Imaging Tests to Find Neuroblastoma and Pheochromocytoma Tumors in Patients
Tests special scans that find and stage tumors in patients with neuroblastoma or pheochromocytoma.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Clinical Application of Somatostatin Receptor and Norepinephrine Transporter Targeted Imaging for Diagnosis and Staging of Neuroblastoma and Pheochromocytoma/Paraganglioma
Key facts
- Where
- Nanjing, ChinaSee the site
AI summary: who the study is looking for
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for children and adults with suspected or confirmed neuroblastoma or pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma who need special scans (SSTR or NET-targeted imaging).
- Age
- 6 months or older
- Sex
- All sexes can join
- Disease stage
- Suspected or confirmed neuroblastoma (NB) or pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL), with a clinical reason for imaging: first staging, restaging, suspected recurrence, response check or treatment planning
- Earlier treatment
- Cannot have had therapeutic or high-dose 131I-MIBG within a period that would confound imaging (for example within 6 months). Certain medicines need a washout before the scan. Cannot have anticancer therapy that would confound reading the scans.
Main reasons for not taking part
- Pregnant or breastfeeding (unless following tracer-specific lactation guidance)
- Known allergy to the study imaging agents or their ingredients
- Taking interfering medicines that cannot be stopped in time
- Cannot lie still for the scan and sedation is not possible
- Condition that makes the scan unsafe, such as uncontrolled heart or lung disease
Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
Where in China
- Nanjing First HospitalNanjing, ChinaContact: Ying ZhangTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorTrial details
- Who runs it
- Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University
- Trial code
- NCT07195500
- Record updated
- 26 September 2025
- Original description
The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of somatostatin receptor and norepinephrine transporter targeted imaging (including 18F-MFBG, 123I-MIBG, 131I-MIBG, 68Ga-DOTA-NOC, 68Ga-DOTA-TATE, 68Ga-DOTA-TOC, and other radiolabeled somatostatin analogues) in the diagnosis and staging of neuroblastoma and pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma patients aged 1-70 years. The main questions it aims to answer are:Read full original descriptionShow less
the Clinical Application of Somatostatin Receptor and Norepinephrine Transporter Targeted Imaging for the Diagnosis and Staging of Neuroblastoma and Pheochromocytoma/Paraganglioma
The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of somatostatin receptor and norepinephrine transporter targeted imaging (including 18F-MFBG, 123I-MIBG, 131I-MIBG, 68Ga-DOTA-NOC, 68Ga-DOTA-TATE, 68Ga-DOTA-TOC, and other radiolabeled somatostatin analogues) in the diagnosis and staging of neuroblastoma and pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma patients aged 1-70 years. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Can molecular targeted imaging using various norepinephrine transporter tracers (18F-MFBG, 123I/131I-MIBG) and somatostatin receptor tracers (68Ga-DOTA-peptides series) accurately detect primary tumors and metastatic lesions in neuroblastoma/pheochromocytoma patients? What is the comparative diagnostic performance (sensitivity, specificity, accuracy) of different molecular imaging techniques compared to histopathological diagnosis as the gold standard? Researchers will compare the imaging findings from multiple tracer types with surgical pathology results to assess diagnostic accuracy and clinical staging precision.
Participants will:
* Undergo screening assessments including medical history, physical examination, and laboratory tests * Receive intravenous injection of selected tracers (18F-MFBG, 68Ga-DOTA-NOC/TATE, or other appropriate agents) at standardized doses followed by PET-CT/MRI imaging at optimal time points * Undergo histopathological examination within 2 months post-imaging * Complete safety follow-up for 6 months to monitor for any adverse reactions to the imaging agents
Inclusion: Age: ≥6 months (pediatric and adult); Suspected or confirmed diagnosis of neuroblastoma (NB) or pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL); Clinical indication for SSTR and/or NET-targeted molecular imaging for initial staging, restaging, suspected recurrence, response assessment, or treatment planning; Ability to undergo PET/CT or PET/MRI and/or SPECT/CT per protocol; for the PET/MRI subset, no MRI contraindications; Provision of written informed consent/assent per local regulations; Women of childbearing potential: negative pregnancy test within 72 hours prior to tracer administration and agreement to use effective contraception during the imaging window; For the multi-tracer subset (if applicable): willingness to undergo two imaging studies within a predefined window (e.g., ≤28 days) without intervening antitumor therapy.
Exclusion: Use of interfering medications without feasible washout:; NET imaging: drugs that affect catecholamine transport/storage (e.g., labetalol, tricyclic antidepressants, certain sympathomimetics) per site SOPs; SSTR imaging: long-acting somatostatin analogues within ~3-4 weeks or short-acting within ~24-48 hours, unless clinically unavoidable; Prior therapeutic or high-dose 131I-MIBG within a period that would confound diagnostic imaging or dosimetry (e.g., within 6 months), at the investigator's discretion; Contraindications to required modality-specific procedures (e.g., MRI-incompatible implants for PET/MRI; iodinated/gadolinium contrast contraindication only if contrast is mandated and no alternative pathway is acceptable); Concurrent participation in an interventional study or receipt of anticancer therapy that would confound imaging interpretation within the imaging window; for multi-tracer comparisons, any interval systemic therapy between scans; Any condition that, in the investigator's judgment, precludes safe imaging or protocol compliance (e.g., uncontrolled cardiorespiratory disease, severe claustrophobia not amenable to sedation/anxiolysis); Known hypersensitivity to study radiopharmaceuticals or their excipients; Pregnant or breastfeeding; breastfeeding participants unwilling to follow tracer-specific lactation interruption guidance per institutional policy; Inability to lie still for the required acquisition time and sedation not feasible per institutional policy.