{"entity":{"id":"psma-pet","kind":"technology","name":"PSMA PET","aka":[],"tldr":"A prostate-cancer-specific PET scan that finds spread far earlier than CT or bone scan, and tells you whether a matched radioactive drug will work.","summary":"PSMA PET uses small-molecule urea-based ligands that bind the active site of prostate-specific membrane antigen and are internalised, labelled with 68Ga or 18F. Approved agents are 68Ga-PSMA-11 (Illuccix, Locametz), 18F-DCFPyL (Pylarify, with Pylarify TruVu approved in March 2026) and 18F-rhPSMA-7.3 (Posluma). In clinical use since 2020, it is standard for initial staging of high-risk disease and for biochemical recurrence, where it detects disease at PSA below 0.5 ng/mL, far earlier than CT or bone scan. It is also the theranostic gatekeeper: a PSMA-positive scan is required to select patients for 177Lu-PSMA-617, as in VISION and PSMAfore. Around 10% of patients have PSMA-negative disease, and uptake in ganglia and salivary glands can be mistaken for tumour. It finds spread early and predicts whether the matched radioactive drug will work.","status":"standard-of-care","asOf":"2026-09-04","links":[{"label":"VISION: lutetium-177 PSMA-617 radioligand therapy extends survival in advanced prostate cancer (New England Journal of Medicine 2021)","url":"https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2107322"},{"label":"ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03392428: TheraP (ANZUP 1603)","url":"https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03392428"}],"tags":[],"related":["f-18","ga-68","lu-177"],"indications":["prostate"],"sections":[],"technologies":["pet","radioligand-therapy"],"targets":["psma"],"drugs":["choline-c11"],"companies":["clarity-pharmaceuticals"],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":[],"trials":["pop-rt"],"people":[],"bottlenecks":[],"keyPapers":[],"journals":[],"dependsOn":["pet-ct","radiopharmacy-network"],"notes":[],"principle":"Small-molecule urea-based ligands bind PSMA's active site and are internalised.","strengths":["Detects recurrence at PSA <0.5 ng/mL","Theranostic gatekeeper"],"limitations":["PSMA-negative disease in ~10%","Uptake in ganglia, salivary glands"],"since":2020},"route":"/technologies/psma-pet/","neighbours":{"isotope":[{"id":"f-18","kind":"isotope","name":"Fluorine-18","route":"/isotopes/f-18/"},{"id":"ga-68","kind":"isotope","name":"Gallium-68","route":"/isotopes/ga-68/"},{"id":"ge-68","kind":"isotope","name":"Germanium-68","route":"/isotopes/ge-68/"},{"id":"lu-177","kind":"isotope","name":"Lutetium-177","route":"/isotopes/lu-177/"}],"indication":[{"id":"prostate-bcr","kind":"indication","name":"Biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer","route":"/indications/prostate-bcr/"},{"id":"prostate-high-risk","kind":"indication","name":"Localised prostate cancer, high and very high risk","route":"/indications/prostate-high-risk/"},{"id":"prostate-mhspc","kind":"indication","name":"Metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer","route":"/indications/prostate-mhspc/"},{"id":"prostate-nepc","kind":"indication","name":"Neuroendocrine and small-cell prostate cancer","route":"/indications/prostate-nepc/"},{"id":"prostate-nmcrpc","kind":"indication","name":"Non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer","route":"/indications/prostate-nmcrpc/"},{"id":"prostate","kind":"indication","name":"Prostate cancer","route":"/indications/prostate/"}],"technology":[{"id":"ai-in-nuclear-medicine","kind":"technology","name":"AI in nuclear medicine","route":"/technologies/ai-in-nuclear-medicine/"},{"id":"cyclotron-isotope-production","kind":"technology","name":"Cyclotron isotope production (F-18, Ga-68, Cu-64, Zr-89, At-211)","route":"/technologies/cyclotron-isotope-production/"},{"id":"fes-pet","kind":"technology","name":"FES PET (oestrogen receptor imaging)","route":"/technologies/fes-pet/"},{"id":"gamma-probes-dose-calibrators","kind":"technology","name":"Gamma probes, handheld gamma cameras and dose calibrators","route":"/technologies/gamma-probes-dose-calibrators/"},{"id":"ge68-ga68-generators","kind":"technology","name":"Germanium-68/gallium-68 generators","route":"/technologies/ge68-ga68-generators/"},{"id":"pet","kind":"technology","name":"PET (positron emission tomography)","route":"/technologies/pet/"},{"id":"pet-tracer-manufacturing","kind":"technology","name":"PET tracer manufacturing and distribution","route":"/technologies/pet-tracer-manufacturing/"},{"id":"pet-ct","kind":"technology","name":"PET/CT","route":"/technologies/pet-ct/"},{"id":"quantitative-imaging-biomarkers","kind":"technology","name":"Quantitative imaging biomarkers (RECIST, PERCIST, SUV, ADC)","route":"/technologies/quantitative-imaging-biomarkers/"},{"id":"radiohybrid-chemistry","kind":"technology","name":"Radiohybrid (rh) chemistry","route":"/technologies/radiohybrid-chemistry/"},{"id":"radioligand-therapy","kind":"technology","name":"Radioligand therapy (beta emitters)","route":"/technologies/radioligand-therapy/"},{"id":"radionuclide-generators-kits","kind":"technology","name":"Radionuclide generators and cold kits","route":"/technologies/radionuclide-generators-kits/"},{"id":"radiopharmacy-network","kind":"technology","name":"Radiopharmacy