DOTA-conjugated somatostatin analogue for labelling with radiometals such as gallium-67 or gallium-68, indium-111, and yttrium-90. Known as DOTA-TATE, this is a useful tool in receptor-mediated tumour imaging and peptide receptor-targeted radionuclide therapy. Binding of DOTA-TATE is detected by scintigraphy even at low level. The high expression of somatostatin receptors allows their successful use as radiolabelled octreotide analogues for tumour tracing in nuclear medicine. Binding of DOTA-TATE can occur at sights of inflammatory or immunologic diseases where increased lymphocyte binding is occurring.

A few radioligands have been applied on the basis of peptide receptor recognition in the past. However, an optimal radiopeptide for receptor-targeted radionuclide therapy has yet to be achieved. Ongoing developments may result in peptides more suitable for this kind of receptor-targeted radionuclide therapy. Further work with this DOTA-TATE could provide that vital inroad.