What is DOTA PET CT scan?

The DOTA PET CT scan (Gallium-68 DOTATATE scan) is a tool for the detection and care of Neuroendocrine Tumors. An extremely sensitive technology, the DOTA PET CT scan detect the smallest of lesions quite early, which allows a precise but appropriate treatment plan to be set in place for successful treatment response. Unlike other cancers which consume glucose, NETs have receptors for somatostatin, which is a hormone. Hence most of them are not detected on routine FDG-PET CT scan. A DOTA PET CT scan a radioactive (68Ga) tagged with DOTATATE that resembles somatostatin bounds to tumor receptor to highlight NET. Compared to the previous technology to diagnose NETs, which take 4-6 hours and even a few days, the DOTA PET CT scan offers higher accuracy of NET detection and enhanced patient comfort due to lesser scan time.

What is NET (Neuro-endocrine tumors) and how to detect them?

Cancer can be quite unpredictable, with each type of cancer cell having its own set of behavioral characteristics. Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) in particular, can be hard to predict and detect, as they develop anywhere in the body, such as the pancreas, intestines, stomach, and more, spreading at different rates. Another differentiating aspect of these tumors is that they don’t often get detected on regular imaging technique; hence they need different but specific imaging technique that can detect these tumors at the earliest, for easier treatments with greater success rates. The Gallium-68 DOTA PET CT scan is one of its kind technologies, significantly better than the other available options, allowing for accurate and precise detection of NETs.

Benefits of DOTA PET CT scan

There are various benefits that the DOTA PET CT scan offers to patients, making it a more efficient technology in diagnosing NETs.

Faster scanning time – The DOTA PET CT scan can be completed in just 15-20 minutes of, which is much quicker than the previous three-day octoreoscan, which takes minimum 3-4 days to complete. This allows for timely detection of tumors without the hassle of traveling back and forth consecutively.
Higher quality images – The DOTA PET CT scan is highly sensitive, providing high-resolution images that can identify even sub-centimeter sized lesions. This leads to a higher success rate in detection as well as plan appropriate treatments.
Helps in creating a treatment plan – Treatment plans can accurately be created with an efficient diagnosis. The scan can also be used to measure the success of treatments, for a precise outcome.