title: 64Cu-PSMA-617 PET/CT Imaging of Prostate Adenocarcinoma: First In-Human Studies.
abstract: The prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a cell surface protein, which is overexpressed in nearly all cases of prostate cancer (PCa). PET imaging with68Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC has recently found widespread application in the diagnosis of recurrent PCa. In this study, the diagnostic potential of64Cu-labeled PSMA ligand (PSMA-617) PET in patients with PCa has been investigated.
  
  
  
  The study was conducted simultaneously at two nuclear medicine centers, Austria (Vienna, Center 1) and Germany (Bad Berka, Center 2). The patients (n = 29) included in this study were referred for PET (Center 1, 21 patients) or PET/CT (Center 2, 8 patients) imaging with either a high suspicion of recurrent disease or for possible surgical or PSMA radioligand therapy planning. PET images of the whole body were performed at 1 hour p.i. and additional images of the pelvis at 2 hours p.i.
  
  
  
  In 23 of 29 patients, at least one focus of pathological tracer uptake suspicious for primary disease in the prostate lobe or recurrent disease was detected. Among healthy organs, the salivary glands, kidneys, and liver showed the highest radiotracer uptake. Lesions suspicious for PCa were detected with excellent contrast as early as 1 hour p.i. with high detection rates even at low prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels.
  
  
  
  The preliminary results of this study demonstrate the high potential of64Cu-PSMA ligand PET/CT imaging in patients with recurrent disease and in the primary staging of selected patients with progressive local disease. The acquired PET images showed an excellent resolution of the detected lesions with very high lesion-to- background contrast. Furthermore, the long half-life of64Cu allows distribution of the tracer to clinical PET centers that lack radiochemistry facilities for the preparation of68Ga-PSMA ligand (satellite concept).
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Urology, Vienna General Hospital, Medical University of Vienna , Vienna, Austria .
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grubmüller
authors.affiliation: 2 THERANOSTICS Center for Molecular Radiotherapy and Molecular Imaging (PET/CT), ENETS Center of Excellence , Zentralklinik Bad Berka, Bad Berka, Germany .
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Baum
authors.affiliation: 3 Regional Oncological Hospital , U.O.C. Nuclear Medicine, Cagliari, Italy .
authors.forename: Enza
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Capasso
authors.affiliation: 2 THERANOSTICS Center for Molecular Radiotherapy and Molecular Imaging (PET/CT), ENETS Center of Excellence , Zentralklinik Bad Berka, Bad Berka, Germany .
authors.forename: Aviral
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: 4 Institute of Nuclear Medicine with PET Center , Wilhelminenspital Vienna, Vienna, Austria .
authors.forename: Yasaman
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.affiliation: 4 Institute of Nuclear Medicine with PET Center , Wilhelminenspital Vienna, Vienna, Austria .
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Knoll
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Urology, Wilhelminenspital Vienna , Vienna, Austria .
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Floth
authors.affiliation: 6 Dirigente Fisico Sanitario , S.C. Fisica Sanitaria, E.O. Ospedali Galliera, Genova, Italy .
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Righi
authors.affiliation: 7 Institute of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hanusch Hospital, Teaching Hospital of the Medical University of Vienna , Vienna, Austria .
authors.forename: Shahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zandieh
authors.affiliation: 3 Regional Oncological Hospital , U.O.C. Nuclear Medicine, Cagliari, Italy .
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meleddu
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Urology, Vienna General Hospital, Medical University of Vienna , Vienna, Austria .
authors.forename: Shahrokh F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Shariat
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Urology, Wilhelminenspital Vienna , Vienna, Austria .
authors.forename: Hans Christoph
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Klingler
authors.affiliation: 4 Institute of Nuclear Medicine with PET Center , Wilhelminenspital Vienna, Vienna, Austria .
authors.forename: Siroos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mirzaei
keywords: 64Cu; PET/CT; molecular imaging; prostate cancer; radiopharmaceuticals