18/10/2026
CA9 PET/CT (Carbonic Anhydrase IX PET)
CA9 PET/CT is a molecular imaging technique being investigated primarily for clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), a type of kidney cancer.
1. What is CA9?
* Full name: Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX).
* It is a cell-surface enzyme expressed at high levels in many clear-cell renal cancers.
* It is associated with cellular adaptation to low-oxygen conditions.
2. How does CA9 PET/CT work?
1. A radiotracer designed to bind to CAIX is injected.
2. The tracer targets CAIX-expressing tumour cells.
3. PET detects the radioactive signal.
4. CT provides anatomical localisation.
3. Which cancer can it detect?
Its main potential application is clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Early clinical research suggests that CAIX-targeted PET may help distinguish clear-cell from some other renal tumour subtypes.
4. Is it a routine clinical scan?
CAIX-targeted PET is an emerging imaging approach, and further prospective validation is needed before its role can be established in routine clinical practice.
Remember:
* ¹⁸F-FDG PET: Glucose metabolism.
* ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET: PSMA expression, especially in prostate cancer.
* CAIX-targeted PET: CAIX expression, particularly in clear-cell renal cancer.
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