68Ga-FAPi-46 PET/CT Scan in Imaging Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease
This early phase I trial studies an imaging technique called gallium Ga 68 FAPi-46 (68Ga-FAPi-46) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) to determine where and to which degree the FAPI tracer (68Ga-FAPi-46) accumulates in normal and fibrotic lung tissues in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). PET is an established imaging technique that utilizes small amounts of radioactivity attached to very minimal amounts of tracer, in the case of this research, 68Ga-FAPi. Because some inflammatory tissue take up 68Ga-FAPi it can be seen with PET. CT utilizes x-rays that traverse body from the outside. CT images provide an exact outline of organs and potential inflammatory tissue where it occurs in patient’s body. FAP stands for fibroblast activation protein. FAP is associated with the formation of fibrosis in the body. The function of FAP is not well understood but imaging studies have shown that FAP can be detected with FAPi PET/CT. Imaging FAP with FAPi PET/CT may in the future provide additional information about various conditions including ILD.