Comparison of 68Ga-FAPI-04 and 18F-FDG PET/CT in diagnosing ovarian cancer

Abdom Radiol (NY). 2024 Dec;49(12):4531-4542. doi: 10.1007/s00261-024-04469-4. Epub 2024 Jun 27.

Abstract

Purpose: This study assesses the diagnostic performance of 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT compared to 18F-FDG PET/CT in primary, recurrent, and metastatic ovarian cancer.

Methods: Seventy-nine ovarian cancer patients who performed 68Ga-FAPI-04 and 18F-FDG PET/CT were recruited. The target-to-background ratio (TBR), maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), the number of positive lesions, visual assessment, the peritoneal cancer index (PCI) score, staging/restaging, and treatment strategies were compared from the corresponding PET/CT. Additionally, we analyzed and contrasted the diagnostic efficacy in both scans.

Results: Among all patients, 6 were assessed for initial assessment and 73 for recurrence and metastasis detection. For all lesions, 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT demonstrated greater TBR than 18F-FDG PET/CT. 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT demonstrated higher sensitivity for peritoneal metastases including patient-based and lesion-based analysis (95.00% vs. 83.33%, P = 0.065; 90.16% vs. 60.66%, P < 0.001) and a higher PCI score [median PCI: 6 (4, 12) vs. 4 (2, 8), P < 0.001]. According to the visual assessment, 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET revealed larger extent metastases in 55.93% (33/59) of the patients with peritoneal metastases. 68Ga-FAPI-04 was upstaged in 7 patients (8.86%, 7/79) and discrepancies in both scans caused treatment strategies to change in 11 patients (13.92%, 11/79).

Conclusion: 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT outperforms 18F-FDG PET/CT in identifying metastases and can be a potential supplement for managing ovarian cancer patients.

Keywords: 18F-FDG; 68Ga-FAPI-04; Diagnosis; Ovarian cancer; PET/CT; Recurrence and metastasis.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18*
  • Gallium Radioisotopes
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Ovarian Neoplasms* / diagnostic imaging
  • Ovarian Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography* / methods
  • Quinolines
  • Radiopharmaceuticals*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sensitivity and Specificity*

Substances

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • 68Ga-FAPI
  • Gallium Radioisotopes
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Quinolines