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Diagnostics
Special Issues
Clinical Applications of PET/CT: Current Status and Future Perspectives
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Clinical Applications of PET/CT: Current Status and Future Perspectives

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Imaging and Theranostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2026 | Viewed by 2904

Editors

Dr. Emmanouil Panagiotidis

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Guest Editor
Nuclear Medicine Laboratory, University of Thessaly, University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece
Interests: PET/CT; PET/MRI; SPECT/CT
Dr. Jules T. Zhang-Yin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Nuclear Medicine, Clinique Sud Luxembourg, Vivalia, B-6700 Arlon, Belgium
Interests: radiation therapy; nuclear medicine; cancer treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will focus on the diagnostic applications of PET/CT across a broad range of clinical conditions, with particular emphasis on oncologic imaging. We welcome submissions highlighting how PET/CT enhances diagnostic accuracy, supports differential diagnosis, improves staging and restaging, and guides personalised patient management. Studies exploring emerging oncologic radiotracers—such as PSMA-, FAPI-, and SSTR-targeted agents—as well as quantitative PET parameters and novel imaging biomarkers are especially encouraged. By bringing together current evidence and future perspectives, this Special Issue aims to provide an updated overview of the role of PET/CT in contemporary diagnostic practice.

Dr. Emmanouil Panagiotidis
Dr. Jules T. Zhang-Yin
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • PET/CT
  • diagnostic imaging
  • molecular imaging
  • oncology
  • PSMA
  • FAPI
  • SSTR
  • novel tracers
  • quantitative PET

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

33 pages, 1883 KB  
Review
Fibroblast Activation Protein Inhibitor (FAPI) PET: A Scoping Review of Emerging Oncologic and Fibroinflammatory Applications
by Emmanouil Panagiotidis, Filippos Koinis, Jules Zhang-Yin, George Angelidis, Varvara Valotassiou, Ioannis Tsougos, Athanasios Kotsakis and Panagiotis Georgoulias
Diagnostics 2026, 16(10), 1542; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16101542 - 19 May 2026
Viewed by 992
Abstract
This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. It summarizes advances in fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) positron emission tomography (PET) for oncologic and fibroinflammatory diseases. FAP is [...] Read more.
This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. It summarizes advances in fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) positron emission tomography (PET) for oncologic and fibroinflammatory diseases. FAP is expressed broadly on activated mesenchymal cells—including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and myofibroblasts within desmoplastic tumor stroma, FAP-positive tumor cells in selected sarcomas, and activated fibroblasts in chronic fibroinflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and organ fibrosis. By targeting these activated fibroblasts, [68Ga]- and [18F]-labeled FAPI tracers provide high tumor-to-background contrast, particularly in desmoplastic and stromal-rich cancers. Compared with [18F]FDG, FAPI PET demonstrates superior lesion conspicuity in selected malignancies and enables a streamlined, non-fasting imaging workflow. Beyond oncology, FAPI PET is emerging as a promising tool for assessing cardiac fibrosis, pulmonary inflammation, and autoimmune conditions characterized by fibroblast activation. A systematic literature search of PubMed and Scopus was performed for peer-reviewed publications from 1 January 2018 to 28 February 2026. Inclusion criteria encompassed original studies, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, clinical guidelines, case series, and case reports reporting on FAPI-targeted PET in human subjects or translational models, published in English. After screening, 256 sources met the eligibility criteria and are included. The development of standardized SNMMI/EANM imaging protocols, along with ongoing multicenter trials and the first prospective phase 2 clinical trial of 68Ga-FAPI-46 PET with histopathological confirmation, now supports the reproducible implementation of FAPI PET across institutions. FAPI PET demonstrates strong translational potential, largely due to its favorable biodistribution, safety profile, and theranostic flexibility. However, its widespread use in routine clinical practice is contingent upon large-scale clinical validation, structured reader training, and formal regulatory approval. In conclusion, FAPI PET represents a maturing molecular imaging platform targeting activated fibroblasts across oncologic and fibroinflammatory diseases. Its widespread adoption into clinical practice requires large-scale prospective trials, reader training, standardized reporting, and regulatory approval—all of which are now actively underway. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Applications of PET/CT: Current Status and Future Perspectives)
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