(18)F-DOPA PET/CT for assessment of response to induction chemotherapy in a child with high-risk neuroblastoma

Functional imaging plays a crucial role in the assessment of neuroblastoma. The evaluation of response to induction chemotherapy is a cornerstone in scheduling proper treatment management in patients affected by high-risk neuroblastoma. 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine has been recognized as the radiopharmaceutical of choice in neuroblastoma assessment. To date, the clinical role of PET/CT in pediatric malignancy is not well established. 18F-DOPA-PET/CT has been recently used in neuroblastoma, and compared with 123I-MIBG-scan. Scant new data are available about the role of this tool in the evaluation of treatment response after induction chemotherapy. We investigate the role of 18F-DOPA-PET/CT in characterizing the response to induction chemotherapy in a child affected by high-risk- neuroblastoma, in whom the rare association of 123I-MIBG-negative primary tumor and MIBG-positive bone marrow metastases was observed.