A Prospective Study Assessing the Relationship Between Expression of the Norepinephrine Transporter and 18F-mFBG PET Imaging Results in Neuroblastoma Tumor, Other Neural Crest Tumors, and Organs Innervated by the Sympathetic Nervous System

Description:

This is a prospective, Phase 2, open-label study designed to assess the relationship of 18F- mFBG PET imaging findings and NET expression in neuroblastoma tumor (Cohort I) and adrenergically-innervated organs in non-tumor subjects or neural crest tumors other than neuroblastoma (e.g. pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma) (Cohort II). As the mechanism of cellular uptake of benzylguanidine compounds such as mFBG is predominantly via cell-surface NET, there should be a demonstrable relationship between level of NET expression, whether expressed on neuroblastoma tumor, other neural crest tumors, or organs innervated by sympathetic neurons, and 18F-mFBG PET results. Eligible participants will either have: histopathologically established diagnosis of neuroblastoma and a scheduled clinical biopsy or surgery procedure within 21 days after 18F-mFBG PET imaging procedure; or be scheduled to have a clinical biopsy or surgery procedure that will yield a tissue specimen from an adrenergically-innervated organ or a non-neuroblastoma neural crest tumor within 21 days after 18F-mFBG PET imaging. At least one tissue specimen must be expected to be suitable for analysis of NET expression. Every subject will be expected to have at least 1 suitable recent tissue specimen available for NET expression analysis. Neuroblastoma subjects will also have undergone at least 1 exam with the current standard of care benzylguanidine imaging agent, 123I-mIBG, during the course of clinical care following the original diagnosis of neuroblastoma. All subjects will undergo 18F-mFBG PET imaging using either clinical PET/CT or PET/MRI equipment. PET studies will be examined on-site by a board-certified nuclear medicine physician or a board-certified radiologist experienced in reading 123I-mIBG and PET scans to ensure technical image quality and information content.