SNMMI publishes appropriate use criteria for somatostatin receptor PET imaging

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) has published appropriate use criteria (AUC) for somatostatin receptor PET imaging in neuroendocrine tumors. This AUC is part of a new series developed by SNMMI in its role as a qualified provider-led entity (PLE) under the Medicare Appropriate Use Criteria Program for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging. The society's other recently released AUC are for bone scintigraphy in prostate and breast cancer; ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) imaging in pulmonary embolism, which is endorsed by the American College of Emergency Physicians; hepatobiliary scintigraphy in abdominal pain; and FDG PET/CT restaging and response assessment of malignant disease.

The AUC for somatostatin receptor PET imaging addresses several clinical scenarios for diagnosing neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). To develop these criteria, SNMMI worked collaboratively with the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM), the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS), the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American College of Radiology (ACR), the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (NANETS), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the Endocrine Society, the American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES), and the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO).

SNMMI assembled an autonomous Somatostatin Receptor PET Imaging in Neuroendocrine Tumors Workgroup consisting of experts in the field of nuclear medicine including radiologists, pharmacologists, endocrinologists, surgeons and oncologists to review the scientific literature and develop consensus recommendations for the clinical use of this technology. The Oregon Health Science University's (OHSU) Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) conducted a systematic review of existing evidence based on the scope and parameters that the workgroup put together, which were then used to make the recommendations for clinical use.

The SNMMI Guidance Oversight Committee is also developing AUC for gastrointestinal transit, infection imaging, PET myocardial perfusion imaging, prostate cancer imaging, somatostatin imaging, and thyroid imaging and therapy.