68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT Allows Somatostatin Receptor Imaging in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Preliminary Results

Interstitial lung diseases include different clinical entities with variable prognoses. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the most common, presents the most severe outcome (death within 3–5 y), whereas nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) shows a more indolent progression. Preclinical evidence of somato-statin receptor (SSTR) expression on fibroblasts in vitro and in lung fibrosis murine models, coupled with the longer survival of mice with fibrotic lungs treated with agents blocking SSTR, supports the hypothesis of imaging fibroblast activity in vivo by visualization of SSTR with 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT. The aim of this study was to evaluate 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT in patients with IPF and NSIP.Methods: Seven IPF patients and 7 NSIP patients were included in the study. 68Ga-DOTANOC PET/ CT and high-resolution CT (HRCT) were performed in all cases by following a standard procedure. PET/CT results were com