18F-DCFPyL PET/CT in the Detection of Prostate Cancer at 60 and 120 Minutes: Detection Rate, Image Quality, Activity Kinetics, and Biodistribution

61Cu-PSMA-Targeted PET for Prostate Cancer: From Radiotracer Development to First-in-Human Imaging

The demand for PET tracers that target prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) continues to increase. Meeting this demand with approved 68Ga- and 18F-labeled PSMA tracers is challenging outside of major urban centers. This is because the short physical half-life of these radionuclides makes it necessary to produce them near their sites of usage. To overcome this challenge, we propose cyclotron-produced 61Cu for labeling PSMA PET tracers. 61Cu can be produced on a large scale, and its 3.33-h half-life allows shipping over considerably longer distances than possible for 68Ga and 18F. Production of true theranostic twins using 61Cu and the β--emitter 67Cu is also feasible. Methods: PSMA-I&T (DOTAGA-(l-y)fk(sub-KuE)) and its derivative in which the DOTAGA chelator was replaced by NODAGA (NODAGA-(l-y)fk(sub-KuE)), herein reported as DOTAGA-PSMA-I&T and NODAGA-PSMA-I&T, respectively, were labeled with 61Cu and compared with [68Ga]Ga-DOTAGA-PSMA-I&T, [68Ga]Ga-NODAGA-PSMA-I&T, [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11, and [18F]PSMA-1007. In vitro (lipophilicity, affinity, cellular uptake, and distribution) and in vivo (PET/CT, biodistribution, and stability) studies were performed in LNCaP cells and xenografts. Human dosimetry estimates were calculated for [61Cu]Cu-NODAGA-PSMA-I&T. First-in-human imaging with [61Cu]Cu-NODAGA-PSMA-I&T was performed in a patient with metastatic prostate cancer. Results: [61Cu]Cu-DOTAGA-PSMA-I&T and [61Cu]Cu-NODAGA-PSMA-I&T were synthesized with radiochemical purity of more than 97%, at an apparent molar activity of 24 MBq/nmol, without purification after labeling. In vitro, natural Cu (natCu)-DOTAGA-PSMA-I&T and natCu-NODAGA-PSMA-I&T showed high affinity for PSMA (inhibitory concentration of 50%, 11.2 ± 2.3 and 9.3 ± 1.8 nM, respectively), although lower than the reference natGa-PSMA-11 (inhibitory concentration of 50%, 2.4 ± 0.4 nM). Their cellular uptake and distribution were comparable to those of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11. In vivo, [61Cu]Cu-NODAGA-PSMA-I&T showed significantly lower uptake in nontargeted tissues than [61Cu]Cu-DOTAGA-PSMA-I&T and higher tumor uptake (14.0 ± 5.0 percentage injected activity per gram of tissue [%IA/g]) than [61Cu]Cu-DOTAGA-PSMA-I&T (6.06 ± 0.25 %IA/g, P = 0.0059), [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 (10.2 ± 1.5 %IA/g, P = 0.0972), and [18F]PSMA-1007 (9.70 ± 2.57 %IA/g, P = 0.080) at 1 h after injection. Tumor uptake was also higher for [61Cu]Cu-NODAGA-PSMA-I&T at 4 h after injection (10.7 ± 3.3 %IA/g) than for [61Cu]Cu-DOTAGA-PSMA-I&T (4.88 ± 0.63 %IA/g, P = 0.0014) and [18F]PSMA-1007 (6.28 ± 2.19 %IA/g, P = 0.0145). Tumor-to-nontumor ratios of [61Cu]Cu-NODAGA-PSMA-I&T were superior to those of [61Cu]Cu-DOTAGA-PSMA-I&T and comparable to those of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and [18F]PSMA-1007 at 1 h after injection and increased significantly between 1 and 4 h after injection in most cases. Human dosimetry estimates for [61Cu]Cu-NODAGA-PSMA-I&T were similar to the ones reported for 18F-PSMA ligands. First-in-human imaging demonstrated multifocal osseous and hepatic metastases. Conclusion: [61Cu]Cu-NODAGA-PSMA-I&T is a promising PSMA radiotracer that compares favorably with [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and [18F]PSMA-1007, while allowing delayed imaging.

Diagnostic Accuracy of 18F-Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) PET/CT Radiotracers in Staging and Restaging of Patients With High-Risk Prostate Cancer or Biochemical Recurrence: An Overview of Reviews

The aim of this overview was to consolidate existing evidence syntheses and provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence for 18F-prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT in the staging of high-risk prostate cancer and restaging after biochemical recurrence. An overview of reviews was performed and reported in line with the preferred reporting items for overview of reviews (PRIOR) statement and synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) reporting guidelines. A comprehensive database and grey literature search were conducted up to July 18, 2023. Systematic reviews were assessed using the risk of bias in systematic reviews (ROBIS) tool. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluations (GRADE). 11 systematic reviews were identified; 10 were at high or unclear risk of bias. Evidence reported on a per-patient, per-lymph node, and per-lesion basis for sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy was identified. There was a lack of data on dose, adverse events and evidence directly comparing 18F-PSMA PET/CT to other imaging modalities. Evidence with moderate to very low certainty indicated high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 18F-PSMA PET/CT in patients with high-risk prostate cancer and biochemical recurrence. There was considerably lower certainty evidence and greater variability in effect estimates for outcomes for the combined intermediate/high-risk cohort. While evidence gaps remain for some outcomes, and most systematic reviews were at high or unclear risk of bias, the current evidence base is broadly supportive of 18F-PSMA PET/CT imaging in the staging and restaging of patients with high-risk prostate cancer and biochemical recurrence.

How to Report PSMA PET

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer diagnosed in men in most developed countries and a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA-PET) has become a valuable tool in the staging and assessment of disease recurrence in PCa, and more recently for assessment for treatment eligibility to PSMA radioligand therapy (RLT). Harmonization of PSMA-PET interpretation and synoptic reports are needed to communicate concisely and reproducibly PSMA-PET/CT to referring physicians and to support clinician therapeutic management decisions in various stages of the disease. Uniform image interpretation is also important to provide comparable data between clinical trials and to translate such data from research to daily practice. This review provides an overview of the value of PSMA-PET across the different clinical stages of PCa, discusses published reporting criteria for PSMA-PET, identifies pitfalls in reporting PSMA, and provides recommendations for synoptic reports.

Diagnostic performance of 18F-labeled PSMA PET/CT in patients with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

After initial treatment of prostate cancer, increases in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels commonly signify potential relapse or metastasis. 18F-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is considered a promising treatment due to its favorable physical properties.

PURPOSE

To investigate the diagnostic value of 18F-PSMA PET/CT for the recurrence and/or metastasis of biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer (BRPca).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases. Combined sensitivity and specificity values for the use of 18F-PSMA PET/CT in patients with BRPca were obtained. The quality of the studies was tested using the Diagnostic Accuracy Research Quality Assessment tool. Meta-analysis was performed using STATA 15 software, and heterogeneity was subsequently tested.

RESULTS

A total of 16 studies (1162 patients) were enrolled and had significant heterogeneity. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC values for 18F-PSMA PET/CT in the diagnosis of prostate recurrence and/or metastasis were 0.93 (0.89-0.95), 0.94 (0.85-0.98), and 0.96 (0,94-0.98), respectively. Meta-regression analyses showed that the sources of heterogeneity did not relate to ligands, study designs, or participants. The pooled sensitivity and specificity values of 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT were 0.90 (0.85-0.94) and 0.89 (0.85-0.93), respectively. The pooled sensitivity and specificity values of 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT were 0.89 (0.85-0.93) and 0.93 (0.70-0.99), respectively. The per-patient pooled sensitivity and specificity values were 0.92 (0.86-0.96) and 0.83 (0.41-0.97), respectively. The per-lesion pooled sensitivity and specificity values were 0.91 (0.86-0.94) and 0.91 (0.86-0.94), respectively.

CONCLUSION

According to our meta-analysis, 18F-PSMA PET/CT has the potential to be critical for the diagnosis of recurrence and/or metastasis in patients with BRPca.

