Physiological uptake Archives

24 Jan 2025

16 Comments

Neuroendocrine Cancer: Somatostatin Receptor (e.g. Ga68, Cu64) PET Scans – a game changer?

Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Survivorship, Treatment64Cu-DOTATATE, Axillary nodes, Bone metastases, CT scan, Degenerative bone disease, Ga68 PET/CT, Liver metastases, NETSPOT, Neuroendocrine cancer, Octreotide scan, Overdiagnosis, Physiological uptake, Radionuclide, Retroperitoneal Fibrosis, SEER, SomaKit TOC, SSTR-PET, Subpectoral lymph node, Supraclavicularfossa (SCF) lymph nodes, Surveillance, Ureter

I was diagnosed in 2010 with metastatic NETs clearly showing on CT scan, the staging was confirmed via an Octreotide Scan which in addition pointed out two further deposits above the diaphragm (one of which has since been dealt with). In addition to routine surveillance via CT scan, I had two further Octreotide Scans in 2011 and 2013 following 3 surgeries, these confirmed the surveillance CT findings of the remnant disease. The third scan in 2013 highlighted an additional lesion in my thyroid (still under a watch and wait regime, biopsy inconclusive - but read on....). In 2018, my 6…

10 Aug 2024

By Ronny Allan

0 Comments

Incidental findings and Incidentalomas – NET or NOT

Patient AdvocacyBenign, Benign tumour, Differential diagnosis, Incidentaloma, Liver cyst, Liver lesion, Lung nodule, Physiological uptake, Renal cyst, Thyroid nodule

During my diagnostics, I presented to my general practitioner as someone with symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia with some weight loss (not a lot but some). The GP at this point had no alternative but to refer me to secondary care where they had the tools to investigate further - e.g. imaging and endoscopies. The use of laboratory testing and imaging devices are there to not only back up the a doctor's clinical hypotheses but also to test them, i.e. these laboratory tests and imaging checks may lead to others. Differential checks are not misdiagnoses, they are part of the…

09 Jul 2024

By Ronny Allan

3 Comments

Understanding your Somatostatin Receptor (SSTR) PET/CT Scan Results

Patient Advocacy18F-FDG, 64Cu-DOTATATE, CT scan, False negative, False positive, Ga68 PET/CT, Octreotide scan, PET Scan, Physiological uptake, Scanxiety, Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS), Somatostatin receptors (SSTR), SSTR-PET, Standardised uptake value (SUV)

Background In my online patient group, there is constant discussion about the meaning of both pictures and words on scan reports. The one that seems to cause the most confusion is PET scans, mainly somatostatin receptor (SSTR) PETs such as Ga68 and Cu64 variants. Worth adding that it's the addition of a nuclear tracer that makes PETs seem different. Generally speaking, the PET hardware is essentially the same. Most have a built-in CT scan, much less frequently an MRI scan. Confusion is often triggered by healthcare system processes where the patient receives the report before the appointment to discuss the…

31 May 2018

By Ronny Allan

17 Comments

All you need to know about Somatostatin Receptor PET/CT Scans for Neuroendocrine Tumours

Treatment64Cu-DOTATATE, CT scan, Degenerative bone disease, Detectnet, Ga68 PET/CT, Ga68-DOTANOC, Meningioma, NETSPOT, Neuroendocrine cancer, Octreotide scan, Osteoblastic activity, Overdiagnosis, Pancreatic uncinate process, Physiological uptake, Radioligand, Radioligand therapy, Radionuclide, SEER, SomaKit TOC, Splenosis, Splenunculus, SSTR-PET, Surveillance, Vertebral haemangioma

Cancer is a growth industry ...literally! More people are being diagnosed than ever before. Fortunately, more people are surviving than ever before. This is against a backdrop of better awareness, better screening in the big population cancers, and to a certain extent better diagnostic tools, all of which is leading to earlier diagnosis. So how does this affect Neuroendocrine Cancer? According to the latest SEER database figures for Neuroendocrine Cancer, one reason for the 7 fold increase in incidence rates since the 1970s is all of those things above including better diagnostics. This has led to a revised set of…

Tag: Physiological uptake