title: Molecular imaging of cholinergic processes in prostate cancer using ¹¹C-donepezil and ¹⁸F-FEOBV.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  High-grade prostate cancer (PC) displays parasympathetic neoneurogenesis. We investigated the binding of two PET tracers that visualize cholinergic nerves in PC tissue using autoradiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prostatectomy tissue was subjected to autoradiography with (11)C-donepezil and (18)F-FEOBV and correlated with Gleason scores (GS). Regions of interest on the autoradiograms were defined and quantified. Tracer binding in cancer tissue regions was compared with that in normal tissue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 13 patients with biopsy-verified PC. In particular, (11)C-donepezil uptake was higher in "high-grade" PC (GS ≥4 + 3) than in "low-grade" PC and benign hyperplasia. (11)C-donepezil uptake ranged from a mean of 56 % higher (GS 3 + 3) to 409 % higher (GS 4 + 4), and (18)F-FEOBV uptake ranged from 67 % higher (GS 3 + 3) to 194 % higher (GS 4 + 5). The uptake of both tracers was higher in PC with a high GS than in PC with a low GS, but the difference was significant only for (11)C-donepezil (p = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Uptake of PET tracers binding to cholinergic nerves was markedly higher in PC with a high GS than in PC with a low GS. This finding implies that (11)C-donepezil PET/CT may be able to differentiate between low-grade and high-grade PC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44, bygn. 10G, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark. mortenstokholm@clin.au.dk.
authors.forename: Morten Gersel
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Stokholm
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Høyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borre
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44, bygn. 10G, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44, bygn. 10G, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Steen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jakobsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44, bygn. 10G, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jørgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frøkiær
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Noerrebrogade 44, bygn. 10G, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borghammer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D000077265:Donepezil; D006801:Humans; D007189:Indans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D010880:Piperidines; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D007189:Indans; D010880:Piperidines; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins; C116169:fluoroethoxy-benzovesamicol; D000077265:Donepezil
keywords: Acetylcholinesterase; Autoradiography; Positron emission tomography; Prostate cancer; Vesicular acetylcholine transporter