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Researchers have revealed a surprising new side effect linked to GLP-1 agonists, such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound.
These popular treatments for diabetes and obesity could interfere with medical imaging, such as PET and CT (“CAT”) scans.
CT scans are often used to get detailed internal images to detect injuries, tumors or other abnormalities, according to Cleveland Clinic. A typical use of PET scans is to examine organs and tissues, detect cancer activity or monitor how the body is responding to treatment.
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In the case review, presented this week at the 38th Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine in Barcelona, Spain, researchers analyzed cancer scans of patients who were taking GLP-1 medications, according to a press release.
They found some “atypical” scan results that could be mistaken as signs of disease.
Popular treatments for diabetes and obesity could interfere with medical imaging, such as PET and CT scans, a study suggested. (iStock)
“We noticed an unusual uptake in one of our patients on a GLP-1 agonist, which prompted a wider review across our network,” lead author Dr. Peter Strouhal, medical director at Alliance Medical Ltd in the U.K., stated in the release.
“We found that these altered patterns are increasingly common, yet there is currently no national or international guidance in the U.K. addressing this emerging issue.”
“It’s something we’ll keep an eye on in our industry, but more information is needed.”
Misunderstanding these scan results can lead to extra tests, incorrect cancer assessments and delays in treatment, which can cause stress and anxiety for patients, the release noted.
“Knowing how GLP-1 medications can affect scan images helps doctors avoid confusion and unnecessary procedures, so patients get the right care quickly and confidently,” Strouhal said.
“We noticed an unusual uptake in one of our patients on a GLP-1 agonist, which prompted a wider review across our network,” the lead study author said. (iStock)
Despite these findings, the researchers said they don’t recommend that patients stop taking GLP-1s prior to having a scan — but they did emphasize that imaging teams should consider patients’ medication use when interpreting scan results.
Looking ahead, the research team plans to gather more data from global imaging centers to strengthen these findings.
Sue Decotiis, M.D., a medical weight-loss doctor in New York City, pointed out that the results of the study are still very preliminary.
“They just noticed an increase, but it didn’t mention which organs or specific body parts,” Decotiis, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
Researchers said they don’t recommend that patients stop taking GLP-1s prior to having a scan — but they did emphasize that imaging teams should consider patients’ medication use when interpreting scan results. (iStock)
“It will be important to see more data from many more patients to understand exactly what they saw. It’s something we’ll keep an eye on in our industry, but more information is needed.”
Adam Wolfberg, M.D., chief medical officer at Virta Health in Massachusetts, also reflected on the study.
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“GLP-1s have many effects on the body, and one of them is altering the way glucose is metabolized,” Wolfberg, who also did not take part in the study, told Fox News Digital. “Since the tracer agent used in these PET scans contains glucose, uptake of the agent — a metabolic ‘dye’ of sorts — can be impacted.”
“Interpretation of the corresponding images would require knowledge of this clinical background.”
“Knowing how GLP-1 medications can affect scan images helps doctors avoid confusion and unnecessary procedures, so patients get the right care quickly and confidently,” the researcher said. (iStock)
He echoed, however, that he doesn’t think this finding is a “big deal.”
“PET scans are always interpreted in the context of the whole patient,” Wolfberg said. “A skilled oncologist or radiologist would always take into account a patient’s medical history as well as the medications they are taking when reading this type of scan.”
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Wolfberg agreed that much more data would be required before these observations should impact medical practice.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment, as well as to manufacturers of GLP-1 medications.
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Chronic kidney disease has been named the ninth leading cause of global death.
Record numbers of men and women are currently estimated to have reduced kidney function, according to new research following a study published in the journal The Lancet.
Researchers at NYU Langone Health, the University of Glasgow, and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington analyzed the rise of kidney disease worldwide.
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They examined 2,230 published papers and health datasets from 133 countries, searching for diagnoses, mortality and the toll of disability from the disease.
From 1990 to 2023, cases rose from 378 million to 788 million, landing the disease in the top 10 of most deadly diseases in the world for the first time.
The largest risk factors for kidney disease include high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high body mass index (BMI). (iStock)
The research, conducted as part of the Global Burden of Disease 2023 study, also revealed that about 14% of the world’s adult population has chronic kidney disease. About 1.5 million people died from kidney disease in 2023, an increase of more than 6% since 1993.
Most people in the study were in early stages of the disease, which can be improved with drugs and lifestyle changes before dialysis or surgery becomes necessary, the researchers noted.
The research, which was presented last week at the American Society of Nephrology’s annual Kidney Week conference, marks “the most comprehensive estimate of the condition in nearly a decade,” according to the authors.
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Chronic kidney disease causes the kidneys to lose the ability to filter waste and excess fluid from the blood, NYU Langone detailed.
Mild cases may not show any symptoms, but those in the most advanced stages can require dialysis, kidney replacement therapy or an organ transplant.
Chronic kidney disease causes the kidneys to lose the ability to filter waste and excess fluid from the blood. (iStock)
Impaired kidney function was also identified as a key risk factor for heart disease, contributing to about 12% of global cardiovascular mortality.
The largest risk factors for kidney disease, based on the study findings, include high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high body mass index (BMI).
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Study co-senior author Josef Coresh, M.D., Ph.D., director of NYU Langone’s Optimal Aging Institute, said these results classify chronic kidney disease as “common, deadly and getting worse as a major public health issue.”
“These findings support efforts to recognize the condition alongside cancer, heart disease and mental health concerns as a major priority for policymakers around the world,” he said in a statement.
Kidney disease may show no symptoms, yet can ultimately require dialysis or organ transplantation. (iStock)
Study co-lead author Morgan Grams, M.D., Ph.D., the Susan and Morris Mark Professor of Medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, also commented that chronic kidney disease is “underdiagnosed and undertreated.”
“Our report underscores the need for more urine testing to catch it early and the need to ensure that patients can afford and access therapy once they are diagnosed,” she wrote.
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New medications have recently become available that can slow disease progression and reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure, although it may take time to see the global impact, Grams added.
A doctor urged physicians to be more aware of kidney function and the impact of certain medications. (iStock)
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel commented on the “dramatic increase” in an interview with Fox News Digital, agreeing that kidney disease is “vastly underestimated and underdiagnosed,” in part due to lack of symptoms in early stages.
“The kidneys are filters of waste and managers of electrolytes and acid/base balance,” said Siegel, who was not involved in the study. “They are very sensitive to changes in blood pressure and blood flow, and can lead to loss of protein and electrolytes when damaged.”
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“High blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, diabetes and low blood pressure all impact basic kidney function, so there is a high degree of secondary kidney disease and failure in addition to primary damage to the kidneys themselves,” the doctor added.
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Siegel urged physicians to be more aware of kidney function and the impact of certain medications.
This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Gates Foundation and the National Kidney Foundation.
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