Comparable Diagnostic Value of 99m Tc-FAPI-46 SPECT/CT and 18 F-FDG PET/CT in Cholangiocarcinoma: A Case Report

Clin Nucl Med. 2025 Dec 1;50(12):e695-e696. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000005877. Epub 2025 May 9.

Abstract

We describe a 51-year-old man with cholangiocarcinoma of the common bile duct. Initially deemed nonmetastatic, he was a candidate for curative surgery and liver transplantation. However, during laparotomy, peritoneal seeding was discovered, necessitating omentectomy and lesion resection. Following chemotherapy, the patient underwent 18 F-FDG PET/CT for re-staging, revealing uptake in the primary tumor and a right iliac bone metastasis. Subsequently, FAPI-based scintigraphy using 99m Tc-FAPI-46 as a novel conventional imaging agent demonstrated comparable uptake in both lesions. This case highlights the diagnostic potential of 99m Tc-FAPI-46 SPECT/CT as an alternative to 18 F-FDG PET/CT and 68 Ga-FAPI in cholangiocarcinoma, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Keywords: FAPI; SPECT/CT; cholangiocarcinoma; nuclear imaging.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Bile Duct Neoplasms* / diagnostic imaging
  • Cholangiocarcinoma* / diagnostic imaging
  • Cholangiocarcinoma* / pathology
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Organotechnetium Compounds*
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography*

Substances

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Organotechnetium Compounds