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Keywords = 68Ga-PSMA

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16 pages, 769 KiB  
Article
[177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 in Patients with Progressive PSMA+ mCRPC Treated With or Without Prior Taxane-Based Chemotherapy: A Phase 2, Open-Label, Single-Arm Trial in Japan
by Kouji Izumi, Ryuji Matsumoto, Yusuke Ito, Seiji Hoshi, Nobuaki Matsubara, Toshinari Yamasaki, Takashi Mizowaki, Atsushi Komaru, Satoshi Nomura, Toru Hattori, Hiroya Kambara, Shaheen Alanee, Makoto Hosono and Seigo Kinuya
Cancers 2025, 17(14), 2351; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17142351 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 559
Abstract
Background: This Phase 2 trial evaluated the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 (177Lu-PSMA-617) in patients with ≥1 measurable lesion and progressive prostate-specific membrane antigen-positive (PSMA+) metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in Japan. Methods: This study comprises four parts; [...] Read more.
Background: This Phase 2 trial evaluated the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 (177Lu-PSMA-617) in patients with ≥1 measurable lesion and progressive prostate-specific membrane antigen-positive (PSMA+) metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in Japan. Methods: This study comprises four parts; data from three parts are presented here. Part 1 evaluated safety and tolerability; Parts 2 (post-taxane) and 3 (pre-taxane/taxane-naive) assessed the overall response rate (ORR; primary endpoint), overall survival (OS), radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS), disease control rate (DCR), PFS, and safety; and Part 4 is the expansion part. Patients received 7.4 GBq (±10%) 177Lu-PSMA-617 Q6W for up to six cycles. Results: Of the 35 patients who underwent a [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 (68Ga-PSMA-11) PET/CT scan, 30 received 177Lu-PSMA-617 (post-taxane, n = 12; pre-taxane, n = 18). No dose-limiting toxicity was noted in Part 1 (n = 3). Post- and pre-taxane patients had a median of three and five cycles, respectively. The primary endpoint, ORR, met the pre-specified threshold, with the lower limit of the 90% confidence interval (CI) above the threshold of 5% for post-taxane and 12% for pre-taxane. Post- and pre-taxane patients had an ORR of 25.0% (90% CI: 7.2–52.7) and 33.3% (90% CI: 15.6–55.4), respectively. In post- and pre-taxane patients, the DCR was 91.7% and 83.3%, the median rPFS was 3.71 and 12.25 months, and the median PFS was 3.71 and 5.59 months, respectively. The median OS was 14.42 and 12.94 months in post- and pre-taxane patients, respectively. The most common adverse events were constipation, decreased appetite, decreased platelet count, anemia, and nausea. Conclusions: The primary endpoint (ORR) was met. The safety profile of 177Lu-PSMA-617 was consistent with the VISION and PSMAfore studies, with no new safety signals in the Japanese patients with mCRPC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Cancer Therapy)
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14 pages, 330 KiB  
Article
An Innovative Approach with [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT: The Relationship Between PRIMARY Scores and Clinical and Histopathological Findings
by Gozde Mutevelizade, Bilal Cagri Bozdemir, Nazim Aydin and Elvan Sayit
Diagnostics 2025, 15(14), 1779; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15141779 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 360
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the PRIMARY score derived from [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT and key clinical and pathological parameters of prostate cancer aggressiveness, including the PSA level, ISUP Grade Group, and D’Amico risk classification, [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the PRIMARY score derived from [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT and key clinical and pathological parameters of prostate cancer aggressiveness, including the PSA level, ISUP Grade Group, and D’Amico risk classification, in patients with biopsy-proven prostate cancer. A secondary aim was to evaluate the interobserver agreement of the PRIMARY score in routine clinical practice. Methods: This retrospective analysis included 51 patients with histopathologically confirmed prostate adenocarcinoma who underwent [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT imaging for staging. PRIMARY scores were determined based on the intraprostatic uptake pattern, intensity, and zonal localization. These scores were compared with PSA levels, ISUP GG, D’Amico risk classification, and histopathological features such as the cribriform pattern, intraductal carcinoma, perineural