Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Prostate Cancer

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Nuclear Medicine & Radiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 March 2020)

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Attending Nuclear Medicine, University hospital Zurich, University Zurich, Head of Nuclear Medicine, Canotonal Hospital Baden, Baden, Switzerland
Interests: prostate cancer; metabolism; kinetic modeling; oncology imaging; PET/MR

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Molecular imaging of prostate cancer is currently a rapidly evolving area, combining new technologies such as positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance (PET/MR) imaging, with new developments of radionuclides, targeting various aspects of prostate cancer.

In the last few years, a new class of small molecules targeting the prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA-tracers) became available. Since then, the use of 68Ga- or 18F-labelled PSMA PET/CT or PET/MR has rapidly increased, due to an excellent contrast-to-noise ratio and high image resolution, thereby improving the detectability of small lesions. For the detection of biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer, PSMA PET soon became an integral part of patient care. Further applications are under investigation, such as staging, biopsy guidance, and therapy response assessment. However, PSMA is not expressed on every prostate cancer. Therefore, further investigation of alternative targets is still needed not only within nuclear medicine but also in molecular pathology to find optimal targets and imaging approaches for every patient.

In this upcoming issue, we intend to focus on prostate imaging using both PSMA or alternative targets (e.g., GRP-receptor, amino acid transport) for the detection or therapy of prostate cancer. Both original research and review articles are welcomed.

Please feel free to contact us and send us your suggestions that you would like to discuss beforehand. We look forward to and welcome your participation in this Special Issue.

Dr. Irene A. Burger
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • hybrid imaging
  • prostate specific membrane antigen
  • therapy response assessment
  • radioligand therapy
  • staging/restaging
  • PSMA negative prostate cancer
  • molecular pathology

