Combined PSMA PET/MRI for Detection of Lymph Node Metastases in High-risk Prostate Cancer Patients

Overview

For high-risk prostate cancer patients, detection of lymph node metastases is crucial to ensure optimal treatment. Standard treatment for these patients is radiotherapy or surgery. The surgery involves resection of the prostate and the pelvic lymph nodes. Currently, the most reliable method to confirm lymph node metastases is by histologic examination of the resected lymph nodes. Ideally, one should be able to detect lymph node metastases prior to treatment. Then, the treatment could be better adjusted to each patient. Imaging methods such as prostate specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA-PET) can possibly aid the detection of lymph node metastases. In this study, the investigators want to test whether PSMA-PET or a combination of PSMA-PET and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) can improve staging of lymph nodes before treatment.

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