A new scan often missed the small tumors that cause Cushing disease
Original title: 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/MRI for identifying corticotroph adenomas in Cushing disease: a pilot study.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This was a small first test of the scan in people, and it often missed the tumor.
The short version
A new scan was tested to find tiny pituitary tumors, and it missed many of them.
What was studied. Doctors tested a new scan, called 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/MRI, in 10 people with Cushing disease. Five were newly diagnosed, and 5 had disease that stayed or came back.
What they found. Only two scans showed a spot in the pituitary gland. One of those spots was a real tumor. Three people whose scan showed nothing had surgery and got better, so the scan had missed their tumor.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Right now this scan cannot be trusted to find these tumors. It might add some helpful information for a few people. Doctors still need the usual tests, like an MRI and blood taken from veins near the pituitary gland.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean there is a new way to find these tumors. It was a very small first study at one center, and the scan missed tumors in several people. The scan is not a treatment and not a cure. It does not change the tests your doctor uses today.
Source: PubMed, October 16, 2026 · Read the original
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