Fluorodopa F 18 in Congenital Hyperinsulinism and Insulinoma
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02021604 |
Recruitment Status :
Recruiting
First Posted : December 27, 2013
Last Update Posted : December 12, 2022
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Low blood sugars are known to cause brain damage in newborn babies. One of the most common causes of low blood sugars persisting beyond the new born period is a condition called congenital hyperinsulinism (HI). This is a disease whereby the pancreas secretes too much insulin and causes low blood sugars. Twenty to forty percent of these babies will have brain damage. There are two forms of this disease. In one form only a small part of the pancreas makes too much insulin (focal HI) and in the other, the whole pancreas make too much insulin (diffuse HI). Another very similar disease is insulinoma which occurs after birth, but also causes hyperinsulinism. If a surgeon could know which part of the pancreas has the focal lesion he could remove it and cure the patient.
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a new investigational drug called Fluorodopa F 18, when used with a PET scan, can find the focal lesion and guide the surgeon to remove it, thus curing the patient and preventing further brain damage.
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Congenital Hyperinsulinism Insulinoma | Drug: Fluorodopa F 18 | Phase 1 |

Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Estimated Enrollment : | 250 participants |
Allocation: | N/A |
Intervention Model: | Single Group Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Diagnostic |
Official Title: | The Use of Fluorodopa F 18 Positron Emission Tomography Combined With Computed Tomography in Congenital Hyperinsulinism and Insulinoma |
Actual Study Start Date : | October 9, 2013 |
Estimated Primary Completion Date : | January 2028 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | June 2028 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: Pancreatic Imaging with Fluorodopa F 18 |
Drug: Fluorodopa F 18
A dose of Fluorodopa F 18, 3-6 MBq/Kg (0.08-0.16 mCi/kg), will be injected intravenously into the subject under the direct supervision of the radiology sub-investigator. Then, the PET imaging procedure will begin and proceed for up to 70 minutes after injection. An abdominal CT image will be made using intravenous contrast. Both images, PET and CT, will be co-localized by the radiologist for interpretation.
Other Names:
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- Radioactivity of 18F-DOPA following transport [ Time Frame: 1 day ]Positron Emission Tomography will be used to determine whether or not the uptake of a radiopharmaceutical agent, Fluorodopa F 18, produced in a cyclotron located at a distance far from the imaging center will produce qualitatively adequate pancreatic images in patients with congenital hyperinsulinism
- Accuracy of PET imaging compared to intraoperative pancreatic biopsy in patients with congenital hyperinsulinism [ Time Frame: up to one month ]Investigators will directly compare pancreatic images from Fluorodopa F 18 PET combined with Computed Tomography versus the gold-standard of histopathological findings at surgery in subjects who received a partial or complete pancreatectomy
- Accuracy of PET imaging compared to intraoperative pancreatic biopsy in patients with insulinoma [ Time Frame: up to one month ]Investigators will directly compare pancreatic images from Fluorodopa F 18 PET combined with Computed Tomography versus the gold-standard of histopathological findings at surgery in subjects who received a partial or complete pancreatectomy
- Ratio of Standard Uptake Value max to sub max [ Time Frame: up to one month ]Investigators will compare SUV max to SUV sub max at a ratio of the current 1.5, a suggested 1.3 and by using visual inspection of the images.

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Ages Eligible for Study: | up to 18 Years (Child, Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Patients with HI attending the Cook Children's Congenital Hyperinsulinism Center and being treated by an Endocrinologist which may be the PI or a partner of this clinician.
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The patient's Endocrinologist has determined that the patient cannot be safely managed with standard medical therapy (failed) and surgery is recommended to prevent future episodes of severe hypoglycemia and preserve brain function. Failure of medical therapy is defined as both:
- Hypoglycemia (blood glucose <70 m/dL) on a single measure despite the use of anti-hypoglycemic medications, if applicable to the individual patient, including and limited to diazoxide or octreotide
- Inability to fast, defined as the inability to maintain a blood glucose >50 mg/dL for: 1) more than 12 hours for infants < 1 year of age; 2) more than 15 hours 1-3 years of age; 3) more than 18 hours over 3 years of age
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Patients in whom the genetic testing (if available and informative) does not prove diffuse HI disease. Such children might be considered if they have one or more of the following situations:
- no genetic testing results (e.g., due to insurance denial or parental refusal)
- negative genetic testing (note: only 75% of mutations may be found with existing technology)
- no autosomal recessive mutations in ABCC8 or KCNJ11 on the maternal allele
- no autosomal dominant mutations in ABCC8 or KCNJ11
- Patients thought to have focal HI disease based on genetic testing or insulinoma based on clinical evaluation and have well-controlled blood glucose levels with any degree of dietary or medical management, BUT the patient and their parent(s) or LAR wishes to proceed with surgery for a possible cure of HI disease.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Patients who do not have a diagnosis of HI
- Patients with genetic evidence of diffuse HI
- Patients who are pregnant
- Nursing mothers who are unwilling to discontinue breastfeeding their infant for 48 hours after Fluorodopa F 18 injection
- Patients with a known allergy to Fluorodopa F 18 agent

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT02021604
Contact: Deborah Rafferty, PhD | 682-303-1363 | Deborah.Rafferty@cookchildrens.org |
United States, Texas | |
Cook Children's Medical Center | Recruiting |
Fort Worth, Texas, United States, 76104 | |
Principal Investigator: Paul Thornton, MD |
Principal Investigator: | Paul Thornton, MD | Cook Children's Health Care System |
Publications:
Responsible Party: | Cook Children's Health Care System |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT02021604 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
2012-060 |
First Posted: | December 27, 2013 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | December 12, 2022 |
Last Verified: | December 2022 |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | Yes |
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
Congenital Hyperinsulinism HI Hypoglycemia FDOPA |
18F-DOPA Hyperinsulinism Insulinoma |
Insulinoma Congenital Hyperinsulinism Nesidioblastosis Hyperinsulinism Glucose Metabolism Disorders Metabolic Diseases Adenoma, Islet Cell Adenoma Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial Neoplasms by Histologic Type Neoplasms Pancreatic Neoplasms Digestive System Neoplasms |
Neoplasms by Site Endocrine Gland Neoplasms Digestive System Diseases Pancreatic Diseases Endocrine System Diseases Infant, Newborn, Diseases Hypoglycemia Dihydroxyphenylalanine Dopamine Agents Neurotransmitter Agents Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action Physiological Effects of Drugs |