PURPOSE
To determine whether a 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT scan evaluation before radical prostatectomy (RP) is an effective imaging modality for clinical local and lymph node (LN) staging compared with the pathological results.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We performed a preoperative 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT scan in 51 patients with prostate cancer (PCa), who were scheduled for an RP operation between January 2014 and June 2016 in our clinic. The correlation between the RP pathology and the results of the 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT scan was investigated.
RESULTS
When the 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT scan results were evaluated according to the risk groups, intraprostatic activity was found in 5 of 12 patients (41.7%) in the low-risk group, 15 of 19 patients in the intermediate risk group (78.9%), and 90% patients in the high-risk group. The 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT scan sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy were calculated as 58.2%, 75.3%, 84.4%, 44%, and 63%, respectively for intraprostatic tumor localization; 68.4%, 75%, 61.9%, 80%, and %72.6%, respectively for extracapsular extension; 63.6%, 92.3%, 70%, 90%, and 86%, respectively for seminal vesicle involvement; 50%, 100%, 100%, 88%, and 89.3%, respectively for LN metastasis.
CONCLUSIONS
The 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT scan accurately demonstrates intraprostatic tumor localization in high-risk group and presence of seminal vesicle involvement, which can help to accurately detect the target lesion before prostate biopsy. In addition, with its high sensitivity and specificity values, 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT is a valuable imaging method for assessment of LN metastasis in intermediate- and high-risk groups and also provides accurate nodal staging before RP.