Prostate-specific membrane antigen PET/computed tomography for staging prostate cancer.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiology
• Nuclear Medicine

Background:

• Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT is increasingly used for prostate cancer (PCa) staging.
• Indications are expanding beyond biochemical recurrence.
• PSMA PET/CT detects small lesions missed by conventional imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent evidence on PSMA PET/CT for initial PCa staging.
• To highlight the diagnostic performance compared to standard imaging.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent studies and a large randomized trial on PSMA PET/CT in PCa initial staging.
• Comparison of PSMA PET/CT sensitivity and accuracy against CT and bone scan.

Main Results:

• PSMA PET/CT demonstrates higher sensitivity and accuracy than conventional CT and bone scans for initial PCa staging.
• Treatment plans are frequently altered based on PSMA PET/CT findings.
• Hybrid PET/MRI shows potential for pelvic disease evaluation, but evidence is limited.

Conclusions:

• PSMA PET/CT is becoming the new standard for primary PCa staging.
• Anticipated reimbursement and guideline incorporation are expected soon.