68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT Uptake and Physiological Impairment in DIPNECH: An Exploratory Case Series

Background/Objectives: Diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia (DIPNECH) can cause respiratory symptoms and physiological impairment. We explored whether quantitative somatostatin-receptor imaging by positron emission tomography/computed tomography with gallium-68-labelled DOTATOC (68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT) is associated with pulmonary physiology and nodule count in histologically confirmed DIPNECH.

Methods

This retrospective, single-centre, hypothesis-generating series included six consecutive adults diagnosed during 2020–2025. Spearman correlations with exact permutation p-values and 95% confidence intervals related the maximum standardised uptake value (SUVmax) of the most avid lesion to diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of forced vital capacity (FEF25–75) and the ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 s to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC); index-lesion diameter and expected partial-volume recovery were examined. Analyses were exploratory and unadjusted for multiple comparisons.