New frontiers in focal therapy for prostate cancer: Prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Imaging has a central role in the context of focal therapy (FT) for prostate cancer (PCa). Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) is a novel imaging modality that combines the morpho-functional information of MRI with the molecular characterization of PET. Some papers reported the potential advantages of PSMA PET/MRI in different clinical scenarios. Limited evidence on PSMA PET/MRI is available in the setting of FT. PSMA PET/MRI can be an effective imaging modality for detecting primary PCa and seems to provide accurate local staging of primary PCa. PSMA PET/MRI also shows high performance for restaging and detecting tumor recurrence. The higher soft-tissue contrast and the reduction of ionizing radiation are the main advantages reported in the literature compared to PET/computed tomography. PSMA PET/MRI could represent a turning point in the management of patients with PCa in the context of FT. Further studies are needed to confirm its applications in this specific clinical setting.