[18F]DCFPyL PET/CT versus [18F]fluoromethylcholine PET/CT in Biochemical Recurrence of Prostate Cancer (PYTHON): a prospective, open label, cross-over, comparative study

PURPOSE

Primary objective was to compare the per-patient detection rates (DR) of [18F]DCFPyL versus [18F]fluoromethylcholine positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), in patients with first prostate cancer (PCa) biochemical recurrence (BCR). Secondary endpoints included safety and impact on patient management (PM).

METHODS

This was a prospective, open label, cross-over, comparative study with randomized treatment administration of [18F]DCFPyL (investigational medicinal product) or [18F]fluoromethylcholine (comparator). Men with rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) after initial curative therapy were enrolled. [18F]DCFPyL and [18F]fluoromethylcholine PET/CTs were performed within a maximum time interval of 12 days. DR was defined as the percentage of positive PET/CT scans identified by 3 central imaging readers. PM was assessed by comparing the proposed pre-PET/CT treatment with the local treatment", defined after considering both PET/CTs.

RESULTS

A total of 205 patients with first BCR after radical prostatectomy (73%; median PSA = 0.46 ng/ml [CI 0.16;27.0]) or radiation therapy (27%; median PSA = 4.23 ng/ml [CI 1.4;98.6]) underwent [18F]DCFPyL- and/or [18F]fluoromethylcholine -PET/CTs, between July and December 2020, at 22 European sites. 201 patients completed the study. The per-patient DR was significantly higher for [18F]DCFPyL- compared to [18F]fluoromethylcholine -PET/CTs (58% (117/201 patients) vs. 40% (81/201 patients), p < 0.0001). DR increased with higher PSA values for both tracers (PSA ≤ 0.5 ng/ml: 26/74 (35%) vs. 22/74 (30%); PSA 0.5 to ≤ 1.0 ng/ml: 17/31 (55%) vs. 10/31 (32%); PSA 1.01 to < 2.0 ng/ml: 13/19 (68%) vs. 6/19 (32%);PSA > 2.0: 50/57 (88%) vs. 39/57 (68%) for [18F]DCFPyL- and [18F]fluoromethylcholine -PET/CT, respectively). [18F]DCFPyL PET/CT had an impact on PM in 44% (90/204) of patients versus 29% (58/202) for [18F]fluoromethylcholine. Overall, no drug-related nor serious adverse events were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The primary endpoint of this study was achieved, confirming a significantly higher detection rate for [18F]DCFPyL compared to [18F]fluoromethylcholine, in men with first BCR of PCa, across a wide PSA range. [18F]DCFPyL was safe and well tolerated.

Meta-analysis of 18 F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT, 18 F-FDG PET/CT, and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in diagnostic efficacy of prostate Cancer

OBJECTIVE

To compare 18 F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT, 18 F-FDG PET/CT and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in the diagnostic value of prostate cancer.

METHOD

The Chinese and foreign databases, such as Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, etc., were systematically searched within the period from the establishment of the database to June 1, 2022. Clinical studies related to the diagnosis of prostate cancer by methods such as 18 F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT, 18 F-FDG PET/CTCT, 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT, were researched. Two (2) investigators independently screened literatures, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias when these data were included in the studies with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2). Review Manager5.4, Stata 14.0, and Meta-disc 1.4 software were used for meta-analysis to compare the efficacy of different methods in the diagnose of prostate cancer.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven (27) studies, including 2891 subjects were included in our study. Meta-analysis results showed that the pooled sensitivities of 18 F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT, 18 F-FDG PET/CT, and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT were 0.912 (95%CI: 0.883-0.936), 0.748 (95%CI: 0.698-0.795), and 0.916 (95%CI: 0.896-0.934), respectively; the pooled specification were 0.878 (0.844-0.907), 0.639 (95%CI: 0.589-0.687), and 0.734 (95%CI: 0.685-0.779), respectively; the positive likelihood ratios were 6.335 (95%CI: 4.288-9.357), 2.282 (95%CI: 1.497-3.477), and 3.593 (95%CI: 2.986-4.323), respectively; the negative likelihood ratios were 0.878 (95%CI: 0.844-0.907), 0.374 (95%CI: 0.280-0.499), and 0.110 (95%CI: 0.083-0.144), respectively; the diagnostic odds ratios were 65.125 (95%CI: 34.059-124.53), 7.094 (95%CI: 4.091-12.301), and 29.722 (95%CI: 20.141-43.863), respectively; the positive posterior probability was 64%, 38%, and 62%, respectively; the area under the SPOC curve was 0.95 (95%CI: 0.93-0.97), 0.81 (95%CI: 0.78-0.84), and 0.96 (95%CI: 0.92-0.98), respectively. The funnel plots indicated that there was no significant publication bias in the included literatures.

CONCLUSION

The current evidences showed that 18 F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT had higher diagnostic efficacy of prostate cancer compared with 18 F-FDG PET/CT, among which 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT was slightly higher in the sensitivity of the diagnosis of prostate cancer, while 18 F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT may have higher efficacy in specificity and confirmed positive rate. Due to the limitations of the quality of the included samples and literatures, the above conclusions should be further validated by expanding the sample size and improving the quality.

Higher Preoperative Maximum Standardised Uptake Values (SUVmax) Are Associated with Higher Biochemical Recurrence Rates after Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy for [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and [18F]DCFPyL Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography

This study aimed to investigate the association between the 68Ga- or 18F-radiolabeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) tracer expression, represented by the maximum standardised uptake value (SUVmax) of the dominant intraprostatic lesion, and biochemical recurrence (BCR) in primary prostate cancer (PCa) patients prior to robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). This was a retrospective, multi-centre cohort study of 446 patients who underwent [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 (n = 238) or [18F]DCFPyL (n = 206) Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) imaging prior to RARP. SUVmax was measured in the dominant intraprostatic PCa lesions. [18F]DCFPyL patients were scanned 60 ([18F]DCFPyL-60; n = 106) or 120 ([18F]DCFPyL-120; n = 120) minutes post-injection of a radiotracer and were analysed separately. To normalise the data, SUVmax was log transformed for further analyses. During a median follow-up of 24 months, 141 (30.4%) patients experienced BCR. Log2SUVmax was a significant predictor for BCR (p < 0.001). In the multivariable analysis accounting for these preoperative variables: initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA), radiologic tumour stage (mT), the biopsy International Society of Urological Pathology grade group (bISUP) and the prostate imaging and reporting data system (PI-RADS), Log2SUVmax was found to be an independent predictor for BCR in [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 (HR 1.32, p = 0.04) and [18F]DCFPyL-120 PET/CT scans (HR 1.55, p = 0.04), but not in [18F]DCFPyL-60 ones (HR 0.92, p = 0.72). The PSMA expression of the dominant intraprostatic lesion proved to be an independent predictor for BCR in patients with primary PCa who underwent [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 or [18F]DCFPyL-120 PET/CT scans, but not in those who underwent [18F]DCFPyL-60 PET/CT scans.

Detecting and Locating the Site of Local Relapse Using 18F-PSMA-1007 Imaging After Primary Treatment of 135 Prostate Cancer Patients-Potential Impact on PSMA-Guided Radiation Therapy

PURPOSE

Due to limited imaging options, the visualization of a local relapse of prostate cancer used to pose a considerable challenge. However, since the integration of ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007-PET/CT into the clinic, a relapsed tumor can now easily be detected by hybrid imaging. The present study aimed to evaluate and map the allocate relapse in a large cohort of prostate cancer patients focusing on individual patient management conclusions for radiation therapy.

PROCEDURES

The current study included 135 men with prostate cancer after primary treatment who underwent ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007-PET/CT due to biochemical relapse detecting a local relapse. Imaging data were reassessed and analyzed with regard to relapse locations. For the correlation of tumor foci with clinical data, we used binary logistic regression models as well as the Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney test.

RESULTS

In total, 69.6% of all patients (mean age: 65 years) underwent prostatectomy while 30.4% underwent radiation therapy. PET imaging detected most frequently a unifocal relapse (72.6%). There was a statistically significantly higher rate of ipsilateral cases among the relapsed tumors. Comparing both treatment approaches, tumors relapsed most commonly within the posterior region after surgery and transition/peripheral zone after radiation therapy, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study confirms that ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007-PET/CT is highly suitable for the localization and allocation of a local relapse in patients with prostate cancer. The data enable further optimizing dose prescriptions and target volume delineations of radiation therapy in the future.

