{
  "abstract": "Background/Objectives: Diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia (DIPNECH) can cause respiratory symptoms and physiological impairment. We explored whether quantitative somatostatin-receptor imaging by positron emission tomography/computed tomography with gallium-68-labelled DOTATOC (68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT) is associated with pulmonary physiology and nodule count in histologically confirmed DIPNECH. Methods: This retrospective, single-centre, hypothesis-generating series included six consecutive adults diagnosed during 2020–2025. Spearman correlations with exact permutation p-values and 95% confidence intervals related the maximum standardised uptake value (SUVmax) of the most avid lesion to diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of forced vital capacity (FEF25–75) and the ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 s to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC); index-lesion diameter and expected partial-volume recovery were examined. Analyses were exploratory and unadjusted for multiple comparisons. Results: All patients were women. SUVmax correlated inversely with DLCO (ρ = −0.90; p = 0.028) and FEF25–75 (ρ = −0.84; p = 0.044); the nodule-count–DLCO association was uncertain (ρ = −0.37; p = 0.50). Index lesions measured 3.6–4.7 mm, below the resolution of the PET system; lesion diameter was unrelated to SUVmax (ρ = −0.20), and the association with DLCO persisted after crude recovery correction (ρ = −0.66). Conclusions: Higher 68Ga-DOTATOC uptake of the most avid lesion accompanied greater physiological impairment in this six-patient series, and the differences in uptake were not explained by lesion size. Given the sample size, wide confidence intervals, multiple unadjusted comparisons, unadjusted comorbidities and sub-resolution lesions, these findings are hypothesis-generating only; they do not establish SUVmax as a marker of disease severity, an actionable threshold or a guide to biopsy, but support prospective investigation of somatostatin-receptor imaging in DIPNECH.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Pneumonology Clinic, Athens Medical Center, 15125 Athens, Greece",
    "Second Pneumonology Department, School of Medicine, Athens University, Attikon University Hospital, 12461 Athens, Greece"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Anastasios Palamidas",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-9289-3368"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Vasilios Tzilas",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-7030-6166"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Demosthenes Bouros"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/49cf9628f8ev6.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3390/jcm15218316",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "49cf9628f8ev6",
  "issns": [
    "2077-0383"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/21/8316",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2713|Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Advances"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223995181",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-26",
  "publisher": "MDPI AG",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/49cf9628f8ev6.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:01Z",
      "native_id": "10.3390/jcm15218316",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/21/8316"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2713|Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Advances",
      "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health"
    }
  ],
  "title": "68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT Uptake and Physiological Impairment in DIPNECH: An Exploratory Case Series",
  "title_text": "68Ga-DOTATOC PET/CT Uptake and Physiological Impairment in DIPNECH: An Exploratory Case Series",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:01Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/49cf9628f8ev6",
  "venue": "Journal of Clinical Medicine",
  "versions": []
}