68Ga-labeled DOTA-Peptides and 68Ga-labeled Radiopharmaceuticals for Positron Emission Tomography: Current Status of Research, Clinical Applications, and Future Perspectives

In this review we give an overview of current knowledge of 68Ga-labeled pharmaceuticals, with focus on imaging receptor-mediated processes. A major advantage of a 68Ge/68Ga generator is its continuous source of 68Ga, independently from an on-site cyclotron. The increase in knowledge of purification and concentration of the eluate and the complex ligand chemistry has led to 68Ga-labeled pharmaceuticals with major clinical impact. 68Ga-labeled pharmaceuticals have the potential to cover all today's clinical options with 99mTc, with the concordant higher resolution of positron emission tomography (PET) in comparison with single photon emission computed tomography. 68Ga-labeled analogs of octreotide, such as DOTATOC, DOTANOC, and DOTA-TATE, are in clinical application in nuclear medicine, and these analogs are now the most frequently applied of all 68Ga-labeled pharmaceuticals. All the above-mentioned items in favor of successful application of 68Ga-labeled radiopharmaceuticals for imaging in patients are strong arguments for the development of a 68Ge/68Ga generator with Marketing Authorization and thus to provide pharmaceutical grade eluate. Moreover, now not one United States Food and Drug Administration–approved or European Medicines Agency–approved 68Ga-radiopharmaceutical is available. As soon as these are achieved, a whole new radiopharmacy providing PET radiopharmaceuticals might develop.