Initial Experience with the Radiotracer Anti-1-amino-3-[18F]Fluorocyclobutane-1-Carboxylic Acid (Anti-[18F]FACBC) with PET in Renal Carcinoma

Purpose

Assessment of renal masses with conventional imaging may be challenging. Anti-1-amino-3-[¹⁸F]fluorocyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid (anti-[18F]FACBC) is a synthetic l-leucine analog with relatively little renal excretion. The present study examines anti-[¹⁸F]FACBC positron emission tomography uptake in patients with renal masses.

Procedures

Six patients with seven renal lesions were imaged dynamically for 2 h after injection of 10–10.9 mCi (370–403 MBq) anti-[¹⁸F]FACBC. Lesions were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively and correlated with histology.

Results

Four clear cell and one Rosai–Dorfman lesion were hypo/isointense to normal cortex; two papillary lesions in the same patient were hyperintense. Mean SUV_max?±?SD at 30 min was 2.8?±?0.24 for clear cell carcinomas and 4.5?±?1.7 for papillary cell lesions. Mean SUV_max/SUV_mean ratios?±?SD of lesion to normal cortex at 30 min was 1.15?±?0.19 for the clear cell carcinomas and 2.3?±?0.84 for papillary cell.

Conclusions

In this small patient sample, relative amino acid transport compared with renal cortex is elevated in renal papillary cell carcinoma but not in clear cell carcinoma.