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 880 KiB  
Article
Metabolic Tumour Volume from PSMA PET/CT Scans of Prostate Cancer Patients during Chemotherapy—Do Different Software Solutions Deliver Comparable Results?
by Philipp E. Hartrampf, Marieke Heinrich, Anna Katharina Seitz, Joachim Brumberg, Ioannis Sokolakis, Charis Kalogirou, Andreas Schirbel, Hubert Kübler, Andreas K. Buck, Constantin Lapa and Markus Krebs
J. Clin. Med. 2020, 9(5), 1390; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9051390 - 8 May 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2630
Abstract
(1) Background: Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-derived tumour volume (PSMA-TV) and total lesion PSMA (TL-PSMA) from PSMA PET/CT scans are promising biomarkers for assessing treatment response in prostate cancer (PCa). Currently, it is unclear whether different software tools for assessing PSMA-TV and TL-PSMA produce [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-derived tumour volume (PSMA-TV) and total lesion PSMA (TL-PSMA) from PSMA PET/CT scans are promising biomarkers for assessing treatment response in prostate cancer (PCa). Currently, it is unclear whether different software tools for assessing PSMA-TV and TL-PSMA produce comparable results. (2) Methods: 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT scans from n = 21 patients with castration-resistant PCa (CRPC) receiving chemotherapy were identified from our single-centre database. PSMA-TV and TL-PSMA were calculated with Syngo.via (Siemens) as well as the freely available Beth Israel plugin for FIJI (Fiji Is Just ImageJ) before and after chemotherapy. While statistical comparability was illustrated and quantified via Bland-Altman diagrams, the clinical agreement was estimated by matching PSMA-TV, TL-PSMA and relative changes of both variables during chemotherapy with changes in serum PSA (ΔPSA) and PERCIST (Positron Emission Response Criteria in Solid Tumors). (3) Results: Comparing absolute PSMA-TV and TL-PSMA as well as Bland–Altman plotting revealed a good statistical comparability of both software algorithms. For clinical agreement, classifying therapy response did not differ between PSMA-TV and TL-PSMA for both software solutions and showed highly positive correlations with BR. (4) Conclusions: due to the high levels of statistical and clinical agreement in our CRPC patient cohort undergoing taxane chemotherapy, comparing PSMA-TV and TL-PSMA determined by Syngo.via and FIJI appears feasible. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Prostate Cancer)
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11 pages, 1852 KiB  
Article
New Biopsy Techniques and Imaging Features of Transrectal Ultrasound for Targeting PI-RADS 4 and 5 Lesions
by Byung Kwan Park and Sung Yoon Park
J. Clin. Med. 2020, 9(2), 530; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9020530 - 15 Feb 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2971
Abstract
Purpose: To introduce new biopsy techniques and imaging features of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) for targeting Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) 4 and 5 lesions Methods: TRUS-guided targeted and/or systematic biopsies were performed in 432 men with PI-RADS 4 and 5 lesions [...] Read more.
Purpose: To introduce new biopsy techniques and imaging features of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) for targeting Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) 4 and 5 lesions Methods: TRUS-guided targeted and/or systematic biopsies were performed in 432 men with PI-RADS 4 and 5 lesions following magnetic resonance imaging examination. A TRUS operator who was familiar with the new techniques and imaging features performed lesion detection. Overall and significant cancer detection rates (CDRs) were compared among the men with PI-RADS 4 and 5 lesions. The CDRs in the peripheral and transition zones were compared. Additionally, we assessed whether targeted or systematic biopsies contributed to cancer detection. The standard reference was a biopsy examination. Results: The overall CDRs in the men with PI-RADS 4 and 5 lesions were 49.5% (139/281) and 74.8% (113/151) (p < 0.0001); significant CDRs were 33.1% (93/281) and 58.3% (88/151) (p < 0.0001); and CDRs in the peripheral and transition zones were 53.6% (187/349) and 78.3% (65/83) (p < 0.0001), respectively. Of the 139 men with clinically significant cancer PI-RADS 4 lesions, 107 (77.0%) were diagnosed by targeted biopsy, 5 (3.6%) by systematic biopsy, and 27 (19.4%) by both. Of the 113 men with clinically significant cancer PI-RADS 5 lesions, 97 (85.8%) were diagnosed by targeted biopsy, 3 (2.7%) by systematic biopsy, and 13 (11.5%) by both. Conclusions: Most PI-RADS 4 and 5 lesions can be targeted with TRUS if the new techniques and imaging features are applied. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Prostate Cancer)
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12 pages, 1588 KiB  
Article
18F–Choline PET/CT Identifies High-Grade Prostate Cancer Lesions Expressing Bone Biomarkers
by Nicoletta Urbano, Manuel Scimeca, Antonio Crocco, Alessandro Mauriello, Elena Bonanno and Orazio Schillaci
J. Clin. Med. 2019, 8(10), 1657; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm8101657 - 11 Oct 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2343
Abstract
The main aim of this study was to investigate the possible association between 18F–choline uptake and histopathological features of prostate biopsies such as the Gleason Group and the expression of both epithelial to mesenchymal transition (vimentin) and bone mineralization (bone morphogenetics protein [...] Read more.
The main aim of this study was to investigate the possible association between 18F–choline uptake and histopathological features of prostate biopsies such as the Gleason Group and the expression of both epithelial to mesenchymal transition (vimentin) and bone mineralization (bone morphogenetics protein (BMP)-2, runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), vitamin D receptor (VDR), and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) in situ biomarkers. To this end, we enrolled 79 consecutive prostate cancer patients that underwent both the 18F–choline PET/CT analysis and the prostate bioptic procedure. The standardized uptake value (SUV) average values were collected from 18F–choline PET/CT analysis whereas Gleason Group and immunostaining data were collected from paraffin-embedded sections. Histological classification showed a heterogenous population including both low/intermediate and high-grade prostate cancers. A significant increase of 18F–choline uptake in high-grade prostate lesions (Gleason Score ≥8) was found. Also, linear regression analysis showed a significant correlation between 18F–choline uptake and the number of vimentin, RANKL, VDR, or PTX3 positive prostate cancer cells. Conversely, we observed no significant association between 18F–choline uptake and the expression of bone biomarkers involved in the early phases of osteoblast differentiation (BMP-2, RUNX2). In conclusion, results here reported can lay the foundation for the use of 18F–choline positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) as a diagnostic tool capable of identifying high-grade prostate cancer lesions expressing bone biomarkers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Prostate Cancer)
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