This study was the first published study, although of retrospective nature, to demonstrate PET´s superiority as compared to conventional morphological imaging (MTI, CT) in external radiation therapy dose planning.
This data shows that the delineation of active prostate cancer is beneficial in the outcome of salvage radiotherapy in oligometastatic prostate cancer. An example to illustrate this is practice is seen in the Fig.
The F-18-fluorocholine PET image demonstrates in the same transaxial slice a lymph node, a bone and prostate tissue lesion. The EBRT planning image is shown to demonstrate the radiotherapy dose distribution, respectively.
The active disease seen in the prostate gland, pelvic lymph node metastasis and pelvic bone metastasis disappeared in the follow-up. Those patients who had dose planning based on PET had better (p <o.oo1) disease control than those patients with conventional dose planning.
These results still have to be confirmed in a prospective study.
Written by:
Kalevi Kairemo, MD, PhD, professor
Molecular Radiotherapy & Nuclear Medicine, Docrates Cancer Center, Helsinki
Abstract: PET/CT dose planning for volumetric modulated arc radiation therapy (VMAT) - comparison with conventional approach in advanced prostate cancer patients
