A scoping review of Turkish medical literature has mapped the clinical landscape of gallium-68 fibroblast activation protein (68Ga-FAP)-targeted positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), concluding that the modality functions as a selective, question-driven diagnostic tool rather than a universal replacement for established imaging agents. The review evaluated Türkiye-based research published up to a predefined cutoff date of May 31, 2026, synthesizing evidence across original investigations and case-based reports.
Investigators searched five bibliographic databases—PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, TR Dizin, Embase, and Scopus—to identify relevant national publications on FAP-targeted PET imaging. The review included original research studies and case-based publications, while excluding review papers and conference or meeting abstracts that lacked full-text publication. Eligible literature was charted according to study design, radiotracer, comparator imaging, tumor type, clinical indication, principal imaging findings, complementary diagnostic value, and reported limitations or interpretive pitfalls.
The search identified 88 eligible publications, comprising 33 original studies and 55 case-based reports, representing a total of 1,148 reported patient or case entries. The authors noted that these entries may include overlapping patient cohorts reported from the same medical centers.
The evaluated Turkish literature was predominantly concentrated in gastrointestinal malignancies, peritoneal disease, breast cancer, and selected metastatic or receptor-discordant clinical settings. Recurrent findings included improved lesion conspicuity in neoplasms with low 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) avidity or prominent stromal features. In addition, the imaging demonstrated added detection of peritoneal, hepatic, nodal, and osseous disease in selected cohorts, showing complementary utility when established PET tracers produced equivocal or discordant results.
Case-based publications also documented interpretive pitfalls, noting non-malignant FAP-targeted tracer uptake associated with inflammatory, fibrotic, benign stromal, and physiological processes. Consequently, the review concluded that FAP-targeted PET/CT may serve as a selective, question-driven imaging instrument rather than a universal substitute for FDG, prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), or DOTATATE PET/CT, particularly in indications where conventional agents are insufficient for staging, treatment selection, or response assessment.
Subject of Research: Scoping review of Turkish clinical literature on FAP-targeted PET/CT imaging
Article Title: 68Ga-FAP-targeted PET/CT from Türkiye: a scoping review of original studies, case-based publications, and emerging clinical indications
Article References: Bilgic, S., Koroglu, I., & Alper, E. (2026). 68Ga-FAP-targeted PET/CT from Türkiye: a scoping review of original studies, case-based publications, and emerging clinical indications. BMC Medical Imaging. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12880-026-03038-z
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s12880-026-03038-z
Keywords: FAP-targeted PET/CT, scoping review, nuclear medicine, oncology, radiotracers, molecular imaging, diagnostic imaging, PET-CT, Ga-FAP-targeted, rkiye, scoping, review