SSTR PET finds more distant disease in GEP-NETs

In this 24-year surgical cohort, SSTR PET identified bone and retroperitoneal nodal metastases more often than Octreoscan—findings that may matter for operative planning.

• Preoperative functional imaging use rose about 2.5% per year for small-bowel NETs, but did not increase for pancreatic NETs.
• Among patients imaged, metastatic disease was present at presentation in 82.3% with small-bowel and 54.9% with pancreatic NETs.

The findings support SSTR PET’s staging value, but do not establish diagnostic accuracy or improved outcomes; this was a single-center retrospective study.