Journal Article

FZJ-2025-04995

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Clinical potential of [18F]FET PET in patients with circumscribed astrocytic glioma

Werner, J.-M. (First author) ; Mair, M. J. ; Wollring, M. M. ; Barci, E. ; Stetter, I. ; Puhr, H. C. ; Tscherpel, C. ; Stoffels, G.FZJ* ; Hainfellner, J. A. ; Berghoff, A. S. ; Sunder-Plassmann, V. ; Widhalm, G. ; Eckert, F. ; Kasprian, G. ; Nakuz, T. S. ; Beck, A. ; Harter, P. N. ; von Baumgarten, L. ; Thon, N. ; Schönecker, S. ; Forbrig, R. ; Mottaghy, F. M.FZJ* ; Lohmann, P.FZJ* ; Fink, G. R.FZJ* ; Langen, K.-J.FZJ* ; Galldiks, N.FZJ* ; Albert, N. L. ; Preusser, M. (Corresponding author)

2026
Springer-Verl. Heidelberg [u.a.]

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1007/s00259-025-07654-9  doi:10.34734/FZJ-2025-04995

Abstract: PurposeTo investigate the clinical potential of O-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine ([18F]FET) PET imaging in the management of circumscribed astrocytic gliomas (CAG), a rare glioma subtype with limited imaging data.MethodsWe retrospectively identified adult CAG patients who underwent [18F]FET PET imaging (i) before diagnosis, (ii) at suspected relapse, or (iii) for response assessment at three institutions. Maximum and mean tumor-to-brain ratios (TBRmax, TBRmean) and metabolic tumor volumes were assessed according to the PET RANO 1.0 criteria. Diagnostic performance in differentiating treatment-related changes from tumor relapse was evaluated using ROC analysis and Fisher’s exact test.ResultsWe evaluated 79 [18F]FET PET scans of 42 patients, including nine (21%) with actionable molecular targets. Measurable [18F]FET uptake was observed in 65% of WHO grade 1 and 100% of WHO grade 2 and 3 CAG. TBR values were significantly higher in WHO grade 2 and 3 CAG than in pilocytic astrocytomas (P < 0.01), but showed no difference based on molecular target status (P > 0.05). In 5 of 11 patients (45%), treatment response assessment by PET RANO 1.0 differed from MRI. Treatment-related changes were confirmed in 12 patients (43%). In CAG WHO grades 2 or 3, the accuracy of [18F]FET PET to identify treatment-related changes was 82% using single PET scans and 100% using serial PET imaging (P < 0.05).Conclusions[18F]FET PET can contribute to clinical management of patients with CAG by detecting measurable disease, differentiating treatment-related changes from tumor progression, and showing potential in treatment response assessment through longitudinal imaging.

Note: Funding Open access funding provided by Medical University of Vienna. Funded by the research budget of the Medical University of Vienna. Financial support by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs, the National Foundation for Research, Technologyand Development and the Christian Doppler Research Association is gratefully acknowledged. Supported by personal funding (J-M.W.) from the German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe). M.J.M. acknowledges personal funding from the European Society of Medical Oncology(ESMO) through a Translational Research Fellowship. This project was supported by Nuclear Medicine and Neurooncology (NMN).Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2025 Nov 18. doi: 10.1007/s00259-025-07654-9. Online ahead of print. Published online 18 Nov 2025

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Physik der Medizinischen Bildgebung (INM-4)
2. Kognitive Neurowissenschaften (INM-3)

Research Program(s):

1. 5253 - Neuroimaging (POF4-525) (POF4-525)
2. 5252 - Brain Dysfunction and Plasticity (POF4-525) (POF4-525)

Appears in the scientific report 2026

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Database coverage:
; ; ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Clinical Medicine ; Current Contents - Life Sciences ; DEAL Springer ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 5 ; JCR ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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