(11)C-Choline PET/CT for restaging prostate cancer. Results from 4,426 scans in a single-centre patient series.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate (11)C-choline PET/CT as a diagnostic tool for restaging prostate cancer (PCa), in a large, homogeneous and clinically relevant population of patients with biochemical recurrence (BCR) of PCa after primary therapy. The secondary aim was to assess the best timing for performing (11)C-choline PET/CT during BCR.


METHODS
We retrospectively analysed 9,632 (11)C-choline PET/CT scans performed in our institution for restaging PCa from January 2007 to June 2015. The inclusion criteria were: (1) proven PCa radically treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) or with primary external beam radiotherapy (EBRT); (2) PSA serum values available; (3) proven BCR (PSA >0.2 ng/mL after RP or PSA >2 ng/mL above the nadir after primary EBRT with rising PSA levels). Finally, 3,203 patients with recurrent PCa matching all the inclusion criteria were retrospectively enrolled and 4,426 scans were analysed.


RESULTS
Overall, 52.8 % of the (11)C-choline PET/CT scans (2,337/4,426) and 54.8 % of the patients (1,755/3,203) were positive. In 29.4 % of the scans, at least one distant finding was observed. The mean and median PSA values were, respectively, 4.9 and 2.1 ng/mL at the time of the scan (range 0.2 - 50 ng/mL). In our series, 995 scans were performed in patients with PSA levels between 1 and 2 ng/mL. In this subpopulation the positivity rate in the 995 scans was 44.7 %, with an incidence of distant findings of 19.2 % and an incidence of oligometastatic disease (one to three lesions) of 37.7 %. The absolute PSA value at the time of the scan and ongoing androgen deprivation therapy were associated with an increased probability of a positive (11)C-choline PET/CT scan (p < 0.0001). In the ROC analysis, a PSA value of 1.16 ng/mL was the optimal cut-off value. In patients with a PSA value <1.16 ng/mL, 26.8 % of 1,426 (11)C-choline PET/CT scans were positive, with oligometastatic disease in 84.7 % of positive scans.


CONCLUSIONS
In a large cohort of patients, the feasibility of (11)C-choline PET/CT for detecting the sites of metastatic disease in PCa patients with BCR was confirmed. The PSA level was the main predictor of a positive scan with 1.16 ng/mL as the optimal cut-off value. In the majority of positive scans oligometastatic disease, potentially treatable with salvage therapies, was observed.
Service of Nuclear Medicine, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Tiziano
T
Graziani
Service of Nuclear Medicine, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Francesco
F
Ceci
Service of Nuclear Medicine, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. paolo.castellucci@aosp.bo.it.|UO Medicina Nucleare, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi, PAD. 30, Via Massarenti, 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy. paolo.castellucci@aosp.bo.it.
Paolo
P
Castellucci
Service of Nuclear Medicine, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Giulia
G
Polverari
Service of Nuclear Medicine, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Giacomo Maria
GM
Lima
Service of Nuclear Medicine, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Filippo
F
Lodi
Department of Radiotherapy, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Alessio Giuseppe
AG
Morganti
Department of Oncology, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Andrea
A
Ardizzoni
Department of Urology, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Riccardo
R
Schiavina
Service of Nuclear Medicine, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Stefano
S
Fanti
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002794:Choline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C447081:methyl carbon-11 choline; D002794:Choline
11C-Choline PET/CT; Androgen deprivation therapy; Biochemical recurrence; Salvage lymph-node dissection; Salvage radiotherapy