Potential role of 18F-DOPA PET in neuroblastoma

Abstract

18 F-3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) is the radio-labelled analogue of DOPA, a precursor of dopamine and catecholamines. It is a multivalent molecule that is widely used for functional imaging of various neural crest tumors, documenting a better diagnostic accuracy compared to 123 I-metaiodobenzylguanidine ( 123 I-mIBG) scintigraphy and other conventional imaging modalities. Neuroblastoma (NB) is an embryonic tumor deriving from the peripheral sympathetic nervous system, commonly included into the vast group of neural crest tumors. So, it maintains the ability to produce and release biologically active amines and in most cases is characterized by an increased metabolism of catecholamines. 123

Diagnosis, Treatment Response, and Prognosis: The Role of 18F-DOPA PET/CT in Children Affected by Neuroblastoma in Comparison with 123I-mIBG Scan: The First Prospective Study

“…On the other hand, 123 I-MIBG scintigraphy is cumbersome (10), requiring proper patient preparation and correct recognition of the distribution pattern, and is frequently limited by the difficult anatomy in children and low-quality images (11). Various PET tracers have been tested as effective substitutes for 123 I-MIBG in assessing neuroblastoma (12), and 18 F-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) (13), radiolabeled somatostatin analogs (14,15), and 124 I-MIBG have proved the most promising (16). 18 F-DOPA PET/CT has already proved to be more sensitive than 123 I-MIBG scanning in patients with neuroblastoma relapse (17).…”

Automatic Production of [18F]F-DOPA Using the Raytest SynChrom R&D Module

“…The 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine ([ 18 F]F-DOPA) analog, labeled with the fluorine 18 F isotope, is a tracer used in the imaging of the integrity and function of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease via Positron Emission Tomography fused with the Computed Tomography (PET/CT) technique [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. This marker has also found applications in oncology, especially in the imaging of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) [ 4 , 5 , 6 ] and neuroblastoma [ 7 , 8 ].…”