Innovations in Theranostics for Neuroblastoma

This course provides a comprehensive update on instrumental and radiopharmaceutical innovations in the diagnosis and treatment of neuroblastoma. Participants will explore current and emerging imaging modalities, with a comparative analysis of MIBG, MFBF, FDOPA, and Gallium-based tracers, highlighting their evolving roles in staging, risk stratification, and response assessment.

The course will address recent changes in clinical practice and the challenges these advancements pose for pediatric oncologists and nuclear medicine physicians, emphasizing multidisciplinary decision-making.

In addition, the program will review novel therapeutic strategies for refractory and relapsed neuroblastoma, with a focus on radioligand therapy and its integration with immunotherapy approaches, including CAR-T cell therapy. Through state-of-the-art updates and clinical perspectives, the course aims to equip clinicians with practical insights for optimizing diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic outcomes in this complex pediatric malignancy.

• Describe recent instrumental and radiopharmaceutical innovations in the diagnosis and management of neuroblastoma.
• Compare the clinical indications, advantages, and limitations of MIBG, MFBF, FDOPA, and Gallium-based imaging tracers in neuroblastoma.
• Evaluate how emerging imaging techniques are changing staging, risk stratification, and treatment response assessment in pediatric patients.
• Identify current challenges and unmet needs faced by pediatric oncologists and nuclear medicine physicians in integrating new diagnostic tools into clinical practice.
• Discuss the principles and clinical applications of radioligand therapy in refractory and relapsed neuroblastoma.
• Assess the potential role of combined treatment strategies, including radioligand therapy with immunotherapy and CAR-T cell therapy, in improving patient outcomes.
• Apply multidisciplinary decision-making approaches to optimize personalized diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for children with neuroblastoma.

• Nuclear Medicine Physicians

Se Whee Sammy Park et al. Front Oncol 14:1408729. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1408729 , Lise Borgwardt et al, The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.123.267256