Ozempic and similar drugs could interfere with common medical procedures, research warns

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 obtain detailed internal images to detect lesions, tumors or other abnormalities, according to the Cleveland Clinic. A typical use of PET scans is to examine organs and tissues, detect cancerous activity, or monitor how the body responds 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 from patients taking GLP-1 drugs, according to a news release.

They found some “atypical” scan results that could be mistaken for signs of disease.

“We noticed unusual absorption in one of our patients on a GLP-1 agonist, prompting a broader review across our network,” lead author Dr. Peter Strouhal, medical director of Alliance Medical Ltd in the United Kingdom, said in the statement.

“We find that these altered patterns are becoming more common, but there is currently no national or international guidance in the UK to address this emerging issue.”

“It’s something we’ll be keeping an eye on in our industry, but more information is needed.”

Misunderstanding the results of these scans can lead to additional testing, incorrect cancer evaluations and delays in treatment, which can cause stress and anxiety for patients, the statement noted.

“Knowing how GLP-1 medications can affect scanned images helps doctors avoid confusion and unnecessary procedures, so patients receive the right care quickly and safely,” Strouhal said.

Despite these findings, the researchers said they do not recommend that patients stop taking GLP-1 before undergoing 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 collect more data from global imaging centers to strengthen these findings.

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Sue Decotiis, MD, a weight loss specialist in New York City, noted that the study results are still very preliminary.

“They just noticed an increase, but they didn’t mention what specific organs or parts of the body,” Decotiis, who was not involved in the study, told News Digital.

“It will be important to see more data from many more patients to understand exactly what they saw. It’s something we will be watching in our industry, but more information is needed.”

Adam Wolfberg, MD, medical director at Virta Health in Massachusetts, also reflected on the study.

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“GLP-1 has many effects on the body and one of them is altering the way glucose is metabolized,” Wolfberg, who was also not involved in the study, told News Digital. “Since the tracing agent used in these PET scans contains glucose, absorption of the agent (a type of metabolic ‘dye’) may be affected.”

“Interpretation of the corresponding images would require knowledge of this clinical history.”

However, he reiterated that he doesn’t think this finding is a “big deal.”

“PET scans are always interpreted in the context of the entire patient,” Wolfberg said. “A skilled oncologist or radiologist would always take the patient’s medical history, as well as the medications they are taking, into account when reading this type of scan.”

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Wolfberg agreed that much more data would be needed before these observations impacted medical practice.

News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment, as well as the GLP-1 drug makers.