PSMA-PET Voor prostaatkanker en eventuele Metastasen

(68)Gallium (Ga)PSMA PET/CT (PSMA stands for "prostatespecific membrane antigen") is a new diagnostic tool for patients with prostate cancer or with prostate cancer metastases. PET/CT is a combination scan which uses the physiological information of the PET scan and the anatomic information of the CT scan. The radioligand (68)GaPSMA is a radioactively labelled peptide that binds to the membrane protein PSMA. Prostate cancer cells in the primary tumour and in metastases express increased levels of PSMA in the plasma membrane. A number of studies have shown that (68)GaPSMA PET/CT is sensitive in detecting primary prostate cancer and metastases in lymph nodes and bone. In the same patient, (68)GaPSMA PET/CT detects more metastases in an earlier phase, i.e. at a lower PSA level, than fluorine18 choline PET/CT. Furthermore, the (68)GaPSMA can be produced in the investigating hospital with a gallium generator. The expectation is that the use of (68)GaPSMA PET/CT will increase to a major extent over the coming years in patients with prostate cancer. Conflict of interest and financial support: none declared.