A Systematic Review of the Variability in Performing and Reporting Intraprostatic Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography in Primary Staging Studies

Context

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in men worldwide. Men at risk are typically offered multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and, if suspicious, a targeted biopsy. However, false-negative rates of magnetic resonance imaging are consistently 18%; therefore, there is growing interest in improving the diagnostic performance of imaging through novel technologies. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET) is being utilised for PCa staging and, more recently, for intraprostatic tumour localisation. However, significant variability has been observed in how PSMA PET is performed and reported.

Objective

In this review, we aim to evaluate how pervasive this variability is in trials investigating the performance of PSMA PET in primary PCa workup.

Evidence acquisition

Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines, we performed an optimal search in five different databases. After removing duplicates, 65 studies were included in our review.

Evidence synthesis

Studies dated back as early as 2016, with numerous different source countries. There was variation in the reference standard for PSMA PET, with some using biopsy specimens or surgical specimens, and in some cases, a combination of the two. Similar inconsistencies were noted when studies selected histological definitions of clinically significant PCa, while some omitted their definition altogether. The most significant variations in performing PSMA PET were the radiotracer type, dose, acquisition time after injection, and the PET camera being utilised. Substantial variation in the reporting of PSMA PET was noted, with no consistency in defining what constitutes a positive intraprostatic lesion. Across 65 studies, four different definitions were used.

Conclusions

This systematic review has highlighted considerable variation in obtaining and performing a PSMA PET study in the context of primary PCa diagnosis. Given the discrepancy in how PSMA PET was performed and reported, it questions the homogony of studies from centre to centre. Standardisation of PSMA PET is required for this to become a consistently useful and reproducible modality in the diagnosis of PCa.

Patient summary

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET) is being utilised for staging and localisation of prostate cancer (PCa); however, there is significant variability in performing and reporting PSMA PET. Standardisation of PSMA PET is required for results to be consistently useful and reproducible for the diagnosis of PCa.

18F-DCFPyL PET/CT guidelines

The objective of this guide is to provide to nuclear medicine physicians a tool based on scientific evidence and prepared by consensus of experts, to perform the ¹⁸F-DCFPyL PET/CT procedure with safely and efficiently for patients with prostate cancer who present PSMA overexpression. For them, some recommendations will be established for ¹⁸F-DCFPyL PET/CT examination: reconstruction parameters, presentation of the images and their interpretation. The possible false positives of the procedure will be analysed, how to interpret them and how to avoid them. Finally, all exploration should lead to the preparation of a report that answers the clinician's question. For this, it is recommended to prepare a structured report that includes the PROMISE criteria as well as the classification of the findings according to PSMA-RADS parameters.

[Procedure Guideline for Prostate Cancer Imaging with PSMA-ligand PET/CT]

PSMA-PET/CT for imaging prostate cancer (PC) has spread worldwide since its clinical introduction in 2011. The majority of experiences have been collected for PSMA-PET-imaging of recurrent PC. Data for primary staging of high-risk PC are highly promising. Meanwhile, a plethora of PSMA-ligands are available for clinical use (e. g. ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11, ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-I&T, ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-617, ¹⁸F-DCFBC, ¹⁸F-DCFPyL, ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007, ¹⁸F-rhPSMA-7 and ¹⁸F-JK-PSMA-7). However, an official approval is available only for ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11 (approved by the US FDA in 2020) and ¹⁸F-DCFPyL (approved by the US FDA in 2021).Recommendations for acquisition times vary from 1-2 h p. i. It has been shown that for the majority of tumour lesions, the contrast in PSMA-PET/CT increases with time. Therefore, additional late imaging can help to clarify unclear findings. PSMA-PET/CT should be performed prior to commencing an androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) since (long term) ADT reduces the visibility of PC lesions. Following injection of PSMA-ligands, hydration and forced diuresis are recommended for PSMA-ligands with primarily excretion via the kidneys in order to increase the visibility of tumour lesions adjacent to the urinary bladder.PSMA-ligands are physiologically taken up in multiple normal organs. For some ¹⁸F-labelled PSMA-ligands, presence of unspecific focal bone uptake has been reported. When using these tracers, focal bone uptake without CT-correlate should be interpreted with great caution. Besides prostate cancer, practically all solid tumors express PSMA in their neovasculature thereby taking up PSMA-ligands, although usually at a lower extent compared to PC. Also multiple benign lesions and inflammatory processes (e. g. lymph nodes) take up PSMA-ligands, also usually at lower extent compared to PC.

Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Targeted Pet/CT Imaging in Patients with Colon, Gastric and Pancreatic Cancer

Current imaging modalities frequently misjudge disease stage in colorectal, gastric and pancreatic cancer. As treatment decisions are dependent on disease stage, incorrect staging has serious consequences. Previous preclinical research and case reports indicate that prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted PET/CT imaging might provide a solution to some of these challenges. This prospective clinical study aims to assess the feasibility of [¹⁸F]DCFPyL PET/CT imaging to target and visualize primary colon, gastric and pancreatic cancer. In this prospective clinical trial, patients with colon, gastric and pancreatic cancer were included and underwent both [¹⁸F]DCFPyL and [¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT scans prior to surgical resection or (for gastric cancer) neoadjuvant therapy. Semiquantitative analysis of immunohistochemical PSMA staining was performed on the surgical resection specimens, and the results were correlated to imaging parameters. The results of this study demonstrate detection of the primary tumor by [¹⁸F]DCFPyL PET/CT in 7 out of 10 patients with colon, gastric and pancreatic cancer, with a mean tumor-to-blood pool ratio (TBR) of 3.3 and mean SUV_max of 3.6. However, due to the high surrounding uptake, visual distinction of these tumors was difficult, and the SUV_max and TBR on [¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT were significantly higher than on [¹⁸F]DCFPyL PET/CT. In addition, no correlation between PSMA expression in the resection specimen and SUV_max on [¹⁸F]DCFPyL PET/CT was found. In conclusion, the detection of several gastrointestinal cancers using [¹⁸F]DCFPyL PET/CT is feasible. However, low tumor expression and high uptake physiologically in organs/background hamper the clear distinction of the tumor. As a result, [¹⁸F]FDG PET/CT was superior in detecting colon, gastric and pancreatic cancers.

Ga-68-PSMA-11 PET/CT in Patients with Biochemical Recurrence of Prostate Cancer after Primary Treatment with Curative Intent-Impact of Delayed Imaging

The presence of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) on prostate cancer cells and its metastases allows its use in diagnostics using PET/CT. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of delayed phase images in the Ga-68-PSMA-11 PET/CT. Methods: 108 patients with prostate cancer (median age: 68.5 years, range: 49−83) were referred for Ga-68-PSMA-11 PET/CT due to biochemical relapse (PSA (prostate-specific antigen) (3.2 ± 5.4 ng/mL). Examinations were performed at 60 min, with an additional delayed phase of the pelvis region at 120−180 min. Results: The Ga-68-PSMA-11 PET/CT showed lesions in 86/108 (80%) patients; detection rate depending on the PSA level: 0.2 < PSA < 0.5 ng/mL vs. 0.5 ≤ PSA < 1.0 ng/mL vs. 1.0 ≤ PSA < 2.0 ng/mL vs. PSA ≥ 2.0 ng/mL was 56% (standard vs. delay: 56 vs. 56%) vs. 60% (52 vs. 60%) vs. 87% (83 vs. 87%) vs. 82% (77 vs. 82%) of patients, respectively. The delayed phase had an impact on the treatment in 14/86 patients (16%) (p < 0.05): 7 pts increased uptake was seen only after 60 min, which was interpreted as physiological or inflammatory accumulation; the delayed image showed increased accumulation in 7 patients only: 4 in regional lymph nodes, 1 in local recurrence, and 2 patients with local recurrence showed additional foci. Conclusions: Delayed phase of Ga-68-PSMA-11 PET/CT has an impact on treatment management in 16% of patients.

