Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen PET-CT (PSMA)
Introduction
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. The PSMA PET helps in the detection of prostate cancer and treatment planning. 68Ga-PSMA-11 is a radioactive imaging agent that binds to prostate cancer cells to help identify them.
Indications
- Men who are initially diagnosed with prostate cancer with risk for metastatic disease.
- Men who were previously treated for Prostate cancer (typically with radiation therapy or surgery),but have shown recurrence.
Procedures
The PET scan tracks the radioactive compound or tracer as it is taken up by the cancer cells, targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA).
PSMA is found on all prostate gland cells, but is elevated in cancer cells. The radioactive tracer binds to PSMA and helps the doctor pinpoint cancer cells.
Advantages
- Can detect tumour as small as 3mm, which is not possible with conventional imaging
- PSMA-PET scans are more accurate for identifying or ruling out metastatic tumours at the time of diagnosis.