invasion, extraprostatic extension, and lymphovascular invasion. The PRIMARY scores were independently assigned by a total of three nuclear medicine physicians, and interobserver agreement was calculated using Fleiss’ kappa analysis. Results: Significant associations were found between the PRIMARY scores and the PSA level, ISUP Grade Group, and D’Amico risk classification. The most prevalent score was PRIMARY 5 (54.9%), which was significantly associated with ISUP GG 5 and the high-risk category in D’Amico classification. Among patients with PRIMARY Score 2, a substantial proportion (64.7%) had ISUP GG ≥ 3, and 58.8% were in the high-risk group, highlighting the limitations of binary PRIMARY classification. No statistically significant correlations were found between the PRIMARY scores and specific histopathologic features. Interobserver agreement was excellent (κ = 0.833). Conclusions: The PRIMARY score demonstrates high reproducibility and clinical relevance in stratifying prostate cancer aggressiveness. However, the findings challenge the reliability of binary classifications, particularly for patients with Score 2, who may still harbor high-grade disease. Integrating imaging-based scores with clinical and histopathological data is essential, particularly for accurate staging and decision-making regarding active surveillance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Medical Imaging and Theranostics)
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23 pages, 625 KiB  
Review
Radionuclides Landscape in Prostate Cancer Theranostics
by Monica Neagu, Carolina Constantin, Mihail Eugen Hinescu, Petrisor Gabriel Bleotu, Mara-Georgiana Popovici, Maria-Iulia Zai and Klaus Michael Spohr
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(14), 6751; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26146751 - 14 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1229
Abstract
Prostate cancer, a malignancy of significant prevalence, affects approximately half a million men in Europe, with one in twelve males receiving a diagnosis before reaching the age of 75. Radiotheranostics represents a paradigm shift in prostate cancer treatment, leveraging radionuclides for diagnostic and [...] Read more.
Prostate cancer, a malignancy of significant prevalence, affects approximately half a million men in Europe, with one in twelve males receiving a diagnosis before reaching the age of 75. Radiotheranostics represents a paradigm shift in prostate cancer treatment, leveraging radionuclides for diagnostic and therapeutic applications, with PSMA emerging as the primary molecular target. Regulatory bodies have approved various PSMA-targeted radiodiagnostic agents, such as [18F]DCFPyL (PYLARIFY®, Lantheus Holdings), [18F]rhPSMA-7.3 (POSLUMA®, Blue Earth Diagnostics), and [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 (LOCAMETZ®, Novartis/ILLUCCIX®, Telix Pharmaceuticals), as well as therapeutic agents like [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 (PLUVICTO®, 15 Novartis). The approval of PLUVICTO® in March 2022 for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have undergone prior treatments, including androgen receptor pathway-targeting agents and taxane-based chemotherapy, represents a significant advancement. Other radionuclides like 161Tb, 149Tb, 225Ac, 227Th, 223Ra, 211At, 213 Bi, 212Pb, 89Zr, and 125I are presented, emphasizing their clinical implementation or the stage of clinical trial they are in in the flow to biomedical implementation. Three clinically wise used radionuclides 177Lu, 225Ac, 223Ra are shown along with their characteristics. This review aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underpinning PSMA, explore the clinical applications of PSMA-targeted radiotheranostics, and critically examine the diverse challenges these therapies encounter in the treatment of prostate cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Molecular Oncology)
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14 pages, 2707 KiB  
Article
Implantation of an Artificial Intelligence Denoising Algorithm Using SubtlePET™ with Various Radiotracers: 18F-FDG, 68Ga PSMA-11 and 18F-FDOPA, Impact on the Technologist Radiation Doses
by Jules Zhang-Yin, Octavian Dragusin, Paul Jonard, Christian Picard, Justine Grangeret, Christopher Bonnier, Philippe P. Leveque, Joel Aerts and Olivier Schaeffer
J. Imaging 2025, 11(7), 234; https://doi.org/10.3390/jimaging11070234 - 11 Jul 2025
Viewed by 285
Abstract
This study assesses the clinical deployment of SubtlePET™, a commercial AI-based denoising algorithm, across three radiotracers—18F-FDG, 68Ga-PSMA-11, and 18F-FDOPA—with the goal of improving image quality while reducing injected activity, technologist radiation exposure, and scan time. A retrospective analysis on [...] Read more.
