Al18F-NOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT for diagnosis of breast cancer and its correlation with pathological features: A single-center retrospective study

Al¹⁸F-NOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT exhibits high sensitivity and accuracy for breast cancer diagnosis and lymph node metastasis detection, with uptake independent of blood glucose levels. Its core clinical roles include complementary initial diagnosis in high-risk subgroups (dense breasts, diabetes), primary nodal staging, and problem-solving in equivocal cases. However, the lack of significant correlation between uptake parameters and pathological features should be interpreted cautiously due to potential Type II error. These characteristics make it a versatile imaging tool for breast cancer diagnosis and staging in regional tertiary care settings, with further validation needed in larger, balanced cohorts.