The Additional Value of Somatostatin Receptor Positron Emission Computed Tomography ([68Ga]Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT) Compared with Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Head and Neck Region in Paraganglioma Patients: A Pilot Study

Carolijn J M de Bresser; Bart-Jeroen Petri; Arthur J A T Braat; Bart de Keizer; Mark J C van Treijen; Jan Willem Dankbaar; Frank A Pameijer; Marius G J Kok; Mischa de Ridder; Bernadette P M van Nesselrooij; Remco de Bree; Gert J de Borst; Johannes A Rijken

doi:10.3390/cancers16050986

The Additional Value of Somatostatin Receptor Positron Emission Computed Tomography ([⁶⁸Ga]Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT) Compared with Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Head and Neck Region in Paraganglioma Patients: A Pilot Study

Cancers (Basel). 2024 Feb 28;16(5):986. doi: 10.3390/cancers16050986.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
² Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
³ Department of Nuclear Medicine, Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
⁴ Department of Endocrine Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
⁵ Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
⁶ Department of Radiology, Medical Spectrum Twente, 7512 KZ Enschede, The Netherlands.
⁷ Department of Radiotherapy, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
⁸ Department of Clinical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.
⁹ Department of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Abstract

The Dutch guideline for patients suspected of head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs) recommends magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or computed tomography (CT) of the head and neck area. Additionally, it suggests considering additional nuclear imaging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT compared to MRI in patients with suspected HNPGLs and carriers of genetic variations.

Methods: In this single-center pilot study, retrospective data were obtained from consecutive patients between 2016 and 2023. Both MRI and [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT were performed within 12 months. The primary outcome was the location of HNPGLs.

Results: A total of 25 consecutive patients were included, and 7 patients (28.0%, p = 0.5) showed differences between the imaging modalities, of whom 5 patients had unexpected localizations with additional uptake by somatostatin receptors (SSTR) on the [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT.

Conclusions: The authors recommend performing baseline imaging with [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT (if available) in variant carriers and using MRI/CT for follow-up according to the regional protocol, thereby shifting the gold standard for baseline imaging from MRI/CT to [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT.

Keywords: MRI; [68Ga]Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT; head and neck paraganglioma.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.