Chapter 12: Neuroendocrine Tumors: Radiopharmaceuticals for Imaging and Therapy Check Access

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare tumors with diverse origins and variable biological behavior. Different receptors and biological pathways in these tumors can be targeted with radiopharmaceuticals for imaging as well as therapy. Functional imaging with radiopharmaceuticals has now become the standard of care for many NETs. The commonly used imaging agents include somatostatin receptor analogues, [¹⁸F]fluorodopa, [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose and [¹²³I]-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG). Many of these same receptors and pathways in NETs can also be targeted using therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals (like [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu–1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA)–tyrosine-3-octreotate (TATE) and [¹³¹I]–MIBG), especially in metastatic and recurrent settings, and in certain clinical scenarios these radiopharmaceuticals have become the standard of care. Extensive research is ongoing which will better delineate the role of those already established as well as investigational radiopharmaceuticals in imaging and therapy of NETs.