[18F]DCFPyL PET/CT for Imaging of Prostate Cancer

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-directed positron emission tomography (PET) has gained increasing interest for imaging of men affected by prostate cancer (PC). In recent years, ⁶⁸Ga-labeled PSMA compounds have been widely utilized, although there is a trend towards increased utilization of ¹⁸F-labeled agents. Among others, [¹⁸F]DCFPyL (piflufolastat F 18, PYLARIFY) has been tested in multiple major trials, such as OSPREY and CONDOR, which provided robust evidence on the clinical utility of this compound for staging, restaging, and change in management. Recent explorative prospective trials have also utilized [¹⁸F]DCFPyL PET/CT for response assessment, e.g., in patients under abiraterone or enzalutamide, rendering this ¹⁸F-labeled PSMA radiotracer as an attractive biomarker for image-guided strategies in men with PC. After recent approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, one may expect more widespread use, not only in the U.S., but also in Europe in the long term. In the present review, we will provide an overview of the current clinical utility of [¹⁸F]DCFPyL in various clinical settings for men with PC.

Clinical experience with 18F-JK-PSMA-7 when using a digital PET/CT

Background

Digital PET/CT systems make use of a new technology with higher sensitivity and other better technological features than the analog ones. They require adaptation of the trade-off between performance, tracer dose and acquisition time. The aim of the study was to explore the performance of ¹⁸F-JK-PSMA-7 imaging when performed on a digital PET/CT with an adapted protocol, in a population of patients with prostate cancer patients (PCa). Influence of previous therapy on PET/CT performance is generally disregarded in PSMA-based imaging, despite potential influence of hormono-chemotherapy on the target expression. This potential influence was also tested in this work.

Methods

A total of 54 PCa patients experiencing biochemical recurrence were included in the study, in which we analysed the diagnostic performance of digital ¹⁸F-JK-PSMA-7 PET/CT. Compared to our protocol applied for acquisition on an analog system, administered dose and acquisition time were reduced by 20% and 50% respectively. We specifically took into consideration the influence of previous treatments on recurrence detection.

Results

We detected overall ¹⁸F-JK-PSMA-7-positive lesions in 38/54 patients (70.3%). There was no statistically significant difference regarding the detection rate between the groups of patients who had hormono-chemotherapy any time after initial diagnosis and those who never got any hormonal or chemotherapeutic treatment. Regarding the SUV max values, there was not significant difference between the two groups of patients neither in pelvic ganglions nor in other metastatic sites or the prostate region.

Conclusion

^18F-JK-PSMA7 PET/CT with administered dose and acquisition time adapted to the digital technology provides valuable information in PCa patients with biochemical recurrence.

The differential diagnostic value of dual-phase 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT in prostate carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Binding of ¹⁸F-DCFPyL at prostate cancer (PC) cells increases over time. The dual-phase protocol may be helpful in separating benign lesions from malignant ones associated with prostate cancer. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyze the incremental diagnostic value of ¹⁸F-DCFPyL dual-time imaging in patients with prostate cancer.

METHOD

114 prostate-related malignant lesions and 43 benign lesions in 38 patients with prostate cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) for benign and prostate-related malignant lesions were calculated at min 60 and min 120 of PET/CT imaging. In order to calculate SUV ratio, the SUVmax of left gluteus maximus was measured at the same time. The difference of SUVmax metrics and SUV ratio between malignant and benign lesions was statistically analyzed, the cut-off value of ROC curve was calculated, and the diagnostic efficacy of SUVmax index and SUV ratio at two time points was compared.

RESULTS

SUVmax metrics and SUV ratio of early and delayed imaging of PC-related malignant lesions were significantly higher than those of benign lesions (p < 0.05). In terms of individual indicators, the highest accuracy and sensitivity was in the delayed SUV ratio (89.2% and 94.7%), the best specificity was in the early SUVmax (93.0%). When the individual and combined indicators were compared together, the SUV ratio in the delay period still showed the best diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy, and the best specificity were SUVmax early and ▵SUVmax, SUVmax early and RI.

CONCLUSIONS

Uptake of ¹⁸F-DCFPyL increased over time in prostate-associated malignant lesions compared with benign tissue. For single-phase imaging, 2-hour (delayed) imaging has better diagnostic performance. However, the dual-phase imaging (1 and 2 h) are helpful in the differential diagnosis of prostate-associated malignant lesions and benign lesions.

18F DCFPyL PET Acquisition, Interpretation and Reporting: Suggestions Post Food and Drug Administration Approval

¹⁸F-DCFPyL was recently approved by the FDA for evaluation prior to definitive therapy and for biochemical recurrence. Here we focus on the key data that justify the clinical use of ¹⁸F-DCFPyL, as well as those aspects of protocol implementation and image interpretation that are important to the nuclear medicine physicians and radiologists who will interpret ¹⁸F-DCFPyL PET/CT and PET/MR scans.

SUVs Are Adequate Measures of Lesional 18F-DCFPyL Uptake in Patients with Low Prostate Cancer Disease Burden

In prostate cancer (PCa) patients, the tumor-to-blood ratio (TBR) has been validated as the preferred simplified method for lesional 18F-DCFPyL (a radiolabeled prostate-specific membrane antigen ligand) uptake quantification on PET. In contrast to SUVs, the TBR accounts for variability in arterial input functions caused by differences in total tumor burden between patients (the sink effect). However, TBR depends strongly on tracer uptake interval and has worse repeatability and is less applicable in clinical practice than SUVs. We investigated whether SUV could provide adequate quantification of 18F-DCFPyL uptake on PET/CT in a patient cohort with low PCa burden. Methods: In total, 116 patients with PCa undergoing 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging were retrospectively included. All 18F-DCFPyL-avid lesions suspected of being PCa were semiautomatically delineated. SUVpeak was plotted against TBR for the most intense lesion of each patient. The correlation of SUVpeak and TBR was evaluated using linear regression and was stratified for patients undergoing PET/CT for primary staging, patients undergoing restaging at biochemical recurrence, and patients with metastatic castration-resistant PCa. Moreover, the correlation was evaluated as a function of tracer uptake time, prostate-specific antigen level, and PET-positive tumor volume. Results: In total, 436 lesions were delineated (median, 1 per patient; range, 1-66). SUVpeak correlated well with TBR in patients with PCa and a total tumor volume of less than 200 cm3 (R2 = 0.931). The correlation between SUV and TBR was not affected by disease setting, prostate-specific antigen level, or tumor volume. SUVpeak depended less on tracer uptake time than did TBR. Conclusion: For 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT, SUVpeak correlates strongly with TBR. Therefore, it is a valuable simplified, semiquantitative measurement in patients with low-volume PCa (<200 cm3). SUVpeak can therefore be applied in 18F-DCFPyL PET assessment as an imaging biomarker to characterize tumors and to monitor treatment outcomes.

Combination of Forced Diuresis with Additional Late Imaging in 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT: Effects on Lesion Visibility and Radiotracer Uptake

