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Grand RoundsWeekly Evidence Brief

Nuclear Medicine

Edition

30-Second Takeaway

  • Quantitative PSMA PET metrics refine local T-staging and extraprostatic extension risk in primary prostate cancer.
  • First-line [11C]choline PET/CT can be cost-saving and slightly more effective than stepwise cUS/MIBI pathways in pHPT.
  • Alpha-emitting PSMA and 211At agents show encouraging early activity with manageable toxicity in mCRPC.

Week ending February 14, 2026

Practice-shaping updates in PSMA, endocrine, cardiac, and oncologic nuclear medicine

Quantitative PSMA PET/CT improves prediction of extraprostatic extension

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND MOLECULAR IMAGINGFeb 13, 2026

In 223 intermediate/high-risk prostate cancer patients, quantitative PSMA PET/CT parameters improved local T-staging versus visual miT-stage alone. Longest capsule contact was the only independent imaging predictor of pT3a disease on multivariable analysis. For ≥ pT3b disease, models combining miT-stage, longest capsule contact, and PSMA-vol achieved an AUC of 0.79. These data support routinely reporting quantitative capsular contact and PSMA-vol to refine extraprostatic extension risk and surgical planning.

[11C]Choline PET/CT as first-line imaging is cost-effective in pHPT

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND MOLECULAR IMAGINGFeb 9, 2026

A decision-tree cost-utility model compared first-line [11C]choline PET/CT with a stepwise cervical ultrasound plus MIBI SPECT/CT pathway in primary hyperparathyroidism. Using trial-based diagnostic performance and a 24-year horizon, [11C]choline PET/CT produced higher QALYs at lower total costs (€10,394 vs €10,907). The incremental cost-utility ratio of -€18,846/QALY indicated [11C]choline PET/CT was both less costly and more effective in this centre. Sensitivity analyses showed cost-effectiveness was most sensitive to [11C]choline PET/CT price, and shared R code allows local adaptation.

[225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617 shows activity after [177Lu]Lu-PSMA failure in mCRPC

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MEDICINE AND MOLECULAR IMAGINGFeb 9, 2026

Eighteen mCRPC patients intolerant or refractory to [177Lu]Lu-PSMA received 1–5 cycles of [225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617 with mean 6.1 MBq per cycle. Any PSA decline occurred in 72%, with ≥50% and ≥80% PSA reductions in 56% and 39%, and disease control on PSMA PET in 39%. Median progression-free and overall survival were 4 and 17 months respectively after starting [225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617. Toxicity was mostly grade I–III, anemia was the main hematologic event, and xerostomia occurred in all patients. Longer prior [177Lu]Lu-PSMA exposure and deeper PSA responses correlated with longer progression-free survival.

References

Numbered in order of appearance. Click any reference to view details.

Additional Reads

Optional additional studies from this edition.

Edition context

Clinical signal

  • Quantitative imaging is increasingly surpassing purely visual assessment for staging and risk stratification in oncology and cardiology.
  • Alpha- and novel-target theranostics are rapidly expanding options in prostate cancer, NETs, and HCC.
  • Cost-effectiveness evidence is beginning to justify PET-first strategies in selected endocrine pathways.