Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40830669›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging2026

[18F]F-FAPI PET/CT outperforms [18F]F-FDG PET/CT in predicting treatment response in lupus nephritis.

Min Zhao, Chunqing Zhou, Hao Fang, Yan Cao, Marcus Hacker, Xiang Li, Muyao Guo, Xiaoping Yi, Xiaoli Zhang

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
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

9 authors.

Min ZhaoDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China.
Chunqing ZhouDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China.
Hao FangDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China.
Yan CaoDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China.
Marcus HackerDepartment of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Xiang LiDepartment of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Muyao GuoDepartment of Rheumatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan Province, China.
Xiaoping Yi *Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, Chongqing, 410008, P.R. China. doctoryixiaoping@126.com.
Xiaoli Zhang *Department of Rheumatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan Province, China. 4011121@csu.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-1211-8431

Funding

Central South University school-enterprise joint new project NO.2024XQLH112National Natural Science Foundation of China No.81901662National Natural Science Foundation of China No.81901784National Natural Science Foundation of China No. 82472029
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo identify predictors of complete response (CR) following induction therapy in lupus nephritis (LN) and comparatively evaluate the predictive value of baseline [18 F]F-FAPI PET/CT versus [18 F]F-FDG PET/CT for treatment short-term outcomes. MATERIALS AND

methodsTwenty biopsy-proven LN patients were prospectively enrolled and underwent dual-tracer PET/CT imaging, using both [18 F]F-FAPI and [18 F]F-FDG imaging prior to standardized induction therapy. Treatment response was assessed at 6 months, categorizing into CR, partial response (PR), and non-response (NR) groups. Associations between PET metrics, clinical biomarkers and treatment response were analyzed. Semiquantitative PET parameters including renal standardized uptake values (SUVmax) and target-to-background ratio (TBR) were calculated.

resultsBaseline renal FAPI SUVmax was inversely correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and positively with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P < 0.05 for both), whereas FDG SUVmax showed no significant correlation with either parameter. At 6 months, 50% of patients achieved CR, 25% PR, and 25% NR. Patients with CR exhibited significantly lower baseline renal FAPI SUVmax and TBR compared to those with non-CR (PR + NR) (P < 0.01). Visual assessment of FAPI uptake outperformed FDG in predicting CR, with higher accuracy (85% vs. 70%), specificity (90% vs. 50%), and positive predictive value (PPV, 89% vs. 64%), while sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) were comparable. Univariate logistic regression identified age > 35 years (P < 0.05) and negative baseline FAPI uptake (P < 0.01) as significant predictors of CR. In multivariate analysis, negative FAPI uptake remained the only independent predictor (P < 0.01).

conclusion[18 F]F-FAPI PET/CT demonstrates superior predictive performance over [18 F]F-FDG PET/CT for short-term treatment response in lupus nephritis. It holds promise as a noninvasive imaging biomarker to guide clinical decision-making and optimize individualized therapy.

Indexed as

Fluorodeoxyglucose F18Lupus NephritisPositron Emission Tomography Computed TomographyAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRadiopharmaceuticalsTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultFluorodeoxyglucose F18RadiopharmaceuticalsFibroblast activationImaging biomarkerLupus nephritisPET/CTTreatment response

Identifiers

PMID40830669

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

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.