Renal excretion of some prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) ligands and consequently increased bladder activity can obscure locally relapsing prostate cancer lesions in PSMA PET/CT. Furthermore, additional late imaging in PSMA PET/CT provides a useful method to clarify uncertain findings. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate a modified imaging protocol combining late additional imaging with hydration and forced diuresis in individuals undergoing additional late scanning for uncertain lesions or low prostate-specific antigen. Methods: We compared an older protocol with a newer one. In the old protocol, patients undergoing 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT were examined at 90 min after injection, with 1 L of oral hydration beginning at 30 min after injection and 20 mg of furosemide given intravenously at 1 h after injection, followed by additional late imaging at 2.5 h after injection without further preparation. In the new protocol, a second group received the same procedure as before, with an additional 0.5 L of oral hydration and 10 mg of furosemide intravenously 30 min before the late imaging. We examined 132 patients (76 with the old protocol and 56 with the new one) with respect to urinary bladder activity (SUVmean), prostate cancer lesion uptake (SUVmax), and lesion contrast (ratio of tumor SUVmax to bladder SUVmean for local relapses and ratio of tumor SUVmax to gluteal-muscle SUVmean for nonlocal prostate cancer lesions). Results: Bladder activity was significantly greater for the old protocol in the late scans than for the new protocol (ratio of bladder activity at 2.5 h to bladder activity at 1.5 h, 2.33 ± 1.17 vs. 1.37 ± 0.50, P < 0.0001). Increased tumor SUVmax and contrast were seen at 2.5 h compared with 1.5 h (P < 0.0001 for old protocol; P = 0.02 for new protocol). Increased bladder activity for the old protocol resulted in decreased lesion-to-bladder contrast, which was not the case for the new protocol. Tumor-to-background ratios increased at late imaging for both protocols, but the increase was significantly lower for the new protocol. For the old protocol, comparing the 1.5-h to the 2.5-h acquisitions, 4 lesions in 4 patients (4/76 = 5.2% of the cohort) were visible at the postdiuresis 1.5-h acquisition but not at 2.5 h, having been obscured as a result of the higher bladder activity. In the new protocol, 2 of 56 (3.6%) patients had lesions visible only at late imaging, and 2 patients had lesions that could be better discriminated at late imaging. Conclusion: Although the combination of diuretics and hydration can be a useful method to increase the visualization and detectability of locally recurrent prostate cancer in standard 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT, their effects do not sufficiently continue into additional late imaging. Additional diuresis and hydration are recommended to improve the visibility, detection, and diagnostic certainty of local recurrences.

Parameters predicting [18F]PSMA-1007 scan positivity and type and number of detected lesions in patients with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Detection of the site of recurrence using PSMA-PET/CT is important to guide treatment in patients with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer (PCa). The aim of this study was to evaluate the positivity rate of [¹⁸F]PSMA-1007-PET/CT in patients with biochemically recurrent PCa and identify parameters that predict scan positivity as well as the type and number of detected lesions. This monocentric retrospective study included 137 PCa patients with biochemical recurrence who underwent one or more [¹⁸F]PSMA-1007-PET/CT scans between August 2018 and June 2019. PET-positive malignant lesions were classified as local recurrence, lymph node (LN), bone or soft tissue lesions. The association between biochemical/paraclinical parameters, as PSA value, PSA doubling time, PSA velocity, Gleason score (GS) and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), and scan positivity as well as type and number of detected lesions was evaluated using logistic regression analysis (binary outcomes) and Poisson models (count-type outcomes).

RESULTS

We included 175 [¹⁸F]PSMA-1007-PET/CT scans after radical prostatectomy (78%), external beam radiation therapy (8.8%), ADT (7.3%), brachytherapy (5.1%) and high intensity focused ultrasound (0.7%) as primary treatment (median PSA value 1.6 ng/ml). Positivity rate was 80%. PSA value and PSA velocity were significant predictors of scan positivity as well as of the presence of bone and soft tissue lesions and number of bone, LN and soft tissue lesions, both in uni- and/or multivariable analysis. Multivariable analysis also showed prior ADT as predictor of bone and soft tissue lesions, GS as predictor of the number of bone lesions and ongoing ADT as predictor of the number of LN lesions.

CONCLUSION

[¹⁸F]PSMA-1007-PET/CT showed a high positivity rate in patients with biochemically recurrent PCa. PSA value and PSA velocity were significant predictors of scan positivity as well as of the presence and number of bone and soft tissue lesions and the number of LN lesions. Our findings can guide clinicians in optimal patient selection for [¹⁸F]PSMA-1007-PET/CT and support further research leading to the development of a prediction nomogram.

68Ga-Prostate-specific membrane antigen (psma) positron emission tomography (pet) in prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction:

Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in males. ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/CT, a non-invasive diagnostic tool to evaluate PC with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression, has emerged as a more accurate alternative to assess disease staging. We aimed to identify predictors of positive ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET and the accuracy of this technique.

Materials and methods:

Diagnostic accuracy cross-sectional study with prospective and retrospective approaches. We performed a comprehensive literature search on PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase database in search of studies including PC patients submitted to radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy with curative intent and presented biochemical recurrence following ASTRO 1996 criteria. A total of 35 studies involving 3910 patients submitted to 68-Ga-PSMA PET were included and independently assessed by two authors: 8 studies on diagnosis, four on staging, and 23 studies on restaging purposes. The significance level was α=0.05.

Results:

pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.90 (0.86-0.93) and 0.90 (0.82-0.96), respectively, for diagnostic purposes; as for staging, pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.93 (0.86-0.98) and 0.96 (0.92-0.99), respectively. In the restaging scenario, pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.76 (0.74-0.78) and 0.45 (0.27-0.58), respectively, considering the identification of prostate cancer in each described situation. We also obtained specificity and sensitivity results for PSA subdivisions.

Conclusion:

⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET provides higher sensitivity and specificity than traditional imaging for prostate cancer.

Predicting the Risk of Metastases by PSMA-PET/CT-Evaluation of 335 Men with Treatment-Naïve Prostate Carcinoma

Simple Summary

Prostate carcinoma is the most common visceral cancer for men and the second most common cause of death. The early detection of micrometastasis may improve clinical outcome due to individual treatment approaches like early intensified therapy. Imaging using prostate-specific membrane antigen-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PSMA-PET/CT) has a high potential of detecting even small metastases. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze data of 335 men with primary diagnosed prostate cancer and available PSMA-PET/CT with regard to characteristic PET-parameters and the detection of metastases. We observed that an increased accumulation of the PET-tracer measured in the primary tumor significantly correlates with the presence of distant metastases. The current results may be helpful in decision making of individual treatment escalation for a variety of men with aggressive disease which should improve clinical outcome.

Abstract

Men diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer are at high risk of local relapse or systemic progression after definitive treatment. Treatment intensification is highly needed for that patient cohort; however, no relevant stratification tool has been implemented into the clinical work routine so far. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to analyze the role of initial PSMA-PET/CT as a prediction tool for metastases. In total, 335 men with biopsy-proven prostate carcinoma and PSMA-PET/CT for primary staging were enrolled in the present, retrospective study. The number and site of metastases were analyzed and correlated with the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the intraprostatic, malignant lesion. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine sensitivity and specificity and a model was created using multiple logistic regression. PSMA-PET/CT detected 171 metastases with PSMA-uptake in 82 patients. A statistically significant higher SUVmax was found for men with metastatic disease than for the cohort without distant metastases (median 16.1 vs. 11.2; p < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) in regard to predicting the presence of any metastases was 0.65. Choosing a cut-off value of 11.9 for SUVmax, a sensitivity and specificity (factor 1:1) of 76.0% and 58.4% was obtained. The current study confirms, that initial PSMA-PET/CT is able to detect a relatively high number of treatment-naïve men with metastatic prostate carcinoma. Intraprostatic SUVmax seems to be a promising parameter for the prediction of distant disease and could be used for treatment stratification—aspects which should be verified within prospective trials.

Evaluation of 18F-DCFPyL PSMA PET/CT for Prostate Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Background

To systematically review the clinical value of 18F-DCFPyL prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PSMA PET/CT) in the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods

Literature concerning 18F-DCFPyL PSMA PET/CT in the diagnosis of prostate cancer published from 2015 to 2020 was electronically searched in the databases including PubMed and Embase. Statistical analysis was carried out with STATA 15 software, and the quality of included studies was tested with quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies (QUADAS) items. The heterogeneity of the included data was tested.

Results

In total, nine pieces of literature involving 426 patients met the inclusion criteria. The heterogeneity of the study group was not obvious. The SEN, SPE, LR+, LR−, DOR as well as AUC of 18F-DCFPyL PSMA PET/CT diagnosis of prostate cancer were 0.91, 0.90, 8.9, 0.10, 93, and 0.93. The pooled DR of 18F-DCFPyL labeled PSMA PET/CT in PCa was 92%. The pooled DR was 89% for PSA≥0.5 ng/ml and 49% for PSA < 0.5ng/ml.

Conclusion

18F-DCFPyL PSMA PET/CT had good sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. The DR of 18F-DCFPyL PSMA PET/CT was correlated with PSA value. Further large-sample, high-quality studies were needed.

