Swedish Hospital: Offering Advanced Psma Scans

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men, and the Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) PET/CT scan is a breakthrough diagnostic tool for its detection and treatment. The PSMA PET scan can identify cancer that is often missed by current standard-of-care imaging techniques. While PSMA PET imaging is an advanced therapy offered at select Swedish hospital locations, it is not available at all of them.

PSMA PET/CT scan is not available at all Swedish hospital locations

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. The prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT scan is a new imaging technique that significantly improves how prostate cancer is detected and treated. The PSMA PET scan can identify cancer that is often missed by current standard-of-care imaging techniques. While PSMA PET/CT scans are available at select Swedish hospital locations, they are not available at all Swedish hospital locations.

The PSMA PET/CT scan may help determine if you are a candidate for treatment with a cancer-targeting drug called a radiopharmaceutical. This scan looks for prostate cancer cells in the prostate gland and in other parts of the body. The PSMA PET scan works by using a radioactive tracer, called 68Ga-PSMA-11, which attaches to PSMA proteins. Prostate cancer tumours overexpress this protein. The PET scan detects the concentrated PSMA tracer, pinpointing these tumours for more effective treatment.

UCSF Radiology China Basin in San Francisco is one of the few medical centres in the U.S. that offers the FDA-approved PSMA PET scan. This advanced imaging technique is a breakthrough for prostate cancer treatment, offering more precise detection of cancer and better treatment planning.

If you are seeking a PSMA PET/CT scan, please contact your local Swedish hospital to inquire about availability. It is important to note that this advanced therapy is only available at select Swedish locations. Alternatively, you may need to explore other medical centres, such as UCSF, that offer this specialised imaging technique.

PSMA PET scan can help determine eligibility for radiopharmaceutical treatment

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. The prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET scan is an advanced imaging technique that can significantly improve how prostate cancer is detected and treated.

The PSMA PET scan is a safe and useful imaging test that helps healthcare providers diagnose prostate cancer and determine whether it has spread to other areas of the body. It uses a radioactive tracer to detect the concentrated PSMA tracer, helping to pinpoint these tumours for more effective treatment. This scan is particularly useful when cancer is at risk of spreading to other parts of the body (metastasizing) before treatment begins. It can also be used if a patient has already received treatment but later develops elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, indicating a possible recurrence.

The PSMA PET scan is more precise than the current standard technique, fluciclovine PET, in detecting prostate cancer and planning targeted treatment. It can identify cancer that is often missed by other imaging techniques, not only in the prostate but also throughout the pelvis and the body in cases where the tumours have spread.

The PSMA PET scan can help determine eligibility for radiopharmaceutical treatment by providing detailed information about the presence and extent of prostate cancer. Healthcare providers can then use this information, along with the Gleason score and cancer staging, to determine the seriousness of the cancer and the types of treatments needed. This may include radiopharmaceutical treatment, which involves the use of radioactive drugs to target and treat cancer cells specifically.

PSMA PET scan is more effective than fluciclovine PET in detecting prostate lesions

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. The new prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET imaging significantly improves how prostate cancer is detected and treated. While Swedish Hospital does offer prostate cancer treatment, it is unclear whether they offer PSMA PET scans at all locations. They do, however, offer a range of therapies, including systemic, surgical, and radiation therapies.

The PSMA PET scan is a breakthrough diagnostic tool that can locate prostate cancer tumors for more precise treatment. It is a new imaging technique that uses a PET-sensitive drug (68Ga-PSMA-11) that is FDA-approved. This radioactive imaging agent binds to prostate cancer cells, helping to localize them. The PSMA tracer can also be used in conjunction with CT or MRI scans.

The PSMA PET scan is more effective than the current standard technique, fluciclovine PET, which involves physicians injecting patients with a synthetic radioactive amino acid. PSMA PET imaging is more precise in detecting prostate cancer, leading to better treatment planning and targeted care. It is more effective in pinpointing and eliminating tumors not only in the prostate but also throughout the pelvis and body in cases where tumors have spread.

Research by UCLA and UCSF found that the PSMA PET scan detected significantly more prostate lesions than fluciclovine PET in men who had experienced a recurrence of cancer after a radical prostatectomy. PSMA PET imaging is also more effective in localizing metastatic prostate cancer. An Australian trial adds to the growing body of research on improving metastatic tumor detection in men with prostate cancer. This trial found that PSMA PET-CT detected more metastatic tumors, regardless of their location, compared to fluciclovine F18 PET-CT.

PSMA PET scan uses a radioactive tracer drug called 68Ga-PSMA-11

PSMA PET/CT scans are used to detect and treat prostate cancer. While this advanced therapy is not available at all Swedish Hospital locations, it is offered at select Swedish locations as part of a comprehensive cancer care plan.

A PSMA PET scan uses a radioactive tracer drug called 68Ga-PSMA-11, which is injected into the patient's vein. The tracer attaches to PSMA proteins, which are often found in large amounts in prostate cancer cells. This helps to localize the cancer cells and create images of the affected areas. The PET scan detects the concentrated PSMA tracer, allowing for more effective treatment planning and targeted care.

The 68Ga-PSMA-11 tracer is a radioactive imaging agent that is manufactured on-site at some locations offering the procedure. Patients typically wait about an hour for the tracer to travel through their body before the scan begins. The scan itself usually takes less than two hours. During the scan, the patient lies on an exam table that slides in and out of the PET scanner, which is shaped like a short tunnel or doughnut. It is important that the patient remains as still as possible during the scan to ensure clear images.

The PSMA PET scan is a significant improvement over the current standard technique, fluciclovine PET, which involves injecting patients with a synthetic radioactive amino acid. The PSMA PET scan provides more precise detection of prostate cancer, allowing for better treatment planning and targeted care. It is also more effective in pinpointing and eliminating tumors not only in the prostate but also throughout the pelvis and other parts of the body where tumors may have spread.

PSMA PET scan can be used in conjunction with CT or MRI scans

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. The prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET scan is a new imaging technique that can significantly improve the detection and treatment of prostate cancer. It is a safe imaging test that uses a radioactive tracer to help diagnose prostate cancer and determine if it has spread to other areas of the body.

The PSMA tracer can be used in conjunction with CT or MRI scans to produce more detailed images of the body. A PSMA PET/CT scan combines a PSMA PET scan with a CT scan, which creates dozens or hundreds of images to generate three-dimensional (3D) renderings of structures in the body. This helps healthcare providers detect certain types of cancers and tumours. The PSMA PET scan is more effective and precise for localizing metastatic prostate cancer.

The PSMA PET scan is not a standard therapy available at all Swedish locations. However, Swedish Hospital does offer prostate cancer treatment, taking a team approach to offer the best success in controlling and curing cancer. An individual's cancer care plan may include one or more systemic, surgical, or radiation therapies.

The PSMA PET scan procedure involves injecting a safe radioactive tracer, such as 68Ga-PSMA-11, into a vein, which helps detect diseased cells by binding to prostate cancer cells. This tracer is PET-sensitive and can be detected by the scan, allowing healthcare providers to pinpoint tumours for more effective treatment planning and targeted care.

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