PSMA-PET/MRI and PET/CT Imaging Protocols for Prostate Cancer

PET scans were acquired using either Signa PET/MRI 3 Tesla system (GE Healthcare, Waukesha, WI, USA; N = 39) or PET/CT systems (Discovery-STE or Discovery-690, GE Healthcare, Waukesha, WI, USA; N = 41). [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MRI scans were acquired according to a previously published protocol [16 (link)]. PET/CT scans were acquired according to the joint EANM and SNMMI procedure guidelines for PCa imaging [17 (link)]. [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET image read-out was performed by two Nuclear Medicine Physicians with knowledge of all the available patients’ clinical and imaging information on the Advantage Workstation (AW, General Electric Healthcare, Waukesha, WI, USA), on which PET, MRI, CT, and fused images could be visualized in axial, coronal, and sagittal planes. In the event of disagreement or uncertain findings, the images were re-examined, and a consensus was reached. The whole-body distribution pattern of [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 was qualitatively assessed, and the presence of increased uptake deviating from the physiological distribution of the tracer was considered positive for malignancy [18 (link)]. The anatomical sites were defined based on MR or CT images co-registered with PET examinations.