Kinetic analysis of dominant intraprostatic lesion of prostate cancer using quantitative dynamic [18F]DCFPyL-PET: comparison to [18F]fluorocholine-PET

Purpose

Identification of the dominant intraprostatic lesion(s) (DILs) can facilitate diagnosis and treatment by targeting biologically significant intra-prostatic foci. A PSMA ligand, [¹⁸F]DCFPyL (2-(3-{1-carboxy-5-[(6-[¹⁸F]fluoro-pyridine-3-carbonyl)-amino]-pentyl}-ureido)-pentanedioic acid), is better than choline-based [¹⁸F]FCH (fluorocholine) in detecting and localizing DIL because of higher tumour contrast, particularly when imaging is delayed to 1 h post-injection. The goal of this study was to investigate whether the different imaging performance of [¹⁸F]FCH and [¹⁸F]DCFPyL can be explained by their kinetic behaviour in prostate cancer (PCa) and to evaluate whether DIL can be accurately detected and localized using a short duration dynamic positron emission tomography (PET).

Methods

19 and 23 PCa patients were evaluated with dynamic [¹⁸F]DCFPyL and [¹⁸F]FCH PET, respectively. The dynamic imaging protocol with each tracer had a total imaging time of 22 min and consisted of multiple frames with acquisition times from 10 to 180 s. Tumour and benign tissue regions identified by sextant biopsy were compared using standardized uptake value (SUV) and tracer kinetic parameters from kinetic analysis of time-activity curves.

Results

For [¹⁸F]DCFPyL, logistic regression identified K_i and k₄ as the optimal model to discriminate tumour from benign tissue (84.2% sensitivity and 94.7% specificity), while only SUV was predictive for [¹⁸F]FCH (82.6% sensitivity and 87.0% specificity). The higher k₃ (binding) of [¹⁸F]FCH than [¹⁸F]DCFPyL explains why [¹⁸F]FCH SUV can differentiate tumour from benign tissue within minutes of injection. Superior [¹⁸F]DCFPyL tumour contrast was due to the higher k₄/k₃ (more rapid washout) in benign tissue compared to tumour tissue.

Conclusions

DIL was detected with good sensitivity and specificity using 22-min dynamic [¹⁸F]DCFPyL PET and avoids the need for delayed post-injection imaging timepoints. The dissimilar in vivo kinetic behaviour of [¹⁸F]DCFPyL and [¹⁸F]FCH could explain their different SUV images.

Clinical Trial Registration NCT04009174 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Case series - 18F-DCFPyL-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) time of imaging

NA

The Role of PET-CT Imaging in Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the commonest malignancy to affect men in the United Kingdom. Extraprostatic disease detection at staging and in the setting of biochemical recurrence is essential in determining treatment strategy. Conventional imaging including computed tomography and bone scintigraphy are limited in their ability to detect sites of loco-regional nodal and metastatic bone disease, particularly at clinically relevant low prostate-specific antigen levels. The use of positron emission tomography-computed tomography has helped overcome these deficiencies and is leading a paradigm shift in the management of prostate cancer using a wide range of radiopharmaceuticals. Their mechanisms of action, utility in both staging and biochemical recurrence, and comparative strengths and weaknesses will be covered in this article.

Combined Early and Late [68Ga]PSMA-HBED-CC PET Scans Improve Lesion Detectability in Biochemical Recurrence of Prostate Cancer with Low PSA Levels

PURPOSE

Our aim was to evaluate the benefit of early (1 h post-injection (p.i.)) and late (3 h p.i.) [⁶⁸Ga]PSMA-HBED-CC positron emission tomography (PET)/x-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging for detection of biochemical recurrence (BCR) of prostate cancer (PCa).

PROCEDURES

Seventy patients with BCR of the PCa and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels of less than 2.0 μg/l were subjected to [⁶⁸Ga]PSMA-HBED-CC PET (mean injected activity 180 MBq). While early imaging contained whole body scans, late imaging was confined to the pelvis and the lower abdomen. Uptake in suspicious lesions was analyzed by peak and maximum standardized uptake values (SUV_peak/max). Tumor-to-background ratios were calculated for all lesions in which the liver served as reference organ. The Wilcoxon matched-pair signed-rank test was used to compare the uptake in suspicious lesions between early and late imaging. Follow-up data were used to validate the existence of the additionally detected lesions.

RESULTS

Forty-four of the 70 patients thus examined were interpreted as PSMA-positive in early and/or late scans while 26 remained without suspicion of PSMA tracer uptake. A total of 70 suspicious lesions were analyzed. Ten tumor-suspicious lesions from seven different patients were better or exclusively visible in the late measurements while three tumor-suspicious lesions from three different patients were better or exclusively visible in the early images. A validation by follow-up data was possible for 11 of these 13 additionally detected lesions. In direct comparison between early and late imaging, the mean SUV_max in PSMA-positive lesions was 74 % higher (p < 0.001) and the mean SUV_peak was 36 % higher (p = 0.001) in the late scans. The SUV_mean in the reference regions was decreasing in the late measurements, whereas the mean TBR increased by a factor of 3 (p < 0.001). Taking confirmed lesions only into account, we estimated a 10 % gain in additionally detected PSMA-positive lesions (7/70) within the patient cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

The time period between injection and data acquisition influences the detection rate of [⁶⁸Ga]PSMA-HBED-CC PET/CT. In biochemical recurrence with low PSA levels, late [⁶⁸Ga]PSMA-HBED-CC PET/CT imaging offers frequent advantages with regard to lesion contrast.

18F-Labeled, PSMA-Targeted Radiotracers: Leveraging the Advantages of Radiofluorination for Prostate Cancer Molecular Imaging

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted PET imaging for prostate cancer with 68Ga-labeled compounds has rapidly become adopted as part of routine clinical care in many parts of the world. However, recent years have witnessed the start of a shift from 68Ga- to 18F-labeled PSMA-targeted compounds. The latter imaging agents have several key advantages, which may lay the groundwork for an even more widespread adoption into the clinic. First, facilitated delivery from distant suppliers expands the availability of PET radiopharmaceuticals in smaller hospitals operating a PET center but lacking the patient volume to justify an onsite 68Ge/68Ga generator. Thus, such an approach meets the increasing demand for PSMA-targeted PET imaging in areas with lower population density and may even lead to cost-savings compared to in-house production. Moreover, 18F-labeled radiotracers have a higher positron yield and lower positron energy, which in turn decreases image noise, improves contrast resolution, and maximizes the likelihood of detecting subtle lesions. In addition, the longer half-life of 110 min allows for improved delayed imaging protocols and flexibility in study design, which may further increase diagnostic accuracy. Moreover, such compounds can be distributed to sites which are not allowed to produce radiotracers on-site due to regulatory issues or to centers without access to a cyclotron. In light of these advantageous characteristics, 18F-labeled PSMA-targeted PET radiotracers may play an important role in both optimizing this transformative imaging modality and making it widely available. We have aimed to provide a concise overview of emerging 18F-labeled PSMA-targeted radiotracers undergoing active clinical development. Given the wide array of available radiotracers, comparative studies are needed to firmly establish the role of the available 18F-labeled compounds in the field of molecular PCa imaging, preferably in different clinical scenarios.

A Prospective Study of 18F-DCFPyL PSMA PET/CT Restaging in Recurrent Prostate Cancer following Primary External Beam Radiotherapy or Brachytherapy

PURPOSE

Radio-recurrent prostate cancer is typically detected by a rising prostate-specific antigen and may reflect local or distant disease. Positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracers targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen, such as 18F-DCFPyL have shown promise in restaging men with recurrent disease postprostatectomy but are less well characterized in the setting of radio-recurrent disease.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

A prospective, multi-institutional study was conducted to evaluate the effect of 18F-DCFPyL PET/computed tomography (CT) when added to diagnostic imaging (DI; CT abdomen and pelvis, bone scan, multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging pelvis) for men with radio-recurrent prostate cancer. All men were imaged with DI and subsequently underwent 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT with local and central reads. Tie break reads were performed as required. Management questionnaires were completed after DI and again after 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT. Discordance in patterns of disease detected with 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT versus DI and changes in management were characterized.

