Imaging Acute Myocarditis with 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT

Abstract

Somatostatin receptor (SSTR) imaging is a useful method in the diagnosis of acute myocarditis. We present a case of a 54-year-old male with a clinical diagnosis of acute myocarditis in whom, 68Ga-DOTANOC positron emission tomography/computed tomography PET/CT showed diffuse left ventricular myocardial uptake. SSTR imaging can act as a surrogate marker of active inflammation. SSTR imaging is useful in deciding site of biopsy, assessing response to therapy and for prognostication.

PET/CT Imaging of Infectious Diseases: Overview of Novel Radiopharmaceuticals

“…In particular, 68 Ga-DOTANOC and 68 Ga-DOTATOC uptake has been documented in acute myocarditis [87,88], and 68 Ga-DOTATATE is enhanced in large vessel vasculitis, such as Takayasu arteritis [89].…”

“…Surely, 68 Ga-labeled tracers show high target-to-background ratios and share a low rate of physiological distribution in the brain, myocardium and liver, thus potentially playing a role in overcoming limitations of 18 F-FDG in brain infections, myocarditis and liver abscess. 68 Ga-DOTATOC and DOTANOC have already shown good diagnostic performance in diagnosing acute myocarditis [87,88], while 68 Ga-FAPI may enable the identification of intracranial infections [82]. A further feasible application of 68 Ga-labeled somatostatin analogues may also be represented by the imaging of active atherosclerotic plaques.…”