Abstract
Imaging of somatostatin receptor expression is an established technique for staging of neuroendocrine neoplasia and determining the suitability of patients for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy. PET/CT using (68)Ga-labeled somatostatin analogs is superior to earlier agents, but the rapid physical decay of the radionuclide poses logistic and regulatory challenges. (64)Cu has attractive physical characteristics for imaging and provides a diagnostic partner for the therapeutic radionuclide (67)Cu. Based on promising preclinical studies, we have performed a first-time-in-humans trial of (64)Cu-MeCOSar-Tyr(3)-octreotate ((64)Cu-SARTATE) to assess its safety and ability to localize disease at early and late imaging time-points. Methods: In a prospective trial, 10 patients with known neuroendocrine neoplasia and positive for uptake on (68)Ga-DOTA-octreotate ((68)Ga-DOTATATE) PET/CT underwent serial PET/CT imaging at 30 min, 1 h, 4 h, and 24 h after injection of (64)Cu-SARTATE. Adverse reactions were recorded, and laboratory testing was performed during infusion and at 1 and 7 d after imaging. Images were analyzed for lesion and normal-organ uptake and clearance to assess lesion contrast and perform dosimetry estimates. Results:(64)Cu-SARTATE was well tolerated during infusion and throughout the study, with 3 patients experiencing mild infusion-related events. High lesion uptake and retention were observed at all imaging time-points. There was progressive hepatic clearance over time, providing the highest lesion-to-liver contrast at 24 h. Image quality remained high at this time. Comparison of (64)Cu-SARTATE PET/CT obtained at 4 h to (68)Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT obtained at 1 h indicated comparable or superior lesion detection in all patients, especially in the liver. As expected, the highest early physiologic organ uptake was in the kidneys, liver, and spleen. Conclusion:(64)Cu-SARTATE is safe and has excellent imaging characteristics. High late-retention in tumor and clearance from the liver suggest suitability for diagnostic studies and for prospective dosimetry for (67)Cu-SARTATE peptide receptor radionuclide therapy, and the half-life of (64)Cu would also facilitate good-manufacturing-practice production and distribution to sites without access to (68)Ga.