Till Alexander Heusner MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Christian Boy MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Steffen Hahn MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Michael Forsting MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Andreas Bockisch, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Gerald Antoch MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To define physiological 68Ga-DOTATOC standardized uptake values (SUV) of different organs on whole-body 68Ga-DOTATOC-PET/CT scans.

100 patients (mean age: 54 y +/-14 y) with neuroendocrine tumors were examined with 68Ga-DOTATOC-PET/CT. Physiological maximal SUVs were determined in 18 different locations on each of the 100 PET/CT scans. Measurements were performed in different parenchymal organs which were not affected by tumor growth. A clinical and radiological follow-up with a mean of 646 d served as the standard of reference to exclude tumor growth in these locations. The mean physiological SUV and the standard deviation were reported for each organ.

The physiological SUVmax on 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT scans were as follows: The mean SUVmax was 1.8 (+/-0.6) in the parotid gland, 4.3 (+/-2.2) in the thyroid gland, 0.7 (+/-0.3) in the lung, 3.9 (+/-1.6) in the myocardium, 17.7 (+/-9.9) in the liver, 25.5 (+/-12.3) in the spleen, 12.9 (+/-4.9) in the adrenals, 17.6 (+/-5.4) in the renal cortex, 6.9 (+/-3.2) in the pancreatic head, 5.6 (+/-2.2) in the body of the pancreas, 5.4 (+/-2.4) in the tail of the pancreas, 5.4 (+/-2.7) in the stomach wall, 4 (+/-1.8) in the duodenal wall, 2.8 (+/-0.8) in the cecum, 3.2 (+/-1.3) in the 12th thoracic vertebra, and 2.1 (+/-0.6) in the paravertebral back muscles.

Physiological maximal standardized uptake values show a wide range on 68Ga-DOTATOC-PET/CT scans. Parenchymal organs not affected by tumor may have high SUVs on image assessment.

The knowledge of normal SUVs is essential to correctly interpret 68Ga-DOTATOC-PET/CT scans and reliably differentiate physiological from malignant tracer uptake.

Heusner, T, Boy, C, Hahn, S, Forsting, M, Bockisch, A, Antoch, G, Standardized Uptake Values in Whole-body 68Ga-DOTATOC-PET/CT: What Is Physiological?.  Radiological Society of North America 2008 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, February 18 - February 20, 2008 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2008/6012261.html