RESULTS

Seventy-nine men completed the study. Most men had T1 disease (62%) and Gleason score <7 (95%). Median prostate-specific antigen at diagnosis was 7.4 ng/mL and at relapse was 4.8 ng/mL. DI detected isolated intraprostatic recurrence in 38 out of 79 men (48%), regional nodal recurrence in 9 out of 79 (11%), distant disease in 12 out of 79 (15%), and no disease in 26 out of 79 (33%). 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT detected isolated intraprostatic recurrence in 38 out of 79 men (48%), regional nodal recurrence in 21 out of 79 (27%), distant disease in 24 out of 79 (30%), and no disease in 10 out of 79 (13%). DI identified 8 out of 79 (10%) patients to have oligometastatic disease, compared with 21 out of 79 (27%) with 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT. 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT changed proposed management in 34 out of 79 (43%) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

18F-DCFPyL PET/CT identified extraprostatic disease in twice as many men with radio-recurrent prostate cancer compared with DI and detected a site of recurrence in 87% of men compared with 67% with DI. Furthermore, 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT identified potentially actionable disease (prostate only recurrence or oligometastatic disease) in 75% of men and changed proposed management in 43% of men.

Detection Rate of 18F-Labeled PSMA PET/CT in Biochemical Recurrent Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis

Background: The use of radiolabeled prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PSMA PET/CT) for biochemical recurrent prostate cancer (BRPCa) is increasing worldwide. Recently, ¹⁸F-labeled PSMA agents have become available. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis regarding the detection rate (DR) of ¹⁸F-labeled PSMA PET/CT in BRPCa to provide evidence-based data in this setting. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases through 23 April 2019 was performed. Pooled DR was calculated on a per-patient basis, with pooled proportion and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Furthermore, pooled DR of ¹⁸F-PSMA PET/CT using different cut-off values of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was obtained. Results: Six articles (645 patients) were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled DR of ¹⁸F-labeled PSMA PET/CT in BRPCa was 81% (95% CI: 71–88%). The pooled DR was 86% for PSA ≥ 0.5 ng/mL (95% CI: 78–93%) and 49% for PSA < 0.5 ng/mL (95% CI: 23–74%). Statistical heterogeneity was found. Conclusions: ¹⁸F-labeled PSMA PET/CT demonstrated a good DR in BRPCa. DR of ¹⁸F-labeled PSMA PET/CT is related to PSA values with significant lower DR in patients with PSA < 0.5 ng/mL. Prospective multicentric trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Intra-individual comparison of 68Ga-PSMA-11 and 18F-DCFPyL normal-organ biodistribution

Purpose

Detailed data comparing the biodistribution of PSMA radioligands is still scarce, raising concerns regarding the comparability of different compounds. We investigated differences in normal-organ biodistribution and uptake variability between the two most commonly PSMA tracers in clinical use, ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11 and ¹⁸F-DCFPyL.

Methods

This retrospective analysis included 34 patients with low tumor burden referred for PET/CT imaging with ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11 and subsequently ¹⁸F-DCFPyL. Images were acquired with 4 cross-calibrated PET/CT systems. Volumes of interest were placed on major salivary and lacrimal glands, liver, spleen, duodenum, kidneys, bladder, blood-pool and muscle. Normal-organ biodistribution of both tracers was then quantified as SUV_peak and compared using paired tests, linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis. Between-patient variability was also assessed. Clinical and protocol variables were investigated for possible interference.

Results

For both tracers the highest uptake was found in the kidneys and bladder and low background activity was noted across all scans. In the quantitative analysis there was significantly higher uptake of ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11 in the kidneys, spleen and major salivary glands (p <  0.001), while the liver exhibited slightly higher ¹⁸F-DCFPyL uptake (p = 0.001, mean bias 0.79 ± 1.30). The lowest solid-organ uptake variability was found in the liver (COV 21.9% for ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11, 22.5% for ¹⁸F-DCFPyL). There was a weak correlation between ¹⁸F-DCFPyL uptake time and liver SUV_peak (r = 0.488, p = 0.003) and, accordingly, patients scanned at later time-points had a larger mean bias between the two tracers’ liver uptake values (0.05 vs 1.46, p = 0.001).

Conclusion

Normal tissue biodistribution patterns of ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11 and ¹⁸F-DCFPyL were similar, despite subtle differences in quantitative values. Liver uptake showed an acceptable intra-patient agreement and low inter-patient variability between the two tracers, allowing its use as a reference organ for thresholding scans in the qualitative comparison of PSMA expression using these different tracers.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s40644-019-0211-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Simplified Methods for Quantification of 18F-DCFPyL Uptake in Patients with Prostate Cancer

Radiolabeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET has demonstrated promising results for prostate cancer (PCa) imaging. Quantification of PSMA radiotracer uptake is desired as it enables reliable interpretation of PET images, use of PSMA uptake as an imaging biomarker for tumor characterization, and evaluation of treatment effects. The aim of this study was to perform a full pharmacokinetic analysis of 2-(3-(1-carboxy-5-[(6-¹⁸F-fluoro-pyridine-3-carbonyl)-amino]-pentyl)-ureido)-pentanedioic acid (¹⁸F-DCFPyL), a second-generation ¹⁸F-labeled PSMA ligand. On the basis of the pharmacokinetic analysis (reference method), simplified methods for quantification of ¹⁸F-DCFPyL uptake were validated. Methods: Eight patients with metastasized PCa were included. Dynamic PET acquisitions were performed at 0-60 and 90-120 min after injection of a median dose of 313 MBq of ¹⁸F-DCFPyL (range, 292-314 MBq). Continuous and manual arterial blood sampling provided calibrated plasma tracer input functions. Time-activity curves were derived for each PCa metastasis, and ¹⁸F-DCFPyL kinetics were described using standard plasma input tissue-compartment models. Simplified methods for quantification of ¹⁸F-DCFPyL uptake (SUVs; tumor-to-blood ratios [TBRs]) were correlated with kinetic parameter estimates obtained from full pharmacokinetic analysis. Results: In total, 46 metastases were evaluated. A reversible 2-tissue-compartment model was preferred for ¹⁸F-DCFPyL kinetics in 59% of the metastases. The observed k ₄ was small, however, resulting in nearly irreversible kinetics during the course of the PET study. Hence, k ₄ was fixated (0.015) and net influx rate, K_i, was preferred as the reference kinetic parameter. Whole-blood TBR provided an excellent correlation with K_i from full kinetic analysis (R ² = 0.97). This TBR could be simplified further by replacing the blood samples with an image-based, single measurement of blood activity in the ascending aorta (image-based TBR, R ² = 0.96). SUV correlated poorly with K_i (R ² = 0.47 and R ² = 0.60 for SUV normalized to body weight and lean body mass, respectively), most likely because of deviant blood activity concentrations (i.e., tumor tracer input) in patients with higher tumor volumes. Conclusion: ¹⁸F-DCFPyL kinetics in PCa metastases are best described by a reversible 2-tissue-compartment model. Image-based TBRs were validated as a simplified method to quantify ¹⁸F-DCFPyL uptake and might be applied to clinical, whole-body PET scans. SUV does not provide reliable quantification of ¹⁸F-DCFPyL uptake.

A Prospective Study on 18F-DCFPyL PSMA PET/CT Imaging in Biochemical Recurrence of Prostate Cancer

¹⁸F-DCFPyL (2-(3-{1-carboxy-5-[(6-¹⁸F-fluoro-pyridine-3-carbonyl)-amino]-pentyl}-ureido)-pentanedioic acid), a prostate-specific membrane antigen–targeting radiotracer, has shown promise as a prostate cancer imaging radiotracer. We evaluated the safety, sensitivity, and impact on patient management of ¹⁸F-DCFPyL in the setting of biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer. Methods: Subjects with prostate cancer and biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy or curative-intent radiotherapy were included in this prospective study. The subjects underwent ¹⁸F-DCFPyL PET/CT imaging. The localization and number of lesions were recorded. The uptake characteristics of the 5 most active lesions were measured. A pre- and posttest questionnaire was sent to treating physicians to assess the impact on management. Results: One hundred thirty subjects were evaluated. ¹⁸F-DCFPyL PET/CT localized recurrent prostate cancer in 60% of cases with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level of ≥0.4 to <0.5, 78% with a level of ≥0.5 to <1.0, 72% with a level of ≥1.0 to <2.0, and 92% with a level of ≥2.0. Many subjects had few lesions (1 lesion in 40.8%, 2 in 8.5%, and 3 in 4.6%). The number of lesions was significantly related to PSA by ANOVA, but there was a large overlap in the PSA values for number of lesion categories. Total lesion uptake was also significantly related to PSA level. A change in treatment intent occurred in 65.5% of subjects, disease stage changed in 65.5%, and management plans changed in 87.3%. Twenty-two subjects reported mild adverse events after the scan; all resolved completely. Conclusion:¹⁸F-DCFPyL PET/CT is safe and sensitive for the localization of biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer. This test improved decision making for referring oncologists and changed management for most subjects.

