Abstract
Aim: 68Ga -PSMA ligands are used for prostate cancer but also show high renal cortical uptake. In this study, we aimed to assess if there is any correlation between renal PSMA PET parameters and renal function tests using the images of prostate cancer patients. Methods: 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT images of the patients with prostate cancer were retrospectively evaluated. The following PET parameters were obtained: SUVmax, SUVmean, SULmax, SULmean, volume, TLGSUL and counts of both kidneys as well as SUVmean of liver, blood pool and spleen. Total TLGSUL, total volume, kidney to liver and kidney to blood pool ratios were calculated. Patient’s creatinine values were obtained and GFR was calculated using the MDRD formula. Statistical analysis was performed to understand if there is a correlation between above parameters and renal function tests. Results: Twenty five patients were included in this study. GFR was significantly/positively correlated and creatinine was significantly/negatively correlated with renal SUV/liver SUV and renal SUV/blood pool SUV ratios. GFR was marginally positively correlated with renal SULmean and creatinine was marginally negatively correlated with total TLGSUL. Total renal parenchymal volume was significantly and directly (positively) associated with GFR and significantly and inversely (negatively) associated with creatinine. Conclusion: Renal 68Ga-PSMA uptake appears to be correlated with renal function tests. Our method of measuring approximate renal parenchymal volume on PET image appears to be reliable.
