AUTHOR=Marinescu Ioana M. , Spohn Simon K. B. , Kiefer Selina , Bronsert Peter , Ceci Lara , Holzschuh Julius , Sigle August , Jilg Cordula A. , Rühle Alexander , Sprave Tanja , Nicolay Nils H. , Winzer Robert , Rehm Jana , Kotzerke Jörg , Hölscher Tobias , Grosu Anca L. , Ruf Juri , Benndorf Matthias , Zamboglou Constantinos TITLE=Intraindividual Comparison Between [18F] PSMA-1007 PET/CT and Multiparametric MRI for Radiotherapy Planning in Primary Prostate Cancer Patients JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology VOLUME=12 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2022.880042 DOI=10.3389/fonc.2022.880042 ISSN=2234-943X ABSTRACT=Introduction

Accurate detection and segmentation of the intraprostatic gross tumor volume (GTV) is pivotal for radiotherapy (RT) in primary prostate cancer (PCa) since it influences focal therapy target volumes and the patients’ cT stage. The study aimed to compare the performance of multiparametric resonance imaging (mpMRI) with [18F] PSMA-1007 positron emission tomography (PET) for intraprostatic GTV detection as well as delineation and to evaluate their respective influence on RT concepts.

Materials and Methods

In total, 93 patients from two German University Hospitals with [18F] PSMA-1007-PET/CT and MRI (Freiburg) or [18F] PSMA-1007-PET/MRI (Dresden) were retrospectively enrolled. Validated contouring techniques were applied for GTV-PET and -MRI segmentation. Absolute tumor volume and cT status were determined for each imaging method. The PCa distribution from histopathological reports based on biopsy cores and surgery specimen was used as reference in terms of laterality (unilateral vs. bilateral).

Results

In the Freiburg cohort (n = 84), mpMRI and PET detected in median 2 (range: 1–5) and 3 (range: 1–8) GTVs, respectively (p < 0.01). The median GTV-MRI was significantly smaller than the GTV-PET, measuring 2.05 vs. 3.65 ml (p = 0.0005). PET had a statistically significant higher concordance in laterality with surgery specimen compared to mpMRI (p = 0.04) and biopsy (p < 0.01), respectively. PSMA PET led to more cT2c and cT3b stages, whereas cT3a stage was more pronounced in mpMRI. Based on the cT stage derived from mpMRI and PET information, 21 and 23 as well as 59 and 60 patients, respectively, were intermediate- and high-risk according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) v1.2022 criteria. In the Dresden cohort (n = 9), similar results were observed.

Conclusion

Intraprostatic GTV segmentation based on [18F] PSMA-1007 PET results in more and larger GTVs compared to mpMRI. This influences focal RT target volumes and cT stage definition, but not the NCCN risk group.