Approved & therapeutic
Gallium Ga 68 dotatate
Netspot
Gallium Ga 68 dotatate is a radiolabelled somatostatin analogue used as a PET imaging agent to localise somatostatin-receptor-positive neuroendocrine tumours. It is the diagnostic half of the neuroendocrine theranostic pair.
Also known as: 68Ga-DOTATATE, Ga-68 dotatate, DOTATATE PET
- Status
- Gallium Ga 68 dotatate is approved by the U.S. FDA and has official prescribing information.
- Evidence
- Approved labeling. Official prescribing information exists, based on clinical trials in people.
- Half-life
- Gallium-68 has a physical half-life of approximately 68 minutes.
- How it's taken
- Intravenous injection followed by PET/CT imaging
- Mechanism
- Other
- Pathways
- GH axis
How Gallium Ga 68 dotatate works
A somatostatin analogue is chelated to gallium-68, a positron emitter. The peptide binds SSTR2 on neuroendocrine tumour cells, concentrating the tracer at tumour sites where PET detects the annihilation photons. Receptor density determines uptake, so the scan simultaneously locates disease and predicts responsiveness to somatostatin-analogue therapy.
What research has looked at
- Markedly higher sensitivity than the older indium-111 pentetreotide (OctreoScan) planar imaging, and it detects lesions conventional imaging misses.
- It changes management in a substantial proportion of cases by revealing disease extent not otherwise apparent.
- It functions as the companion diagnostic for lutetium-177 dotatate therapy — a scan showing receptor expression identifies who the therapy can reach.
- Short imaging protocol, typically completed within about an hour of injection.
Evidence level: Approved labeling. Official prescribing information exists, based on clinical trials in people. These are areas studied or reported, not promised effects.
Reported side effects and risks
- Radiation exposure, though modest and comparable to other PET tracers.
- Somatostatin analogue therapy should be timed around the scan, since cold octreotide competes for the same receptor and can reduce tracer uptake.
- Physiological uptake in the spleen, kidneys, adrenals, pituitary and pancreatic uncinate process can be mistaken for disease and requires experienced interpretation.
- Not all neuroendocrine tumours express SSTR2; poorly differentiated tumours often do not, and a negative scan does not exclude disease.
- Gallium-68 has a very short half-life, so it must be produced on site or nearby, limiting availability.
Sources
- FDA approved-drug listing for gallium Ga 68 dotatate · U.S. Food & Drug Administration
- DailyMed prescribing information for gallium Ga 68 dotatate · NIH · DailyMed
- PubMed research on gallium 68 dotatate PET neuroendocrine · NIH · National Library of Medicine
- DrugBank record for gallium Ga 68 dotatate · DrugBank
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Related compounds
Gallium Ga 68 dotatate FAQ
What is Gallium Ga 68 dotatate?
Gallium Ga 68 dotatate is a radiolabelled somatostatin analogue used as a PET imaging agent to localise somatostatin-receptor-positive neuroendocrine tumours. It is the diagnostic half of the neuroendocrine theranostic pair.
How does Gallium Ga 68 dotatate work?
A somatostatin analogue is chelated to gallium-68, a positron emitter. The peptide binds SSTR2 on neuroendocrine tumour cells, concentrating the tracer at tumour sites where PET detects the annihilation photons. Receptor density determines uptake, so the scan simultaneously locates disease and predicts responsiveness to somatostatin-analogue therapy.
Is Gallium Ga 68 dotatate FDA approved?
Yes. Gallium Ga 68 dotatate is approved by the U.S. FDA and has official prescribing information. Evidence level: approved labeling. Official prescribing information exists, based on clinical trials in people.
What is the half-life of Gallium Ga 68 dotatate?
Reported half-life: Gallium-68 has a physical half-life of approximately 68 minutes.
How is Gallium Ga 68 dotatate taken?
Intravenous injection followed by PET/CT imaging.
What side effects have been reported with Gallium Ga 68 dotatate?
Reported in the sources: Radiation exposure, though modest and comparable to other PET tracers; Somatostatin analogue therapy should be timed around the scan, since cold octreotide competes for the same receptor and can reduce tracer uptake; Physiological uptake in the spleen, kidneys, adrenals, pituitary and pancreatic uncinate process can be mistaken for disease and requires experienced interpretation; Not all neuroendocrine tumours express SSTR2; poorly differentiated tumours often do not, and a negative scan does not exclude disease; Gallium-68 has a very short half-life, so it must be produced on site or nearby, limiting availability.
Educational summary compiled from the sources listed above. Not medical advice. Peptide Vault does not sell, source or recommend any compound. Talk to a qualified clinician before starting or changing anything.