Tumor Sink Effect in 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET: Myth or Reality?

Gafita, Andrei; Wang, Hui; Robertson, Andrew; Armstrong, Wesley R; Zaum, Raphael; Weber, Manuel; Yagubbayli, Farid; Kratochwil, Clemens; Grogan, Tristan R; Nguyen, Kathleen; Navarro, Fernando; Esfandiari, Rouzbeh; Rauscher, Isabel; Menze, Bjoern; Elashoff, David; Delpassand, Ebrahim S; Herrmann, Ken; Czernin, Johannes; Hofman, Michael S; Calais, Jeremie; Fendler, Wolfgang P; Eiber, Matthias

doi:10.2967/jnumed.121.261906

journal article

Title:: Tumor Sink Effect in 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET: Myth or Reality?
Document type:: Article; Journal Article
Author(s):: Gafita, Andrei; Wang, Hui; Robertson, Andrew; Armstrong, Wesley R; Zaum, Raphael; Weber, Manuel; Yagubbayli, Farid; Kratochwil, Clemens; Grogan, Tristan R; Nguyen, Kathleen; Navarro, Fernando; Esfandiari, Rouzbeh; Rauscher, Isabel; Menze, Bjoern; Elashoff, David; Delpassand, Ebrahim S; Herrmann, Ken; Czernin, Johannes; Hofman, Michael S; Calais, Jeremie; Fendler, Wolfgang P; Eiber, Matthias
Abstract:: We aimed to systematically determine the impact of tumor burden on 68Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen-11 (68Ga-PSMA) PET biodistribution by the use of quantitative measurements. Methods: This international multicenter, retrospective analysis included 406 men with prostate cancer who underwent 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT. Of these, 356 had positive findings and were stratified by quintiles into a very low (quintile 1, ≤25 cm3), low (quintile 2, 25-189 cm3), moderate (quintile 3, 189-532 cm3), high (quintile 4, 532-1,355 cm3), or very high (quintile 5, ≥1,355 cm3) total PSMA-positive tumor volume (PSMA-VOL). PSMA-VOL was obtained by semiautomatic segmentation of total tumor lesions using qPSMA software. Fifty prostate cancer patients with no PSMA-positive lesions (negative scan) served as a control group. Normal organs, which included salivary glands, liver, spleen, and kidneys, were semiautomatically segmented using 68Ga-PSMA PET images, and SUVmean was obtained. Correlations between the SUVmean of normal organs and PSMA-VOL as continuous and categoric variables by quintiles were evaluated. Results: The median PSMA-VOL was 302 cm3 (interquartile range [IQR], 47-1,076 cm3). The median SUVmean of salivary glands, kidneys, liver, and spleen was 10.0 (IQR, 7.7-11.8), 26.0 (IQR, 20.0-33.4), 3.7 (IQR, 3.0-4.7), and 5.3 (IQR, 4.0-7.2), respectively. PSMA-VOL showed a moderate negative correlation with the SUVmean of the salivary glands (r = -0.44, P < 0.001), kidneys (r = -0.34, P < 0.001), and liver (r = -0.30, P < 0.001) and a weak negative correlation with the spleen SUVmean (r = -0.16, P = 0.002). Patients with a very high PSMA-VOL (quintile 5, ≥1,355 cm3) had a significantly lower PSMA uptake in the salivary glands, kidneys, liver, and spleen than did the control group, with an average difference of -38.1%, -40.0%, -43.2%, and -34.9%, respectively (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Tumor sequestration affects 68Ga-PSMA biodistribution in normal organs. Patients with a very high tumor load showed a significantly lower uptake of 68Ga-PSMA in normal organs, confirming a tumor sink effect. As similar effects might occur with PSMA-targeted radioligand therapy, these patients might benefit from increased therapeutic activity without exceeding the radiation dose limit for organs at risk.
Journal title abbreviation:: J Nucl Med
Year:: 2022
Journal volume:: 63
Journal issue:: 2
Pages contribution:: 226-232
Fulltext / DOI:: doi:10.2967/jnumed.121.261906
Pubmed ID:: http://view.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34049987
Print-ISSN:: 0161-5505
TUM Institution:: Klinik und Poliklinik für Nuklearmedizin
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mediaTUM Gesamtbestand Einrichtungen Schools TUM School of Medicine and Health Departments Clinical Medicine Klinik und Poliklinik für Nuklearmedizin (Prof. Weber)2022