This study assesses the clinical deployment of SubtlePET™, a commercial AI-based denoising algorithm, across three radiotracers—18F-FDG, 68Ga-PSMA-11, and 18F-FDOPA—with the goal of improving image quality while reducing injected activity, technologist radiation exposure, and scan time. A retrospective analysis on a digital PET/CT system showed that SubtlePET™ enabled dose reductions exceeding 33% and time savings of over 25%. AI-enhanced images were rated interpretable in 100% of cases versus 65% for standard low-dose reconstructions. Notably, 85% of AI-enhanced scans received the maximum Likert quality score (5/5), indicating excellent diagnostic confidence and noise suppression, compared to only 50% with conventional reconstruction. The quantitative image quality improved significantly across all tracers, with SNR and CNR gains of 50–70%. Radiotracer dose reductions were particularly substantial in low-BMI patients (up to 41% for FDG), and the technologist exposure decreased for high-exposure roles. The daily patient throughput increased by an average of 4.84 cases. These findings support the robust integration of SubtlePET™ into routine clinical PET practice, offering improved efficiency, safety, and image quality without compromising lesion detectability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Medical Imaging)
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18 pages, 1760 KiB  
Article
Integrating 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT with Clinical Risk Factors for Enhanced Prostate Cancer Progression Prediction
by Joanna M. Wybranska, Lorenz Pieper, Christian Wybranski, Philipp Genseke, Jan Wuestemann, Julian Varghese, Michael C. Kreissl and Jakub Mitura
Cancers 2025, 17(14), 2285; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17142285 - 9 Jul 2025
Viewed by 422
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study evaluates whether combining 68Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT derived imaging biomarkers with clinical risk factors improves the prediction of early biochemical recurrence (eBCR) or clinical progress in patients with high-risk prostate cancer (PCa) after primary treatment, using machine learning (ML) models. Methods: We [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This study evaluates whether combining 68Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT derived imaging biomarkers with clinical risk factors improves the prediction of early biochemical recurrence (eBCR) or clinical progress in patients with high-risk prostate cancer (PCa) after primary treatment, using machine learning (ML) models. Methods: We analyzed data from 93 high-risk PCa patients who underwent 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT and received primary treatment at a single center. Two predictive models were developed: a logistic regression (LR) model and an ML derived probabilistic graphical model (PGM) based on a naïve Bayes framework. Both models were compared against each other and against the CAPRA risk score. The models’ input variables were selected based on statistical analysis and domain expertise including a literature review and expert input. A decision tree was derived from the PGM to translate its probabilistic reasoning into a transparent classifier. Results: The five key input variables were as follows: binarized CAPRA score, maximal intraprostatic PSMA uptake intensity (SUVmax), presence of bone metastases, nodal involvement at common iliac bifurcation, and seminal vesicle infiltration. The PGM achieved superior predictive performance with a balanced accuracy of 0.73, sensitivity of 0.60, and specificity of 0.86, substantially outperforming both the LR (balanced accuracy: 0.50, sensitivity: 0.00, specificity: 1.00) and CAPRA (balanced accuracy: 0.59, sensitivity: 0.20, specificity: 0.99). The decision tree provided an explainable classifier with CAPRA as a primary branch node, followed by SUVmax and specific PET-detected tumor sites. Conclusions: Integrating 68Ga-PSMA-11 imaging biomarkers with clinical parameters, such as CAPRA, significantly improves models to predict progression in patients with high-risk PCa undergoing primary treatment. The PGM offers superior balanced accuracy and enables risk stratification that may guide personalized treatment decisions. Full article
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17 pages, 1787 KiB  
Article
Tumor Segmentation on PSMA PET/CT Predicts Survival in Biochemical Recurrence of Prostate Cancer: A Retrospective Study Using [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and [18F]-PSMA-1007
by Ken Kudura, Yves Schaulin, Arnoud J. Templeton, Tobias Zellweger, Wolfgang Harms, Raphael Georis, Michael C. Kreissl and Robert Foerster
Cancers 2025, 17(13), 2249; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17132249 - 4 Jul 2025
Viewed by 583
Abstract
Background: PSMA PET/CT imaging has become a cornerstone in the management of prostate cancer, particularly in the setting of biochemical recurrence (BCR). While semi-quantitative parameters such as SUVmean have been evaluated as prognostic biomarkers in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), particularly after [...] Read more.
