Physiological Biodistribution of <sup>68</sup>Ga-DOTA-TATE in Normal Subjects
Salih Özgüven, Nuh Filizoğlu, Selin Kesim, Kevser Öksüzoğlu, Feyza Şen, Tunç Öneş, Sabahat İnanır, Halil Turgut Turoğlu, Tanju Yusuf Erdıl
Abstract
Objectives: Somatostatin is an endocrine peptide hormone that regulates neurotransmission and cell proliferation by interacting with G proteincoupled somatostatin receptors (SSTRs). SSTRs are specific molecular targets of several radiotracers for neuroendocrine tumor (NET) imaging. Gallium-68 ( 68 Ga)-DOTA-TATE is widely used for positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging of SSTRs and has shown a higher affinity for SSTR2, the most common SSTR subtype found in NETs. We aimed to analyze the distribution pattern of 68 Ga-DOTA-TATE in normal subjects. Methods: A total of 617 consecutive 68 Ga-DOTA-TATE PET/CT whole-body scans performed in our department from May 2015 through April 2020 with known or suspected neuroendocrine malignancies, mostly to evaluate adrenal adenomas, were retrospectively analyzed by 2 nuclear medicine physicians. One hundred eighteen subjects without a diagnosis of NET, with no tracer avid lesion of NET on 68 Ga-DOTA-TATE PET/CT, and followed up for at least 6 months (average 2-3 years) without any biochemical, clinical, or imaging findings suggestive of NET were included in this study.