TY - JOUR T1 - Impact of 3,4-Dihydroxy-6-<sup>18</sup>F-Fluoro-<span class="sc">l</span>-Phenylalanine PET/CT on Managing Patients with Brain Tumors: The Referring Physician's Perspective JF - Journal of Nuclear Medicine JO - J Nucl Med SP - 393 LP - 398 DO - 10.2967/jnumed.111.095711 VL - 53 IS - 3 AU - Franziska Walter AU - Timothy Cloughesy AU - Martin A. Walter AU - Albert Lai AU - Phioanh Nghiemphu AU - Naveed Wagle AU - Barbara Fueger AU - Nagichettiar Satyamurthy AU - Michael E. Phelps AU - Johannes Czernin Y1 - 2012/03/01 UR - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/53/3/393.abstract N2 - We investigated the impact of 18F-DOPA brain PET/CT on the clinical management of patients with known or suspected brain tumors. Methods: A prospective survey of referring physicians was conducted. A pre-PET questionnaire inquired about indication, tumor histology or grade, level of suspicion for tumor recurrence, and planned management. Early post-PET questionnaires asked referring physicians to categorize PET findings as negative, equivocal, or positive; assessed the level of suspicion for primary or recurrent brain tumor; and recorded intended management changes prompted by PET findings. A late follow-up questionnaire 6 mo after the scan aimed at determining patient outcome (recurrence, survival). In addition, all referring physicians were contacted to determine whether management changes intended after 18F-DOPA PET/CT were implemented. Results: Fifty-eight consecutive patients were included. The clinical suspicion for recurrence increased in 33%, remained unchanged in 50%, and decreased in 17% of patients after adding the PET/CT result to the available diagnostic data. The late post-PET questionnaire confirmed recurrence in 26 patients whereas 32 had stable disease or remained disease-free. 18F-DOPA PET/CT resulted in intended management changes in 41% of patients. Changes in intended management from wait and watch to chemotherapy (6 patients [25%]) and from chemotherapy to wait and watch (4 patients [17%]) occurred most frequently. Clinical follow-up revealed that 75% of intended treatment changes were implemented. Conclusion: 18F-DOPA PET/CT changed the intended management of 41% of patients with brain tumors, and intended management changes were implemented in 75% of these. These changes suggest a potentially important clinical role of imaging amino acid transport in the management of brain tumor patients. ER -