FDA approves new diagnostic imaging agent to detect rare neuroendocrine tumors

June 1, 2016

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Netspot, the first kit for the preparation of gallium Ga 68 dotatate injection, a radioactive diagnostic agent for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. This radioactive probe will help locate tumors in adult and pediatric patients with the rare condition, somatostatin receptor positive neuroendocrine tumors (NETs).

Stanford supported the use of Ga68 DOTA TATE through an expanded access protocol that to date enrolled 194 patients. We were one of only 2 sites West of Mississippi to offer this study since January 2014. Our efforts to offer access to Ga68 DOTA TATE regardless of insurance status were supported by the Department of Radiology, Stanford HealthCare and a generous donation from the Carcinoid Cancer Foundation.

Thank you all for contributing to this success story!

Andrei Iagaru, MD
Associate Professor of Radiology - Nuclear Medicine
Co-Chief, Division of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging
Stanford University Medical Center