The clinical value of [18F]-fluoro-ethyl-L-tyrosine PET ([18F]FET-PET) correlated with MRI in patients with functioning pituitary adenomas: an observational cohort study
Authors' conclusion
[18F]FET-PET enhances lesion detection and improves personalized treatment in patients with FPA and negative or equivocal conventional MRIs throughout the disease course.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with functioning pituitary adenoma with negative or equivocal conventional MRI during diagnosis, persistent disease and recurrence (CD n = 19, acromegaly n = 14, prolactinoma n = 3, TSH producing adenoma n = 1), January 2022–April 202537 [18F]FET-PETs
- Participants
- 34 patients
- Exposure
- [18F]FET-PET correlated with MRI
- Outcome
- Clinical performance of [18F]FET-PET in the surgically treated cohort (reference: confirmative histopathology and/or postoperative remission)
Methodological detailsdiagnostic performance vs histopathology and/or postoperative remission
- Diagnostic performance vs histopathology and/or postoperative remission
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Diagnostic performance of [18F]FET-PET in the surgically treated cohort (reference: confirmative histopathology and/or postoperative remission)
Overall sensitivity
86%
Overall PPV
71%
Surgery with confirmative histopathology and/or remission: positive [18F]FET-PET
12 of 14
Surgery without confirmative histopathology and/or remission: positive [18F]FET-PET
5 of 6
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Lesions identified by [18F]FET-PET
- Single lesion
- 28 scans (76%)
- Two lesions
- 1 scan (3%)
- No lesion
- 8 scans (22%)
Concordance of [18F]FET-PET and MRI
- Concordant positive
- 14/37
- Concordant negative
- 1/37
- Discordant MRI+/[18F]FET-PET+ different location
- 2/37
- Discordant MRI-/[18F]FET-PET+
- 8/37
- Discordant MRI+/[18F]FET-PET-
- 7/37
- Partly concordant
- 5/37
Acromegaly with biochemical control under continued SSA
- [18F]FET-PET localised a lesion
- 3 patients
Original publication
The clinical value of [18F]-fluoro-ethyl-L-tyrosine PET ([18F]FET-PET) correlated with MRI in patients with functioning pituitary adenomas: an observational cohort study. Pituitary. Published 7 March 2026. doi:10.
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