Background: PSMA PET/CT imaging has become a cornerstone in the management of prostate cancer, particularly in the setting of biochemical recurrence (BCR). While semi-quantitative parameters such as SUVmean have been evaluated as prognostic biomarkers in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), particularly after the VISION trial, the prognostic role of volumetric measures such as Total Molecular Volume (TMV) remain largely unexplored, especially in earlier stages of the disease such as in biochemical recurrence following primary treatment. Methods: This retrospective monocentric study included 84 patients with BCR who underwent PSMA PET/CT imaging between 2020 and 2021 using either [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11(Ga-PSMA) or [18F]-PSMA-1007 (F-PSMA) as tracers. Total tumor burden was assessed through manual 3D segmentation to derive whole-body Total Molecular Volume (wb TMV) and Total Lesion PSMA (wb TL-PSMA). Clinical and imaging variables were correlated with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) using Cox regression models. Kaplan–Meier analyses were performed based on wb TMV and thresholds determined by the Youden index. Results: A PSMA PET/CT correlation for BCR was identified in 69% of patients, with comparable detection rates between tracers (Ga-PSMA 67% vs. F-PSMA 63%, p = 0.7). A higher wb TMV was significantly associated with worse OS (HR 2.20, p < 0.001) and PFS (HR 2.01, p < 0.001) in univariable analyses. In multivariable models, log2(wb TMV) remained an independent prognostic factor for PFS (HR 1.78, p = 0.005). Patients with log2(wb TMV) > 2.87 exhibited significantly poorer survival outcomes. A PSA at diagnosis > 17 ng/mL also predicted shorter PFS. Conclusions: Tumor segmentation from PSMA PET/CT imaging provides powerful prognostic information in patients with biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer, independently of the tracer used. The wb TMV represents a promising volumetric biomarker for future risk stratification and therapeutic decision-making, particularly in earlier stages of prostate cancer progression, where predictive imaging biomarkers remain largely undefined. Full article
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17 pages, 2255 KiB  
Article
Engineering a Radiohybrid PSMA Ligand with an Albumin-Binding Moiety and Pharmacokinetic Modulation via an Albumin-Binding Competitor for Radiotheranostics
by Saki Hirata, Hiroaki Echigo, Masayuki Munekane, Kenji Mishiro, Kohshin Washiyama, Takeshi Fuchigami, Hiroshi Wakabayashi, Kazuhiro Takahashi, Seigo Kinuya and Kazuma Ogawa
Molecules 2025, 30(13), 2804; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132804 - 29 Jun 2025
Viewed by 411
Abstract
The prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a well-established target for radiotheranostics in prostate cancer. We previously demonstrated that 4-(p-astatophenyl)butyric acid (APBA), an albumin-binding moiety (ABM) labeled with astatine-211 (211At), enables the modulation of pharmacokinetics and enhancement of therapeutic efficacy [...] Read more.
The prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a well-established target for radiotheranostics in prostate cancer. We previously demonstrated that 4-(p-astatophenyl)butyric acid (APBA), an albumin-binding moiety (ABM) labeled with astatine-211 (211At), enables the modulation of pharmacokinetics and enhancement of therapeutic efficacy when combined with the post-administration of an albumin-binding competitor. However, this strategy has not been explored in PSMA-targeting ligands. We designed and synthesized [211At]6, a novel PSMA ligand structurally analogous to PSMA-617 with APBA. The compound was obtained via a tin–halogen exchange reaction from the corresponding tributylstannyl precursor. Comparative cellular uptake and biodistribution studies were conducted with [211At]6, its radioiodinated analog [125I]5, and [67Ga]Ga-PSMA-617. To assess pharmacokinetic modulation, sodium 4-(p-iodophenyl)butanoate (IPBA), an albumin-binding competitor, was administered 1 h postinjection of [125I]5 and [211At]6 at a 10-fold molar excess relative to blood albumin. The synthesis of [211At]6 gave a radiochemical yield of 15.9 ± 7.7% and a radiochemical purity > 97%. The synthesized [211At]6 exhibited time-dependent cellular uptake and internalization, with higher uptake levels than [67Ga]Ga-PSMA-617. Biodistribution studies of [211At]6 in normal mice revealed a prolonged blood retention similar to those of [125I]5. Notably, post-administration of IPBA significantly reduced blood radioactivity and non-target tissue accumulation of [125I]5 and [211At]6. We found that ABM-mediated pharmacokinetic control was applicable to PSMA-targeted radiotherapeutics, broadening its potential for the optimization of radiotheranostics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Radiochemistry, 2nd Edition)
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19 pages, 588 KiB  
Review
Targeting Glypican-3 in Liver Cancer: Groundbreaking Preclinical and Clinical Insights
by Luca Filippi, Viviana Frantellizzi, Luca Urso, Giuseppe De Vincentis and Nicoletta Urbano
Biomedicines 2025, 13(7), 1570; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines13071570 - 26 Jun 2025
Viewed by 831
Abstract
Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging targeting glypican-3 (GPC3) holds promise for improving the detection and characterization of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Preclinical and early clinical studies have largely utilized high-molecular-weight antibodies radiolabeled with isotopes such as 89Zr and 124I, demonstrating high affinity [...] Read more.
Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging targeting glypican-3 (GPC3) holds promise for improving the detection and characterization of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Preclinical and early clinical studies have largely utilized high-molecular-weight antibodies radiolabeled with isotopes such as 89Zr and 124I, demonstrating high affinity and tumor uptake but suffering from prolonged circulation times and suboptimal signal-to-background ratios. To address these limitations, interest has shifted toward low-molecular-weight vectors—synthetic peptides and small antibody fragments—labeled with shorter-lived radionuclides (e.g., 68Ga and 18F) to enable rapid pharmacokinetics and same-day imaging protocols. Emerging platforms such as affibodies and aptamers offer further advantages in target affinity and reduced immunogenicity. However, clinical translation requires rigorous validation: larger, histologically confirmed cohorts, head-to-head comparison with CT/MRI, and correlation with hard clinical endpoints. Moreover, leveraging GPC3 expression as a biomarker could guarantee a deeper knowledge of tumor biology—differentiation grade and vascular invasion risk—and guide theranostic strategies. While β-emitters (90Y, 177Lu) have been explored for GPC3-directed therapy, their efficacy is influenced by oxygenation and cell-cycle status, whereas α-emitters (225Ac) may overcome these constraints, albeit with challenges in radionuclide selection and daughter nuclide management. Finally, dual-targeting probes combining GPC3 and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) have demonstrated superior uptake and retention in murine models, suggesting a versatile approach for future clinical diagnostics and therapy planning. Full article
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30 pages, 1334 KiB  
Review
Revolutionizing Prostate Cancer Detection: The Role of Approved PSMA-PET Imaging Agents
by Ute Hennrich, Laurène Wagner, Harun Taş, Luciana Kovacs and Martina Benešová-Schäfer
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(6), 906; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18060906 - 17 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1416
Abstract
Locametz®/Illuccix®/GozellixTM (Novartis AG (Basel, Switzerland) and Telix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (Melbourne, Australia), all three [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11), Pylarify®/Pylclari® (Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (New York, USA) and Curium PET France SA (Paris, France), both [18F]DCFPyL), Radelumin [...] Read more.
Locametz®/Illuccix®/GozellixTM (Novartis AG (Basel, Switzerland) and Telix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (Melbourne, Australia), all three [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11), Pylarify®/Pylclari® (Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (New York, USA) and Curium PET France SA (Paris, France), both [18F]DCFPyL), Radelumin® (ABX GmbH (Radeberg, Germany), [18F]PSMA-1007), and Posluma® (Blue Earth Diagnostics, Ltd. (Oxford, UK), [18F]rhPSMA-7.3) are four approved PSMA-PET imaging agents that have significantly advanced the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer. These agents offer a new level of precision and accuracy, enabling clinicians to detect prostate cancer with enhanced sensitivity. As a result, they play a critical role in improving detection, staging, and management, ultimately enhancing clinical outcomes for patients. Their use in routine clinical practice is expected to increase diagnostic precision and provide clearer pathways for personalized therapy. This review offers a comprehensive chemical, pharmaceutical, and medicinal overview, discusses comparative studies, and highlights additional highly relevant candidates for prostate cancer detection. Full article
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11 pages, 424 KiB  
Article
An Evaluation of the Diagnostic Accuracy of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 vs. [18F]F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT for Lymph Node Staging in Patient Candidates for Radical Prostatectomy and Lymph Node Dissection: A Single Institutional Analysis
by Paola Arena, Vittorio Fasulo, Fabrizia Gelardi, Nicola Frego, Jelena Jandric, Davide Maffei, Pier Paolo Avolio, Marco Paciotti, Giuseppe Chiarelli, Fabio De Carne, Filippo Dagnino, Andrea Piccolini, Egesta Lopci, Rodolfo Hurle, Alberto Saita, Arturo Chiti, Massimo Lazzeri, Laura Evangelista, Nicolò Maria Buffi, Paolo Casale and Giovanni Lughezzaniadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Diagnostics 2025, 15(12), 1492; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15121492 - 12 Jun 2025
Viewed by 458
Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study evaluates and compares the diagnostic accuracy of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and [18F]F-PSMA-1007 for lymph node staging in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) scheduled for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and lymphadenectomy (LND). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected data on patients [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This study evaluates and compares the diagnostic accuracy of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and [18F]F-PSMA-1007 for lymph node staging in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) scheduled for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and lymphadenectomy (LND). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected data on patients referred to our hospital from October 2020 to January 2023. We included all patients who underwent [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 or [18F]F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT for primary staging and subsequently had RARP with concomitant LND. The maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) for lymph nodes (LNs) and the SUV node-to-background ratio were reported. Two different cut-off values for the SUV node-to-background ratio (i.e., ≥2 vs. <2 and ≥15.5 vs. <15.5) were used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of both tracers. The first cut-off was empirically chosen, while the second was based on Liu’s method. Results: A total of 156 patients were included (median age: 67 years). Among them, 83 underwent [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and 73 underwent [18F]F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT. Suspicious lymph nodes were identified in 21 patients (13.5%). Pathological nodal involvement (pN1) was confirmed in 25 cases (16%). Of the 21 patients with suspicious pathological lymph nodes on PSMA PET/CT, 9 (42.9%) had positive nodes on the final pathology report. With an SUV node-to-background ratio cut-off of ≥2, [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 showed 37.5% sensitivity (SE) and 98.5% specificity(SP), while [18F]F-PSMA-1007 demonstrated 33.3% SE and 100% SP. Using the ≥15.5 cut-off, SE and SP were 31.3% and 100% for [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and 11.1% and 100% for [18F]F-PSMA-1007, respectively. Conclusions: [18F]F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT showed, even if not statistically significantly, slightly lower SE and higher SP for nodal staging compared to [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT, irrespective of the SUV ratio used. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Medical Imaging and Theranostics)
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39 pages, 8527 KiB  
Article
Therapeutic Consequences of 68Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT in Prostate Cancer in Correlation to the Gleason Score, PSA Value, and D’Amico-Defined Risk Groups
by Eilsberger Friederike, Ebrahimifard Ali, Florian Torsten Spiegel, Behrooz Hooshyar Yousefi, Bagheri Shamim, Bowl Wadim, Wang Qi, Pfestroff Andreas, Müller Laura, Luster Markus, Di Fazio Pietro and Librizzi Damiano
Cancers 2025, 17(12), 1944; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17121944 - 11 Jun 2025
Viewed by 515
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the importance of 68Gallium (68Ga)–prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA)–positron emissions tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT)(PET/CT) in prostate cancer patients for therapy management with individual analyses regarding the Gleason score, prostate specific [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the importance of 68Gallium (68Ga)–prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA)–positron emissions tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT)(PET/CT) in prostate cancer patients for therapy management with individual analyses regarding the Gleason score, prostate specific antigen (PSA) value, and the risk groups defined by D’Amico. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 562 68Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT examinations performed from January 2015 to March 2023 at University Hospital Marburg. We assessed treatment changes post 68Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT and categorized the cases based on PSA values, Gleason scores, and D’Amico risk groups. Results: In 415/562 (73.8%) of 68Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT examinations, a modification in the therapy concept was recorded. Patients categorized as high risk or patients with Gleason scores of 7 through 10 or with PSA levels above 0.5 ng/mL (particularly within the ranges of 1.01–2 ng/mL, 3.01–5 ng/mL, and values exceeding 10 ng/mL) demonstrated a statistically significant association with treatment change. While no evidence of the disease was found most frequently in 38% of cases in the “Therapy continued without explicit reference” group, in the group with the adapted therapy, there was a considerable higher proportion of local tumors (19.2%) compared to the other groups (4.4% and 1.4%). Conclusions: Our results show the high impact of 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT for patients with prostate cancer regarding therapy management planning, which is even more important for some patient groups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Use of PET/CT and MRI in Prostate Cancer)
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26 pages, 2541 KiB  
Protocol
Synthesis of DOTA-Based 43Sc Radiopharmaceuticals Using Cyclotron-Produced 43Sc as Exemplified by [43Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 for PSMA PET Imaging
by Jason P. Meier, Mohammed Bhuiyan, Richard Freifelder, Hannah J. Zhang, Lucas Gonzalez, Antonino Pusateri, Hsiu-Ming Tsai, Lara Leoni, Kaustab Ghosh, Erica Markiewicz, Christopher Henning, Yuhan Zhang, Ralph Weichselbaum, Jerry Nolen, David A. Rotsch, Chien-Min Kao, Russell Z. Szmulewitz, Chin-Tu Chen and Satish K. Chitneni
Methods Protoc. 2025, 8(3), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/mps8030058 - 4 Jun 2025
Viewed by 804
Abstract
The implementation of theranostics in oncologic nuclear medicine has exhibited immense potential in improving patient outcomes in prostate cancer with the implementation of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET and [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 into clinical practice. However, the correlation between radiopharmaceutical biodistributions seen with [ [...] Read more.