Healthy Tissue Uptake of 68Ga-Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen, 18F-DCFPyL, 18F-Fluoromethylcholine, and 18F-Dihydrotestosterone

PET is increasingly used for prostate cancer (PCa) diagnostics. Important PCa radiotracers include ⁶⁸Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen HBED-CC (⁶⁸Ga-PSMA), ¹⁸F-DCFPyL, ¹⁸F-fluoromethylcholine (¹⁸F-FCH), and ¹⁸F-dihydrotestosterone (¹⁸F-FDHT). Knowledge on the variability of tracer uptake in healthy tissues is important for accurate PET interpretation, because malignancy is suspected only if the uptake of a lesion contrasts with its background. Therefore, the aim of this study was to quantify uptake variability of PCa tracers in healthy tissues and identify stable reference regions for PET interpretation. Methods: A total of 232 PCa PET/CT scans from multiple hospitals was analyzed, including 87 ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA scans, 50 ¹⁸F-DCFPyL scans, 68 ¹⁸F-FCH scans, and 27 ¹⁸F-FDHT scans. Tracer uptake was assessed in the blood pool, lung, liver, bone marrow, and muscle using several SUVs (SUV_max, SUV_mean, SUV_peak). Variability in uptake between patients was analyzed using the coefficient of variation (COV%). For all tracers, SUV reference ranges (95th percentiles) were calculated, which could be applicable as image-based quality control for future PET acquisitions. Results: For ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA, the lowest uptake variability was observed in the blood pool (COV, 19.9%), which was significantly more stable than all other tissues (COV, 29.8%-35.2%; P = 0.001-0.024). For ¹⁸F-DCFPyL, the lowest variability was observed in the blood pool and liver (COV, 14.4% and 21.7%, respectively; P = 0.001-0.003). The least variable ¹⁸F-FCH uptake was observed in the liver, blood pool, and bone marrow (COV, 16.8%-24.2%; P = 0.001-0.012). For ¹⁸F-FDHT, low uptake variability was observed in all tissues, except the lung (COV, 14.6%-23.6%; P = 0.001-0.040). The different SUV types had limited effect on variability (COVs within 3 percentage points). Conclusion: In this multicenter analysis, healthy tissues with limited uptake variability were identified, which may serve as reference regions for PCa PET interpretation. These reference regions include the blood pool for ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA and ¹⁸F-DCFPyL and the liver for ¹⁸F-FCH and ¹⁸F-FDHT. Healthy tissue SUV reference ranges are presented and applicable as image-based quality control.

PSMA Theranostics: Current Status and Future Directions

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a promising target for imaging diagnostics and targeted radionuclide therapy (theranostics) of prostate cancer and its metastases. There is increasing evidence of encouraging response rates and a low toxicity profile of radioligand therapy (RLT) of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer using ¹⁷⁷Lu-labeled PSMA ligands. In this article, we review the current status of diagnostics and therapy using radiolabeled PSMA ligands. We also suggest protocols for patient selection criteria and conduct of PSMA-based RLT. Challenges and opportunities of PSMA theranostics are discussed.

Discovery of 18F-JK-PSMA-7, a PET Probe for the Detection of Small PSMA-Positive Lesions

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), expressed by most prostate carcinomas (PCa), is a promising target for PCa imaging. The application of PSMA-specific ¹⁸F-labeled PET probes such as ¹⁸F-DCFPyL and ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007 considerably improved the accuracy of PCa tumor detection. However, there remains a need for further improvements in sensitivity and specificity. The aim of this study was the development of highly selective and specific PSMA probes with enhanced imaging properties, in comparison with ¹⁸F-DCFPyL, ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007, and ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11. Methods: Eight novel ¹⁸F-labeled PSMA ligands were prepared. Their cellular uptake in PSMA-positive LNCaP C4-2 and PSMA-negative PC-3 cells was compared with that of ¹⁸F-DCFPyL. The most promising candidates were additionally evaluated by small-animal PET in healthy rats using PSMA-positive peripheral ganglia as a model for small PCa lesions. PET images of the ligand with the best outcome, ¹⁸F-JK-PSMA-7, were compared with those of ¹⁸F-DCFPyL, ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007, and ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11 with respect to key image-quality parameters for the time frame 60-120 min. Results: Compared with ¹⁸F-DCFPyL, ¹⁸F-JK-PSMA-7 demonstrated increased PSMA-specific cellular uptake. Although target-to-background ratios of ¹⁸F-DCFPyL and ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007 were comparable, this parameter was higher for ¹⁸F-JK-PSMA-7 and lower for ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11. Image acutance was significantly higher for ¹⁸F-JK-PSMA-7 and ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007 than for ¹⁸F-DCFPyL and ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA-11. Image resolution was similar for all 4 tracers. ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007 demonstrated significantly higher blood protein binding and bone uptake than the other tracers. Conclusion: ¹⁸F-JK-PSMA-7 is a promising candidate for high-quality visualization of small PSMA-positive lesions. Excellent preclinical imaging properties justify further preclinical and clinical studies of this tracer.

Effects of Fasting on 18F-DCFPyL Uptake in Prostate Cancer Lesions and Tissues with Known High Physiologic Uptake

In the literature, a 4- to 6-h fast is recommended before a patient undergoes PET/CT with 2-(3-(1-carboxy-5-[(6-¹⁸F-fluoro-pyridine-3-carbonyl)-amino]-pentyl)-ureido)-pentanedioic acid (¹⁸F-DCFPyL); however, a scientific underpinning for this recommendation is lacking. Therefore, we performed a study to determine the impact of fasting on ¹⁸F-DCFPyL uptake. Methods: The study included 50 patients who fasted at least 6 h before ¹⁸F-DCFPyL administration and 50 patients who did not. Activity (SUV_max) was measured in lesions characteristic of prostate cancer and in normal tissues known to express high physiologic uptake. Results: Uptake in suspected lesions did not differ between the cohorts. ¹⁸F-DCFPyL uptake in the submandibular gland, liver, and spleen was significantly higher in the fasting than the nonfasting cohort. Conclusion: Our data show that fasting does not significantly affect ¹⁸F-DCFPyL uptake in suspected malignant lesions but does result in significantly lower ¹⁸F-DCFPyL uptake in tissues with high physiologic uptake. The absolute differences in uptake were relatively small; therefore, the effects of fasting on the diagnostic performance can be considered negligible.

PSMA Ligands for PET Imaging of Prostate Cancer

Targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) with ⁶⁸Ga-labeled and ¹⁸F-labeled PET agents has become increasingly important in recent years. Imaging of biochemically recurrent prostate cancer has been established as a widely accepted clinical indication for PSMA ligand PET/CT in many parts of the world because of the results of multiple, primarily retrospective, studies that indicate superior detection efficacy compared with standard-of-care imaging. For high-risk primary prostate cancer, evidence is growing that this modality significantly aids in the detection of otherwise occult nodal and bone metastases. For both clinical indications in recurrent as well as in primary prostate cancer, preliminary data demonstrate a substantial impact on clinical management. Emerging data imply that intraprostatic tumor localization, therapy stratification, and treatment monitoring of advanced disease in specific clinical situations might become future indications. Current criteria for image reporting of PSMA ligand PET are evolving given the expanding body of literature on physiologic and pathologic uptake patterns and pitfalls. This article intends to give an educational overview on the current status of PSMA ligand PET imaging, including imaging procedure and interpretation, clinical indications, diagnostic potential, and impact on treatment planning.