What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to compare the diagnostic performance of 18F-FAPI-42 and 18F-FDG PET/CT in detecting distant metastases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

April 12, 2026

Comparative diagnostic performance of 18F-FAPI-42 versus 18F-FDG PET/computed tomography in detecting distant metastases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and potential pitfalls

Key Points

This research aims to compare the diagnostic performance of 18F-FAPI-42 and 18F-FDG PET/CT in detecting distant metastases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Comparative analysis of 18F-FAPI-42 and 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging
Assessment of diagnostic accuracy for distant metastases
Evaluation of false-positive rates and their interpretation
18F-FAPI-42 shows advantages in detecting bone and pleural metastases
Both tracers exhibit high overall accuracy for metastasis detection
Advanced N-stage is identified as a key predictor of metastatic disease

Abstract

While standalone PET shows differing profiles, integrated 18F‑FAPI‑42 and 18F‑FDG PET/CT provide comparable and high overall accuracy for detecting NPC distant metastases. 18F‑FAPI‑42 offers advantages in visualizing bone and pleural metastases. High false-positive rates for both tracers necessitate careful interpretation with CT correlation. Advanced N-stage is a key predictor of metastatic disease.

Comparative diagnostic performance of 18F-FAPI-42 versus 18F-FDG PET/computed tomography in detecting distant metastases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and potential pitfalls

Key Points

Abstract

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