Hepatocellular Carcinoma Mimicking Neuroendocrine Tumor Metastasis on 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT. (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ulaner, Gary A.; Bodei, Lisa
• Is Part Of: Clinical nuclear medicine. Volume 44:Number 4(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: DOTATATE -- 68Ga -- hepatocellular carcinoma -- NETSPOT -- somatostatin receptors; Nuclear medicine -- Periodicals; Radioisotope scanning -- Periodicals; Nuclear Medicine -- Periodicals; 616.07575
• DOI: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000002467
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0363-9762

Abstract

Abstract : Abstract: 68 Ga-DOTATATE is a radiolabeled somatostatin analog used for the detection and characterization of somatostatin receptor (SSR)–overexpressing tumors, particularly well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors. We present a case of a 65-year-old man with well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor post–Whipple surgery and a new liver lesion on CT. 68 Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT was performed for SSR characterization and restaging, which demonstrated the lesion to be intensely SSR positive and interpreted as a neuroendocrine metastasis. However, subsequent pathology proved the lesion to be a hepatocellular carcinoma. This case adds hepatocellular carcinoma as a potentially DOTATATE-avid malignancy to be considered in the differential diagnoses of SSR-positive liver lesions.