Abstract

Abstract BACKGROUND A quantitative correlative analysis between 68Ga-DOTATOC accumulation using PET/CT and somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (SSTR2) in meningiomas was conducted. The possible contributions of angiogenesis and inflammation were investigated as well. METHODS Fifteen patients with newly (n = 12) and recurrent (n = 3) meningiomas were prospectively assigned to a 60-minute dynamic 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT scan prior to surgery. PET data included measurements of maximum and mean standardized uptake value (SUVmax, SUVmean) with/without normalisation to different reference tissues, and quantitative measures derived from kinetic modeling using a reversible two-tissue compartment model with the fractional blood volume (VB) included in the model. The SSTR2-expression was determined by immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), while biomarkers of inflammation (macrophage-specific marker CD68, interleukin-18 [IL18]) and angiogenesis (endothelial marker CD34, vascular endothelial growth factor-A [VEGF-A]), were assessed by qPCR only. RESULTS Twelve patients (80%) were diagnosed with World Health Organization (WHO) grade I meningioma and three with WHO grade II (20%). No significant differences in SSTR2-expression was seen between WHO grades or subtypes (P ≥ 0.05; Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis). Upon stratification of patients based on the median SUVs (SUVmax, 20.9; SUVmean, 9.9), SSTR2-expression was seven-fold increased in patients with SUVs above the medians compared to patients with SUVs below the medians. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient revealed significant correlations between SSTR2-expression, and SUVmean (r = 0.532, P = .041) and mean tumor-to-neck muscle ratio (TNMRmean) (r = 0.593, P = .020). 68Ga-DOTATOC uptake was additionally associated with VB and VEGF-A (P < 0.01), while no association with inflammatory biomarkers were found. In univariate linear regression analysis, SUVmean and TNMRmean remained the optimal surrogate biomarkers for SSTR2-expression (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS 68Ga-DOTATOC accumulation in meningiomas is more complex than previously reported, and may not be limited to the SSTR2-density but also be associated with the vascular component.

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