CXCR4-Targeted 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT Imaging in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Purpose To investigate the role of CXCR4-targeted 68 Ga-pentixafor PET/CT imaging in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods Five IBD patients and 12 control subjects performing 68 Ga-pentixafor PET/CT examinations were included. 68 Ga-pentixafor PET/CT imaging and endoscopic findings were recorded and compared. The semiquantitative parameters of 68 Ga-pentixafor uptake by the lesion segments in IBD patients and the normal intestines in the control were investigated. Results Among these 5 IBD patients, endoscopy successfully examined a total of 26 intestinal segments, with 13 segments showing endoscopic lesions. 68 Ga-pentixafor PET/CT was positive in all endoscopy-proven lesions (13/13). Additionally, 68 Ga-pentixafor PET/CT revealed the lesions in small intestines and colons that cannot be reached by endoscopy due to severe stenosis, and mesenteric lymphadenitis accompanied IBD. The SUV max of the lesion segments in IBD patients was significantly higher than that of the normal intestines in the control group (median, 3.15 [range, 1.61–6.26] vs 1.67 [1.18–2.29], P < 0.001). Moreover, the SUV max ratios of the lesion segments/liver or blood pool were higher when compared with the control (2.20 [1.13–3.26] vs 0.85 [0.54–1.20]; 1.66 [0.94–2.95] vs 0.67 [0.52–1.04]; P ≤ 0.001). Conclusion 68 Ga-pentixafor PET/CT can be a potentially valuable tool to assess the active intestinal lesions of IBD with high sensitivity. Moreover, this noninvasive approach does not require fasting or bowel preparation, offering good tolerance and safety.