The Role of PSMA PET/CT and PET/MRI in the Initial Staging of Prostate Cancer

Context: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common solid organ malignancy in men and is the third leading cause of cancer death. Accurate methods for the detection and staging of PCa are necessary to determine the extent of disease and inform treatment options.

Objective: To review the performance and diagnostic accuracy of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in the initial staging of PCa and evaluate its impact on definitive therapy planning.

Evidence Acquisition: A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed. References from retrieved articles and recommendations from the authors were also included.

Evidence Synthesis: PSMA PET has moderately high sensitivity and specificity for detecting intraprostatic tumors and moderately high sensitivity for detecting regional and extrapelvic metastases, compared with conventional imaging. PSMA PET can also have an important role in the presurgical detection of extraprostatic disease and can guide surgical planning. Additionally, PSMA PET has proven to be an effective tool for planning definitive radiation therapy in treatment-naïve patients.

Conclusions: PSMA PET has a promising role in the initial staging of PCa and informing appropriate treatment options. Further research is necessary to evaluate the appropriate role of PSMA PET in management changes, and to understand the appropriate management of patients with metastatic disease.

Patient Summary: We reviewed the diagnostic accuracy and treatment impact of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in the initial staging of prostate cancer (PCa). We conclude that PSMA PET is effective at imaging initial PCa and may result in the modification of treatment plans for patients.