The implementation of theranostics in oncologic nuclear medicine has exhibited immense potential in improving patient outcomes in prostate cancer with the implementation of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET and [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 into clinical practice. However, the correlation between radiopharmaceutical biodistributions seen with [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET imaging and downstream [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 therapy remains imperfect. This suggests that prostate cancer theranostics could potentially be further refined through the implementation of true theranostics, tandem pairs of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals that utilize the same ligand and element, thus yielding identical pharmacokinetics. The radioscandiums are one such group of true theranostic radiopharmaceuticals. The radioscandiums consist of two β+ emitting scandium isotopes (43Sc/44Sc), as well as a β emitting therapeutic isotope (47Sc), which can all conjugate with PSMA-targeting PSMA-617. This potential has led to extensive investigations into the production of the radioscandiums as well as pre-clinical assessments with several ligands; however, there is a lack of literature extensively describing the complete synthesis of scandium radiopharmaceuticals. which therefore limits the accessibility of radioscandium research in theranostics. As such, this work aims to present an easily translatable protocol for the synthesis of [43Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 from a [42Ca]CaCO3 starting material, including target formation, nuclear production via 42Ca(d,n)43Sc reaction, chemical separation, radiolabeling, solvent reformulation, and target recycling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Biochemical and Chemical Analysis & Synthesis)
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13 pages, 3110 KiB  
Article
Intraoperative Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy Detects Prostate Cancer at the Single-Cell Level with High Specificity and in Real Time: A Preclinical Proof of Concept
by Ann-Christin Eder, Jessica Matthias, Francois Lacombe, Lisa-Charlotte Domogalla, Antoine Jacques, Nils Steinacker, Gaetan Christien, Elodie Martin, Aline Criton and Matthias Eder
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(6), 841; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18060841 - 4 Jun 2025
Viewed by 640
Abstract
In prostate cancer (PCa) surgery, precise tumor margin identification remains challenging despite advances in surgical techniques. This study evaluates the combination of tumor-specific near-infrared imaging with the PSMA-targeting molecule PSMA-914 and optical endomicroscopy (NIR-pCLE) for single-cell-level tumor identification in a preclinical proof of [...] Read more.
In prostate cancer (PCa) surgery, precise tumor margin identification remains challenging despite advances in surgical techniques. This study evaluates the combination of tumor-specific near-infrared imaging with the PSMA-targeting molecule PSMA-914 and optical endomicroscopy (NIR-pCLE) for single-cell-level tumor identification in a preclinical proof of concept. Methods: NIR-pCLE imaging of varying PSMA-914 concentrations was performed on PSMA-positive LNCaP and PSMA-negative PC-3 cells using Cellvizio® 100 with pCLE Confocal Miniprobes™. To identify optimal PSMA-914 dosing for in vivo imaging, different doses (0–10 nmol) were evaluated using NIR-pCLE, Odyssey CLx imaging, and confocal microscopy in an LNCaP tumor-bearing xenograft model. A proof of concept mimicking a clinical workflow was performed using 5 nmol [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-914 in LNCaP and PC-3 tumor xenografts, including PET/MRI, in/ex vivo NIR-pCLE imaging, and microscopic/macroscopic imaging. Results: NIR-pCLE detected PSMA-specific fluorescence at concentrations above 30 nM in vitro. The optimal dose was identified as 5 nmol PSMA-914 for NIR-pCLE imaging with cellular resolution in LNCaP xenografts. PET/MRI confirmed high tumor uptake and a favorable distribution profile of PSMA-914. NIR-pCLE imaging enabled real-time, single-cell-level detection of PSMA-positive tissue, visualizing tumor heterogeneity, confirmed by ex vivo microscopy and imaging. Conclusions: This preclinical proof of concept demonstrates the potential of intraoperative PSMA-specific NIR-pCLE imaging to visualize tissue structures in real time at cellular resolution. Clinical implementation could provide surgeons with valuable additional information, potentially advancing PCa patient care through improved surgical precision. Full article
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14 pages, 1632 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Attenuation Correction in 68Ga-PSMA PET Imaging Using Deep Learning and Artifact-Free Dataset Refinement
by Masoumeh Dorri Giv, Guluzar Ozbolat, Hossein Arabi, Somayeh Malmir, Shahrokh Naseri, Vahid Roshan Ravan, Hossein Akbari-Lalimi, Raheleh Tabari Juybari, Ghasem Ali Divband, Nasrin Raeisi, Vahid Reza Dabbagh Kakhki, Emran Askari and Sara Harsini
