O-(2-18F-fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine PET for evaluation of brain metastasis recurrence after radiotherapy: an effectiveness and cost-effectiveness analysis

摘要

BackgroundConventional MRI is the standard method to diagnose recurrence of brain metastases after radiation. However, following radiation therapy, reactive transient blood–brain barrier alterations with consecutive contrast enhancement can mimic brain metastasis recurrence. Recent studies have suggested that O-(2-¹⁸F-fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (FET) PET improves the correct differentiation of brain metastasis recurrence from radiation injury. Based on published evidence and clinical expert opinion, we analyzed effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the use of FET PET in addition to MRI compared with MRI alone for the diagnosis of recurrent brain metastases.