What is a PSMA PET scan?
PET stands for “positron emission tomography” – it refers to the radiation type emitted and the three- dimensional processing performed. PET imaging is a diagnostic imaging tool. PET imaging is a process
by which the biologic functions of the body are imaged. By using a small amount of a biological marker, the PET scan procedure can assess areas of abnormal metabolism in the body. The tracer used in neuroendocrine PET-CT imaging is 68Ga-PSMA which binds to protein molecules called prostate specific membrane antigen expressed on the surface of prostate cancer cells,
The radiation that results from a positron being emitted (and annihilated by an electron from the surrounding tissue) is ultimately and indirectly detected using a special machine
called a PET scanner.
The latest advancements in imaging
has combined the PET scan procedure with a CT scan (PET/CT) allowing areas of interest to be more accurately localized. PET can also be manually fused to an MRI scan, which is especially of clinical use in children.
PET scan procedure:
At the beginning of the PET scan procedure, you will sit in a chair and receive an injection of a small amount of radioactive material called PSMA in a vein in your arm. This will not make you feel differently at all.
You will be asked to sit quietly for a period, usually about 30-60 minutes.
During this time, you must sit and relax.
You will be asked to lie down on an imaging table which will move you through the PET/CT scanner. The machine has a larger opening than an MRI, and it does not make any significant sound. A PET scan procedure takes about an hour to complete excluding the report.
PET scan preparation & diet:
This procedure requires no specific dietary preparation e.g. fasting.
What can I expect to happen next?
Upon arrival in the unit, you will be injected with a radioactive tracer. You will wait while the tracer gets take up by the tissues – approximately 60 minutes. Thereafter you will be scanned. This takes approximately 30 minutes.
