The Role of Pet/Ct With 11c-Methionine in Contemporary Nuclear Medicine

Abstract

Positron emission tomography (PET/CT) is a non-invasive molecular imaging technique using isotopes with a short half-life usually in combination with chemical compounds. The most commonly used PET/CT tracer is 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose labeled with fluorine (18-FDG). It is used mainly in oncological diagnostics as well as myocardial viability, epilepsy and inflammatory diagnostics. The tracer less commonly used in PET/CT could be carbon-labeled methionine (11C-MET). It is mainly used in the diagnosis of focal lesions in the central nervous system. There are also reports of the use of this tracer in diagnostics of the primary, secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism as well as multiple myeloma. This tracer may also be used in the diagnosis of lymphoproliferative diseases and solid tumors, although there is no clear evidence of its advantage over 18-FDG. Conclusion: Significant difficulties in the production and transport of this tracer and lack of reimbursement of this type of procedure in Poland limits the use of this tracer for scientific research.

Monitoring the hepatobiliary function using image techniques and labeled cholephilic compounds

“…One population in which the use of 18 F-FDGal is of particular interest is in patients considered suitable for locoregional treatment because PET/CT with 18 F-FDGal can permit the personalized adaption of the initially planned treatment of these patients [71]. Besides liver cancer applications, 18 F-FDGal plus PET-CT has been used as a tracer for measuring regional metabolic function noninvasively in patients with cirrhosis [72,73]. Amino acids have also been used as CAs in PET-CT.…”

“…Amino acids have also been used as CAs in PET-CT. This is the case of 11 C-MET (Figure 1E), which has been helpful in diagnosing focal lesions in the central nervous system [72,73], in the assessment of disease activity in multiple myeloma patients [74], and in the determination of hepatic and extrahepatic tumor size in patients with HCC [75]. Moreover, 11 C-MET has also been used as a valuable probe in pediatric patients for evaluating malignant diseases in non-tumor-involved organs [76].…”

“…Some preliminary studies [77] indicate that PET-CT using 11 C-MET is more sensitive for assessing myeloma than 18 F-FDG. However, there is no clear evidence regarding its advantage over 18 F-FDG in solid tumors [72]. Nevertheless, its sensitivity for HCC seems lower than that of 11 C-acetate PET, which also gives information on tumor cell differentiation [56].…”

Is there a consensus between clinical practice guidelines for conventional and molecular nuclear medicine studies in parathyroid pathology?

“…Regarding L-[methyl-11 C]methionine, Kluijfhout et al in 2016 in a meta-analysis [36,42] selected the following recommendations with evidence level 2A grade B:…”

A Review of Nuclear Medicine Approaches in the Diagnosis and the Treatment of Gynecological Malignancies

“…It is hypothesized that the amino acid methionine plays a critical role as a primer member of proteins [ 9 ]. Carbon-11 radiolabeled methionine ([ 11 C]C-MET) has been shown to be potentially useful as a positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) tracer for imaging of various cancers [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. Evidence suggests a possibly favorable effect of [ 11 C]C-MET over [ 18 F]FDG.…”