 1 August 2012" - "CODEN: CNMED" - "Source: Scopus"
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  1. Stephen E Fleming
    11 Fleming
  2. Ryan Courtney Fields
    19 Fields
  3. Yang Lu
    11 Lu
  4. Daniel Coit
    542 Coit