Amino Acid PET in Neurooncology

For decades, several amino acid PET tracers have been used to opti-mize diagnostics in patients with brain tumors. In clinical routine, the most important clinical indications for amino acid PET in brain tumor patients are differentiation of neoplasm from nonneoplastic etiologies, delineation of tumor extent for further diagnostic and treatment plan-ning (i.e., diagnostic biopsy, resection, or radiotherapy), differentiation of treatment-related changes such as pseudoprogression or radiation necrosis after radiation or chemoradiation from tumor progression at follow-up, and assessment of response to anticancer therapy, includ-ing prediction of patient outcome. This continuing education article addresses the diagnostic value of amino acid PET for patients with either glioblastoma or metastatic brain cancer.

Automated summary

For decades, amino acid PET tracers have been used to optimize diagnostics in brain tumor patients, with clinical indications including differentiation of neoplasm from nonneoplastic etiologies, delineation of tumor extent for further diagnostic and treatment planning, differentiation of treatment-related changes, and assessment of response to anticancer therapy. This article focuses on the diagnostic value of amino acid PET for patients with glioblastoma or metastatic brain cancer.