From: Advances in nuclear medicine-based molecular imaging in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Targets | Targeted Imaging Agents | Tumor staging | Results | Imaging Technique | Refs. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAFs | 68Ga-FAPI | Primary tumor | No diet or fasting is required before 68Ga-FAPI examination, and image acquisition can be started right after tracer injection | PET/CT | [73] |
SHOWS a much higher mean TBRmax than FDG, making it easier to differentiate tumors from inflammation | PET/CT | [74] | |||
68Ga-FAPI and 18F-FDG shows equivalent and high SUL uptake values within the primary site of OSCC | PET/CT | [75] | |||
Has advantages over 18F-FDG PET/CT in assessing skull base invasion and cavernous sinus involvement in NPC patient | PET/CT | [76] | |||
Improves the detection rate of primary tumor in FDG negative HNCUP patients | PET/CT | [77] | |||
Serves as a novel approach for planning of image-guided radiotherapy | PET/CT | [78] | |||
As a potential complement to MRI for T-staging and radiotherapy planning in NPC patients | PET/CT | [79] | |||
Locoregional and distant metastases | 68Ga-FAPI has improved specificity compared to18F-FDG, potentially preventing overtreatment caused by false-positive cervical lymph nodes-indicated neck dissections | PET/CT | [80] | ||
68Ga-FAPI has higher specificity and accuracy than 18F-FDG for evaluating OSCC neck lymph node metastases, especially for N0 neck status | PET/CT | [81] | |||
Superior sensitivity to18F-FDG PET/CT for detecting lymph node, bone and visceral metastases | PET/CT | [82] | |||
68Ga-FAPI PET/MR has the potential to serve as a single-step staging modality for NPC patients with suspected distant metastases | PET/MR | [83] | |||
PD-1/PD-L1 | 89Zr-DFO-durvalumab | Clinical | The first PD-L1 PET/CT study in patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC, showing feasibility and safety | PET/CT | [98] |
89Zr-PD-L1 mAb | Preclinical | Potentially valuable for assessing radiation-induced PD-L1 upregulation in HNC and melanoma | PET/CT | [101] |