Diagnostics 2025, 15(11), 1400; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15111400 - 31 May 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Attenuation correction (AC) is essential for achieving quantitatively accurate PET imaging. In 68Ga-PSMA PET, however, artifacts such as respiratory motion, halo effects, and truncation errors in CT-based AC (CT-AC) images compromise image quality and impair model training for deep learning-based AC. [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Attenuation correction (AC) is essential for achieving quantitatively accurate PET imaging. In 68Ga-PSMA PET, however, artifacts such as respiratory motion, halo effects, and truncation errors in CT-based AC (CT-AC) images compromise image quality and impair model training for deep learning-based AC. This study proposes a novel artifact-refinement framework that filters out corrupted PET-CT images to create a clean dataset for training an image-domain AC model, eliminating the need for anatomical reference scans. Methods: A residual neural network (ResNet) was trained using paired PET non-AC and PET CT-AC images from a dataset of 828 whole-body 68Ga-PSMA PET-CT scans. An initial model was trained using all data and employed to identify artifact-affected samples via voxel-level error metrics. These outliers were excluded, and the refined dataset was used to retrain the model with an L2 loss function. Performance was evaluated using metrics including mean error (ME), mean absolute error (MAE), relative error (RE%), RMSE, and SSIM on both internal and external test datasets. Results: The model trained with the artifact-free dataset demonstrated significantly improved performance: ME = −0.009 ± 0.43 SUV, MAE = 0.09 ± 0.41 SUV, and SSIM = 0.96 ± 0.03. Compared to the model trained on unfiltered data, the purified data model showed enhanced quantitative accuracy and robustness in external validation. Conclusions: The proposed data purification framework significantly enhances the performance of deep learning-based AC for 68Ga-PSMA PET by mitigating artifact-induced errors. This approach facilitates reliable PET imaging in the absence of anatomical references, advancing clinical applicability and image fidelity. Full article
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15 pages, 3148 KiB  
Article
Comparison of mpMRI and 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT in the Assessment of the Primary Tumors in Predominant Low-/Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer
by Moritz J. Argow, Sebastian Hupfeld, Simone A. Schenke, Sophie Neumann, Romy Damm, Johanna Vogt, Melis Guer, Jan Wuestemann, Martin Schostak, Frank Fischbach and Michael C. Kreissl
Diagnostics 2025, 15(11), 1358; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15111358 - 28 May 2025
Viewed by 605
Abstract
While multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) is known to be a specific and reliable modality for the diagnosis of non-metastatic prostate cancer (PC), positron emission tomography (PET) using 68Ga labeled ligands targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is known for its reliable [...] Read more.
While multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) is known to be a specific and reliable modality for the diagnosis of non-metastatic prostate cancer (PC), positron emission tomography (PET) using 68Ga labeled ligands targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is known for its reliable detection of prostate cancer, being the most sensitive modality for the assessment of the extra-prostatic extension of the disease and the establishment of a diagnosis, even before biopsy. Background/Objectives: Here, we compared these modalities in regards to the localization of intraprostatic cancer lesions prior to local HDR brachytherapy. Methods: A cohort of 27 patients received both mpMRI and PSMA-PET/CT. Based on 24 intraprostatic segments, two readers each scored the risk of tumor-like alteration in each imaging modality. The detectability was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The histopathological findings from biopsy were used as the gold standard in each segment. In addition, we applied a patient-based “congruence” concept to quantify the interobserver and intermodality agreement. Results: For the ROC analysis, we included 447 segments (19 patients), with their respective histological references. The two readers of the MRI reached an AUC of 0.770 and 0.781, respectively, with no significant difference (p = 0.75). The PET/CT readers reached an AUC of 0.684 and 0.608, respectively, with a significant difference (p < 0.001). The segment-wise intermodality comparison showed a significant superiority of MRI (AUC = 0.815) compared to PET/CT (AUC = 0.690) (p = 0.006). Via a patient-based analysis, a superiority of MRI in terms of relative agreement with the biopsy result was observed (n = 19 patients). We found congruence scores of 83% (MRI) and 76% (PET/CT, p = 0.034), respectively. Using an adjusted “near total agreement” score (adjacent segments with positive scores of 4 or 5 counted as congruent), we found an increase in the agreement, with a score of 96.5% for MRI and 92.7% for PET/CT, with significant difference (p = 0.024). Conclusions: This study suggests that in a small collective of low-/intermediate risk prostate cancer, mpMRI is superior for the detection of intraprostatic lesions as compared to PSMA-PET/CT. We also found a higher relative agreement between MRI and biopsy as compared to that for PET/CT. However, further studies including a larger number of patients and readers are necessary to draw solid conclusions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Medical Imaging and Theranostics)
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