PSMA-PET similar to MRI, superior to CT for liver cancer diagnosis: Study
Australia: PSMA (prostate-specific membrane antigen) PET/CT is equivalent to MRI and superior to computed tomography (CT) for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients undergoing surveillance imaging, a recent exploratory study has revealed.
"PSMA PET/CT can serve as a confirmatory test when findings from conventional imaging are equivocal, allowing for earlier diagnosis and improved management of liver cancer," the researchers wrote in their study published in the MDPI journal Tomography.
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most frequently occurring primary liver malignancy, the third leading cause of cancer death, with an overall increasing incidence and 18% 5-year survival. Earlier diagnosis of recurrent or new HCC in at-risk patients improves long-term disease-free survival and provides the best opportunity for effective treatment.
Prostate-specific membrane antigen is expressed by approximately 90% of HCC in small case series and in-vitro studies. PSMA PET/CT has the potential as an imaging agent for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma, including early diagnosis and monitoring for recurrence following surgical resection. Considering this, Veronica Chi Ken Wong from The University of Sydney in Sydney, Australia, and colleagues aimed to compare PSMA PET to standard surveillance imaging in HCC detection.
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