A Prospective Registry Study of ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT Incorporation Into Treatment Planning of Intracranial...

The current standard for meningioma treatment planning involves magnetic resonance imaging-based guidance. Somatostatin receptor ligands such as ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATATE are being explored for meningioma treatment planning due to near-universal expression of somatostatin receptors 1 and 2 in meningioma tissue. We hypothesized that ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATATE positron emission tomography (PET)-guided treatment management for patients with meningiomas is safe and effective and can identify which patients benefit most from adjuvant radiation therapy.

A single-institution prospective registry study was created for inclusion of patients with intracranial meningiomas who received a ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT to assist with radiation oncologist decision making. Patients who received a PET scan from January 1, 2018, to February 25, 2022, were eligible for inclusion.

Of the 60 patients included, 40%, 47%, and 5% had World Health Organization grades 1, 2, and 3 meningiomas, respectively, and 8% (5 patients) had no grade assigned. According to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 0539 criteria, 22%, 72%, and 7% were categorized as high, intermediate, and low risk, respectively. After completing their PET scans, 48 patients, 11 patients, and 1 patient proceeded with radiation therapy, observation, and redo craniotomy, respectively. The median follow-up for the entire cohort was 19.5 months. Of the 3 patients (5%) who experienced local failure between 9.2 and 28.5 months after diagnosis, 2 had PET-avid disease in their postoperative cavity and elected for observation before recurrence, and 1 high-risk patient with multifocal disease experienced local failure 2 years after a second radiation course and multiple previous recurrences. Notably, 5 patients did not have any local PET uptake and were observed; none of these patients experienced recurrence. Only 1 grade 3 toxicity was attributed to PET-guided radiation.

This study examined one of the largest known populations of patients with intracranial meningiomas followed by physicians who used ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATATE PET-guided therapy. Incorporating ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATATE PET into future trials may assist with clinician decision making and improve patient outcomes.