Alternative PET Tracers in Musculoskeletal Disease

A bibliometric analysis based on hotspots and frontier trends of positron emission tomography/computed tomography utility in bone and soft tissue sarcoma

Purpose

This study aimed to analyze articles on the diagnosis and treatment of bone and soft tissue sarcoma using positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) published in the last 13 years. The objective was to conduct a bibliometric analysis and identify the research hotspots and emerging trends.

Methods

Web of Science was used to search for articles on PET/CT diagnosis and treatment of bone and soft tissue sarcoma published from January 2010 to June 2023. CiteSpace was utilized to import data for bibliometric analysis.

Results

In total, 425 relevant publications were identified. Publications have maintained a relatively stable growth rate for the past 13 years. The USA has the highest number of published articles (139) and the highest centrality (0.35). The UDICE-French Research Universities group is the most influential institution. BYUN BH is a prominent contributor to this field. The Journal of Clinical Oncology has the highest impact factor in the field.

Conclusion

The clinical application of PET/CT is currently a research hotspot. Upcoming areas of study concentrate on the merging of PET/CT with advanced machine learning and/or alternative imaging methods, novel imaging substances, and the fusion of diagnosis and therapy. The use of PET/CT has progressively become a crucial element in the identification and management of sarcomas. To confirm its efficacy, there is a need for extensive, multicenter, prospective studies.

Non-oncologic Applications of PET/CT and PET/MR in Musculoskeletal, Orthopedic, and Rheumatologic Imaging: General Considerations, Techniques, and Radiopharmaceuticals

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is often underutilized in the field of musculoskeletal imaging, with key reasons including the excellent performance of conventional musculoskeletal MRI, the limited spatial resolution of PET, and the lack of reimbursement for PET for non-oncologic musculoskeletal indications. However, with improvements in PET/CT and PET/MR imaging over the last decade as well as an increased understanding of the pathophysiology of musculoskeletal diseases, there is an emerging potential for PET as a primary or complementary modality in the management of rheumatologic and orthopedic patients. Specific advantages of PET include the convenience of whole body imaging in a single session, the relative resilience of the modality in the imaging of metallic implants compared to CT and MRI, the ability to evaluate deep joints not amenable to palpation, and the potential for improved specificity of diagnosis with novel radiopharmaceuticals. In this review, we discuss multiple radiopharmaceuticals and technical consideration of PET/CT and PET/MRI that can be employed in imaging of non-tumoral bone and soft tissue disorders. Both PET/CT and PET/MR hold significant promise in the field of musculoskeletal imaging, and with further radiopharmaceutical development and clinical research, these hybrid modalities can potentially transform the current management of patients with orthopedic and rheumatologic disease.