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Are all PSMA tests the same?
This may be a silly question, but I'm asking it anyway.
I have a vague notion that cancer treatments at top-notch hospitals may be better than at just an average hosopital, but what about the tests themselves?
And, a follow-up question might be How can a person know which PSMA (and where it is given) is the "best"?
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HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.
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From a quick online scan by a layperson, the main difference is the radiopharmaceutical used for tracing. Studies have focused mostly on Ga-PSMA-11, but there are others, listed here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSMA_scan#Radiopharmaceuticals
Since PSMA-PET scans are so new, this is somewhere that it would really pay to talk to an expert at a major research centre. A lot of the online info is out of date (for example, the Wikipedia article doesn't recognise that Health Canada approved Ga-PSMA-11 in October 2022).
Best wishes!
Agree, too much obsolete info out there that’s only 2 years old. Kudos.
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Hug
1 ReactionNo questions are silly, keep asking…
Mainstay radiopharmaceuticals used for PSMA-targeted imaging agent continues to be an active area of research and would suggest to dig into various articles at this site https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ I had this procedure done in the Fall of 2022, so my input today is based on refreshing those notes. In general, there are several agents, and you will see much reference to Gallium-68 and Fluorine-18.
In terms of which PSMA is being used at a facility, I never searched (or feel) this would be readily available on a hospital website, however marketing of the drugs by their manufacturers may result in finding that information. Your best approach (and simplest) is to ask your oncologist. Or, when you are referred to the imaging doctor to ask the technicians.
For my situation, I asked my medical oncologist, and he informed me they used F-18, just remember that names of drugs also have their marketing equivalent, so in my case F-18 has a brand name of “PLYARIFY”.
In terms of knowing, which is best, that is a great question and probably hard to answer. If options exist and are approved by the government, basic theory indicates that the options are valid. The science and technology of treatment methods for cancers continues to evolve, and fortunately progress continues with advancement in these areas. Simple concepts such as how much agent is administered to the patient and how long to wait until the imaging is performed, is generally easy to comprehend (analogous to how much marinade to put on chicken, when to apply it, etc.), but continues to be an evolving science.
Theranostics is a rapidly evolving technique and quite new in the grand scheme of things.
Hope this helps and continue to ask questions, even if they lead to new questions, that is OK.
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Hug
2 ReactionsI’m in Massachusetts and having a PSMA PET SCAN this coming September 21st. I’m a Gleason 7 (4+3) stage 3 with seminal vesicle invasion. (PI-RADS 5/5). The nuclear being used is Fluorodeoxyglucose f-18 fdg. Is that good, better, best??? I have no idea but that’s my only option at this point. I have waited 17 weeks from diagnosis to get the PSMA. Insurance battle and finally approved. Test being done my Shields MRI, at Sturdy Memorial Hospital. Shields brings in a truck with the equipment. That’s my story, all the best to the great people here. Ken
Thanks for all the replies.
F-18 piflufolasat (PYLARIFY) PSMA PET scans at Hershey Medical Center Aug 2022 and Johns Hopkins Feb 2023
Best wishes.