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ArticleCancers2022

[68Ga]Ga-DOTANOC Uptake at Pancreatic Head/Uncinate Process: Is It a Persistent Diagnostic Pitfall Over Time?

Elena Tabacchi, Emilia Fortunati, Giulia Argalia, Lucia Zanoni, Diletta Calabrò, Silvi Telo, Davide Campana, Giuseppe Lamberti, Claudio Ricci, Riccardo Casadei and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancers, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. False Positive Findings ofMolecular imaging and radionuclide therapy · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Elena TabacchiNuclear Medicine, IRCCS, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
Emilia FortunatiNuclear Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-5454-9603
Giulia ArgaliaNuclear Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-2597-4146
Lucia ZanoniNuclear Medicine, IRCCS, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
Diletta CalabròNuclear Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-7321-1966
Silvi TeloNuclear Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
Davide CampanaOncology, IRCCS, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-4615-7340
Giuseppe LambertiDIMES, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
Claudio RicciPancreatic Surgery, IRCCS, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
Riccardo CasadeiPancreatic Surgery, IRCCS, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
Stefano FantiNuclear Medicine, IRCCS, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
Valentina AmbrosiniNuclear Medicine, IRCCS, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-5008-5351

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purpose[68Ga]Ga-DOTA-peptide uptake in the pancreatic head/uncinate process (UP) is a frequent PET/CT finding. Although mostly physiologic, it can represent a pitfall in PET/CT reading, especially when focal. An increased frequency of UP uptake has been reported in patients (pts) affected by diabetes mellitus (DM). The aim of the study is to describe the frequency of [68Ga]Ga-DOTANOC UP uptake to evaluate its variations over time and its possible correlation with DM.

methodsIn September 2017, a monocentric prospective observational electronic archive was initiated at our center to collect clinical and imaging data of pts undergoing [68Ga]Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT. Among the pts enrolled in the first 6 months (Sept 2017 to Feb 2018), those presenting [68Ga]Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT uptake at UP level were included. Pts with UP lesions already documented on CT/MRI or those that underwent surgical excision of UP before PET/CT were excluded from the analysis. [68Ga]Ga-DOTANOC UP uptake was classified as diffuse or focal and compared with the pattern observed in previous PET/CT scans performed at our center. An increased frequency of UP uptake was also correlated with the presence of DM.

resultsIn the first 6 months, 253 pts were enrolled in the archive and 172 out of them were included in the analysis. UP increased uptake was frequently observed (77/172, 44.8%) and was mostly diffuse (62/77). In 75/172 pts (43.6%), previous [68Ga]Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT scans were available (overall 268 scans; number of previous PET per pt range: 1-20) and were retrospectively reviewed. Despite the fact that, in most pts, the uptake pattern was stable over time (54/75 pts, 72%), it changed in approximately one third of cases (21/75, 28%). Among DM pts (29/172), only 10/29 (34.4%) presented increased UP uptake.

conclusionsUP [68Ga]Ga-DOTANOC uptake is a frequent non-malignant finding (slightly higher than previously reported), mostly presenting with a diffuse pattern. However, contrary to previous reports, our data show that the pattern of uptake may vary over time in approximately one third of the cases and it is not more frequently observed in pts with DM.

Indexed as

[68Ga]Ga-DOTANOChead pancreasneuroendocrine tumorsPET/CTuncinate process

Identifiers

PMID35884602
PMCPMC9315701

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.