New CRP: Use of PET/CT with Gallium-68 Labelled Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) in the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Patients with Prostate Cancer
This IAEA Coordinated Research Project (CRP)
is the result of recommendations from the scientific community through
interactions with IAEA technical officers. Prostate cancer is the most common
solid malignancy in men and the third leading cause of cancer related morbidity
and mortality in many Member States. In this context, the availability of a diagnostic
test potentially able to differentiate between: 1. initial relapse, 2.
loco-regional involvement, or 3. systemic recurrence, is of pivotal importance
since the management approach will vary among these three clinical conditions.
Imaging modalities are important for the definition of an optimal therapeutic
approach and can guide treatment planning.
A new molecule recently became
available that targets the Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) and can be
labelled with positron emission radionuclides, such as Gallium-68, to perform
PET/CT studies. The available scientific data show, in preliminary studies,
that Ga-68 studies have a significantly higher accuracy than the currently use
PET/CT with 18F-choline.
CRP overall objective:
The aim of this study is to evaluate
the accuracy of 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT in detecting the presence of local
and/or systemic disease in patients with prostate cancer.
Specific objectives will include:
1. To evaluate the performance of 68Ga-PSMA
PET/CT compared to clinical disease prognostic factors;
2. To evaluate the performance of 68Ga-PSMA
PET/CT compared to the results of conventional imaging methods, used in the
normal care pathway;
3. To evaluate the sensitivity,
specificity and positive predictive value.
Many proposals were received for this
CRP and 19 research institutes have already been awarded research contracts and
agreements, therefore this CRP is no longer open for proposals. The contact
person for further information related to this CRP is Enrique Estrada-Lobato,
Project Officer, Nuclear Medicine and Diagnostic Imaging Section, Division of
Human Health, IAEA Department of Nuclear Science and Applications.
Source: IAEA