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New PET Scan Beats CT for Ovarian Cancer Spread Detection
10 Oct
Summary
- FAPI PET scans detect ovarian cancer spread inside the abdomen more accurately than CT scans.
- The study involved 200 women and was published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
- FAPI PET findings altered treatment decisions for 18-21% of patients in the study.
A new study by Bengaluru doctors indicates that FAPI PET scans offer superior detection of ovarian cancer spread within the abdomen compared to conventional contrast-enhanced CT scans. The research, published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine, focused on 200 women undergoing cytoreductive surgery.
FAPI PET scans demonstrated higher sensitivity and overall accuracy in identifying peritoneal disease, where cancer spreads to the abdominal lining. This is particularly crucial for advanced ovarian cancer, as accurate assessment influences surgical eligibility and chemotherapy decisions. The study found CT scans tended to underestimate the extent of cancer spread.
FAPI PET technology targets cancer-associated fibroblasts, offering clearer imaging with lower background uptake than FDG PET. This advanced imaging identified peritoneal disease with 81.8% sensitivity, versus 54.6% for CT. The scan’s findings prompted treatment changes in 18-21% of study participants, potentially reducing the need for invasive diagnostic procedures.
