Bengaluru : A study conducted at Aster International Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru, and published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine, has found that [68Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT (FAPI PET/CT) is more sensitive than conventional contrast-enhanced CT in detecting the spread of ovarian cancer within the abdominal cavity.
The prospective study evaluated 200 women with epithelial ovarian cancer, comparing both imaging techniques against findings observed during surgery. FAPI PET/CT demonstrated a sensitivity of 81.8% and diagnostic accuracy of 86%, compared with 54.6% sensitivity and 78% accuracy for conventional CT. It also showed better sensitivity in detecting disease in the upper abdomen, an important consideration when assessing the extent of cancer before surgery.
Accurately mapping the spread of ovarian cancer helps multidisciplinary teams assess surgical feasibility and plan treatment. FAPI PET/CT targets fibroblast activation protein in the tumour microenvironment, helping make cancer deposits more visible on imaging.
Commenting on the findings, Dr. Somashekhar S. P., Group Medical Director, Aster DM Quality Care, Lead Consultant in Surgical and Gynaecological Oncology and Robotic Surgery, Aster Hospitals, Whitefield, said, “In advanced ovarian cancer, understanding the extent and distribution of peritoneal disease before surgery is critical to determining the most appropriate treatment strategy. Our study found that FAPI PET/CT was more sensitive than conventional CT in detecting peritoneal spread and provided a closer estimate of the overall disease burden compared with surgical findings. This approach could support more informed decisions around surgical feasibility and treatment planning. Further research will help establish its role across different clinical settings.”
The study was conducted between May 2024 and April 2025. The researchers noted that further prospective studies are needed to validate the findings across different treatment settings.
The multidisciplinary research team included Dr. Prathap H. J., Head of Department – Nuclear Medicine, PET CT and Advanced Radioligand Theranostics; Dr. Ashwin K. R., Head of Department – Surgical Oncology and Consultant – Surgical Oncology and Gynaecological Oncology; Dr. Rohit Kumar C., Consultant – Surgical Oncology and Robotic Cancer Surgery; and Dr. Esha R. Shanbhag, Consultant and Lead, Head of the Department of Gynaecologic Oncology, all at Aster Whitefield Hospital.
The findings add to the growing evidence supporting the role of advanced molecular imaging in ovarian cancer management. By offering a more sensitive assessment of peritoneal disease, FAPI PET/CT has the potential to strengthen preoperative evaluation and help clinicians make better-informed treatment decisions. Further research will be essential to establish its clinical utility and determine how it can be integrated into routine ovarian cancer care.
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