(68)Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC PET imaging in breast carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND: To report on imaging findings using (68)Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC PET in a series of 19 breast carcinoma patients. METHODS: (68)Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC PET imaging results obtained were compared to routinely performed staging examinations and analyzed as to lesion location and progesterone receptor status. RESULTS: Out of 81 tumor lesions identified, 84% were identified on (68)Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC PET. (68)Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC SUVmean values of distant metastases proved significantly higher (mean, 6.86, SD, 5.68) when compared to those of primary or local recurrences (mean, 2.45, SD, 2.55, p = 0.04) or involved lymph nodes (mean, 3.18, SD, 1.79, p = 0.011). SUVmean values of progesterone receptor-positive lesions proved not significantly different from progesterone receptor-negative lesions. SUV values derived from FDG PET/CT, available in seven patients, and (68)Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC PET/CT imaging proved weakly correlated (r = 0.407, p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: (68)Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC PET/CT imaging in breast carcinoma confirms the reported considerable variation of PSMA expression on human solid tumors using immunohistochemistry.