Purpose :
This review aimed to summarize the available literature on the clinical application of [18F]FLT PET imaging in primary brain tumours.
Methods :
A comprehensive search strategy based on Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and the Embase databases was carried on using the following search string: ('3` Fluorothymidine'/exp OR 'FLT' OR '[18F]-FLT' OR '[18F]Fluorothymidine') AND ('pet'/exp OR 'pet' OR 'positron emission tomography') AND ('glioma'/exp OR 'glioma' OR 'brain tumour'/exp OR 'brain tumour’). The search was updated till March 2021 and only articles in English and studies investigating the clinical applications of [18F]FLT PET and PET/CT in primary brain tumours were considered eligible for inclusion.
Results:
The literature search ultimately yielded 52 studies to be included in the systematic review, with main results as follows: a) the uptake of [18F]FLT may guide stereotactic biopsy but does not discriminate between grade II and III glioma. b) [18F]FLT uptake and texture parameters correlate with overall survival (OS) in newly diagnosed gliomas. c) In patients with recurrent glioma, proliferative volume (PV) and tumour-to-normal brain (T/N) uptake ratio are independent predictors of survival. d) Patients demonstrating response to therapy at [18F]FLT PET scan show longer OS compared to non-responders. e) [18F]FLT PET demonstrated good performance in discriminating tumour recurrence from radionecrosis. However, controversial results exist in comparative literature examining the performance of [18F]FLT vs. other radiotracers in the assessment of recurrence.
Conclusion :
[18F]FLT PET imaging has demonstrated potential benefits for grading, diagnostic and prognostic purposes, despite the small sample size studies due to the relatively low availability of the radiotracer.
Identification of ABC Transporter Interaction of a Novel Cyanoquinoline Radiotracer and Implications for Tumour Imaging by Positron Emission Tomography
