Fluorine-18 (F-18) PSMA PET-CT scans
26/05/2022
PSMA PET-CT scans are important in the detection and staging of prostate cancer. In Australia, the most commonly used tracer for PSMA PET-CT scans is Gallium-68 (Ga-68).
However, Qscan Group uses Fluorine-18 (F-18), a tracer developed by Professor Martin Pomper, director of nuclear medicine and imaging at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Benefits of F-18
- Improved image quality compared to scans using Ga-68
- Intrinsic physical properties, which lends an improved spatial resolution of 5mm
- Longer half-life, meaning increased reliability as a tracer
- Lower urinary excretion
- Improves detection of recurrences and additional lesions
- Improved specificity in staging
- Higher tumour uptake
- High sensitivity, even in small tumours
An 83-year-old male with a large basal PZ tumour. SVI is not clear in the Ga-68 PSMA images (note resolution and background noise), but with F-18, SVI is clearly resolved.
Scans of a 67-year-old male showing uptake in an L2 vertebral sclerotic lesion. Ga-68 PSMA (left) only showed background noise, while F-18 PSMA (right) allowed the patient to be cleared of metastatic disease.
Qscan Group has been using F-18 as our PSMA tracer of choice since 2017.
We are the most experienced in Australia when it comes to using F-18 for PSMA imaging, and will bring this leading expertise to all your prostate patients.
PSMA PET-CT is available at all Qscan clinics that offer PET-CT services. Click here to find a clinic near you.
References:
· Brauchli D, Singh D, Chabert C, Somasundaram A, Collie L. Tumour-capsule interface measured on 18F-DCFPyL PSMA positron emission tomography/CT imaging comparable to multi-parametric MRI in predicting extra-prostatic extension of prostate cancer at initial staging. J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol. 2020 Dec;64(6):829-838.
· Parathithasan N, Perry E, Taubman K, Hergarty J, Talway A, Wong L, Sutherland T. Combination of MRI prostate and 18F-DCFPyl PSMA PET/CT detects all clinically significant prostate cancers in treatment-naive patients: An international multicentre retrospective study. J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol 2022 Feb