PATIENT PREPARATION AND 18F-FCH PET/CT ACqUISITION PROTOCOLS

Prostate carcinoma is the most common life-threatening cancer affecting men in the Western world. It tends to develop in men over the age of 50 and it is diagnosed in 80 % of men who reach age of 80. 18F-FDG PET/CT is nuclear medicine procedure currently most widely used to diagnose primary and metastatic cancers. Unfortunately not all tumors show significant increase of metabolic activity on 18F-FDG PET/ CT imaging. This is particularly true for prostate cancer, neuroendocrine tumors and hepatic tumors. As a component of cell membrane phospholipids, choline is an excellent biomarker for the malignant transformation and increased proliferation of cells. Choline can be radiolabeled with either 11C or 18F. 11C-Choline has the preference due to lower urinary excretion and patient’s exposure, 18F-Choline is more useful for possible distribution to centers lacking in on-site cyclotron. Use of 18F-FDG in prostate cancer is limited to the most aggressive cancers (1)