Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40036831›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism2025

Prospective Evaluation of 68Ga-DOTATATE and 18F-DOPA PET Scans in Detecting Tumors Causing Ectopic ACTH Syndrome.

Henrik Elenius, Raven McGlotten, Chuong D Hoang, Clara C Chen, Corina Millo, Ahmed M Gharib, Lynnette K Nieman

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Functional pituitary adenoma imaging.Reviews in endocrine & metabolic disorders · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026
    Article
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

7 authors.

Henrik EleniusDiabetes and Endocrinology and Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6876-9762
Raven McGlottenDiabetes and Endocrinology and Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5817-9232
Chuong D HoangThoracic Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-4016-1434
Clara C ChenBiomedical and Metabolic Imaging Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-2660-7375
Corina MilloDepartment of Positron Emission Tomography, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.ORCID 0009-0008-3035-093X
Ahmed M GharibBiomedical and Metabolic Imaging Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-2476-481X
Lynnette K NiemanDiabetes and Endocrinology and Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0534-8025

Funding

National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentNIHThe National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextIdentification of tumors causing ectopic ACTH syndrome (EAS) is challenging. 68Ga-DOTATATE (DOTA) and 18F-DOPA (DOPA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans are promising imaging modalities warranting further evaluation.

objectiveThis work aimed to compare DOTA and DOPA PET/CT performance in detecting ectopic sources of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH).

methodsA prospective comparison of DOTA, DOPA, and conventional imaging modalities in EAS was conducted at a tertiary referral center. Participants included 24 patients with EAS from neuroendocrine tumors confirmed by pathology and/or biochemical cure. Interventions included DOTA PET/CT, DOPA PET/CT, CT, MRI, gated cardiac CT/MRI, and Octreoscan (OCT) performed between 2014 and 2024. Main outcome measures included sensitivity (Se) and positive predictive value (PPV) for each imaging modality, and 7 combinations thereof, in patients with identified tumors.

resultsOf functional scans, Se for DOPA was higher than OCT (Se 88%; 95% CI, 67%-97% vs 31%; 95% CI, 10%-61%) and overlapped DOTA (Se 79%; 95% CI, 57%-92%). Among structural modalities, CT had the highest Se (96%; 95% CI, 76%-100%) when interpreted knowing results of functional scans; Se was 57% (95% CI, 35%-76%) without those data. Cardiac CT/MRI had the highest PPV (100% for each). Combinations of CT/MRI plus DOTA and/or DOPA provided high PPVs (89%-100%) with Se 64% to 87%; all CIs overlapped. Combined CT and MRI without functional scans provided PPV 79% with Se 55%, although CI overlapped with combinations that included DOTA/DOPA.

conclusionDOTA and DOPA improve tumor detection in EAS by increasing Se of structural scans and PPV of detected lesions. The two scans are complementary and should be integral to imaging strategies for EAS. However, DOPA is not currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for this indication.

Indexed as

ACTH Syndrome, EctopicDihydroxyphenylalanineNeuroendocrine TumorsOrganometallic CompoundsPositron Emission Tomography Computed TomographyAdultAgedFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedPredictive Value of TestsProspective StudiesRadiopharmaceuticalsDihydroxyphenylalaninefluorodopa F 18gallium Ga 68 dotatateOrganometallic CompoundsRadiopharmaceuticalsCushingDOTATATEectopic ACTH syndromeF-DOPAimagingneuroendocrine tumor

Identifiers

PMID40036831
PMCPMC12527431

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.