Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine
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Accurate detection of prostate cancer lymph node metastases (LNM) through PET/CT before lymphadenectomy is crucial for successful therapy. PET/CT with choline derivatives used to be the standard tool for imaging metastases, whereas 68Ga-PSMA (prostate-specific membrane antigen) PET/CT was introduced recently. Both PET techniques were investigated with respect to what extent the detection rate of LNM depends on the size of tumor deposits (TDs) within LNM. ⋯ Detection rates were significantly higher under 68Ga-PSMA (P = 0.005 and 0.04 for longitudinal and short diameter). Conclusion:68Ga-PSMA PET/CT is superior to 18F-choline PET/CT in the detection of LNM. Whether those results will lead to an improved patient outcome after 68Ga-PSMA PET-guided therapy needs to be investigated by further studies.
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The aim was to compare the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeting characteristics of PSMA-11, radiolabeled on the basis of chelation of 18F-AlF, with those of 68Ga-PSMA-11 to image PSMA-expressing xenografts. Methods: Labeling of 18F-AlF-PSMA-11 via 18F-AlF-complexation was performed as described by Boschi et al. and Malik et al. with minor modifications. Several conditions for the quality control of the labeling of 18F-AlF-PSMA-11 via 18F-AlF-complexation were evaluated to characterize the influence of ethanol, acetonitrile, and trifluoroacetic acid on the stability of the labeled product. ⋯ Conclusion:18F-AlF-PSMA-11 using direct labeling with aluminum fluoride can be produced in NH4OAc, pH 6.9; shows a high internalization rate; and visualizes PSMA-expressing tumors with similar tumor uptake. Lower kidney uptake than with 68Ga-PSMA-11 may be advantageous for tumor detection. However, the limited instability and consequent Al18F uptake in bone might hamper the visualization of small PCa bone metastases.