and cyclotron networks","route":"/technologies/radiopharmacy-network/"}],"target":[{"id":"psma","kind":"target","name":"PSMA","route":"/targets/psma/"}],"drug":[{"id":"lu177-psma-it","kind":"drug","name":"177Lu-PSMA-I&T","route":"/drugs/lu177-psma-it/"},{"id":"choline-c11","kind":"drug","name":"Choline C-11","route":"/drugs/choline-c11/"},{"id":"cu-64-sar-bispsma","kind":"drug","name":"Copper-64 SAR-bisPSMA","route":"/drugs/cu-64-sar-bispsma/"},{"id":"florastamin-f18","kind":"drug","name":"Florastamin F-18","route":"/drugs/florastamin-f18/"},{"id":"flotufolastat","kind":"drug","name":"Flotufolastat F-18","route":"/drugs/flotufolastat/"},{"id":"ga68-psma-11","kind":"drug","name":"Gallium-68 gozetotide (PSMA-11)","route":"/drugs/ga68-psma-11/"},{"id":"illuccix","kind":"drug","name":"Illuccix (kit for Ga-68 gozetotide)","route":"/drugs/illuccix/"},{"id":"locametz","kind":"drug","name":"Locametz (kit for Ga-68 gozetotide)","route":"/drugs/locametz/"},{"id":"pluvicto","kind":"drug","name":"Lutetium-177 vipivotide tetraxetan","route":"/drugs/pluvicto/"},{"id":"pylarify","kind":"drug","name":"Piflufolastat F-18 / Pylarify TruVu","route":"/drugs/pylarify/"},{"id":"psma-1007-f18","kind":"drug","name":"PSMA-1007 F-18","route":"/drugs/psma-1007-f18/"}],"company":[{"id":"abx-advanced-biochemical-compounds","kind":"company","name":"ABX advanced biochemical compounds","route":"/companies/abx-advanced-biochemical-compounds/"},{"id":"advanced-accelerator-applications","kind":"company","name":"Advanced Accelerator Applications (Novartis)","route":"/companies/advanced-accelerator-applications/"},{"id":"bracco","kind":"company","name":"Bracco Imaging","route":"/companies/bracco/"},{"id":"cellbion","kind":"company","name":"CellBion","route":"/companies/cellbion/"},{"id":"clarity-pharmaceuticals","kind":"company","name":"Clarity Pharmaceuticals","route":"/companies/clarity-pharmaceuticals/"}],"trial":[{"id":"condor","kind":"trial","name":"CONDOR","route":"/trials/condor/"},{"id":"enza-p","kind":"trial","name":"ENZA-p","route":"/trials/enza-p/"},{"id":"lighthouse","kind":"trial","name":"LIGHTHOUSE","route":"/trials/lighthouse/"},{"id":"lutectomy","kind":"trial","name":"LuTectomy","route":"/trials/lutectomy/"},{"id":"osprey","kind":"trial","name":"OSPREY","route":"/trials/osprey/"},{"id":"pop-rt","kind":"trial","name":"POP-RT","route":"/trials/pop-rt/"},{"id":"prince-trial","kind":"trial","name":"PRINCE","route":"/trials/prince-trial/"},{"id":"propsma","kind":"trial","name":"proPSMA","route":"/trials/propsma/"},{"id":"spotlight","kind":"trial","name":"SPOTLIGHT","route":"/trials/spotlight/"},{"id":"therap","kind":"trial","name":"TheraP (ANZUP 1603)","route":"/trials/therap/"},{"id":"vision","kind":"trial","name":"VISION","route":"/trials/vision/"}],"institution":[{"id":"aiims-delhi","kind":"institution","name":"All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi","route":"/institutions/aiims-delhi/"},{"id":"anzup","kind":"institution","name":"ANZUP Cancer Trials Group","route":"/institutions/anzup/"},{"id":"eanm","kind":"institution","name":"European Association of Nuclear Medicine","route":"/institutions/eanm/"},{"id":"excel-diagnostics-nuclear-oncology","kind":"institution","name":"Excel Diagnostics and Nuclear Oncology Center","route":"/institutions/excel-diagnostics-nuclear-oncology/"},{"id":"inselspital-bern","kind":"institution","name":"Inselspital, Bern University Hospital / University Cancer Center Inselspital","route":"/institutions/inselspital-bern/"},{"id":"irst-meldola","kind":"institution","name":"IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori 'Dino Amadori' (IRST)","route":"/institutions/irst-meldola/"},{"id":"lmu-munich","kind":"institution","name":"LMU Klinikum München","route":"/institutions/lmu-munich/"},{"id":"peter-mac","kind":"institution","name":"Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre","route":"/institutions/peter-mac/"},{"id":"radboudumc","kind":"institution","name":"Radboudumc Centre for Oncology","route":"/institutions/radboudumc/"},{"id":"snmmi","kind":"institution","name":"Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging","route":"/institutions/snmmi/"},{"id":"tum-munich","kind":"institution","name":"TUM Klinikum rechts der Isar / CCC München","route":"/institutions/tum-munich/"},{"id":"turku-university-hospital","kind":"institution","name":"Turku University Hospital Cancer Centre","route":"/institutions/turku-university-hospital/"},{"id":"ucla-jonsson","kind":"institution","name":"UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center","route":"/institutions/ucla-jonsson/"},{"id":"ucsf","kind":"institution","name":"UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center","route":"/institutions/ucsf/"},{"id":"uk-duesseldorf","kind":"institution","name":"University Hospital Düsseldorf / CIO Düsseldorf","route":"/institutions/uk-duesseldorf/"},{"id":"essen-wtz","kind":"institution","name":"West German Cancer Center (WTZ), University Hospital Essen","route":"/institutions/essen-wtz/"}],"term":[{"id":"activity-prescription","kind":"term","name":"Activity prescription: fixed versus dosimetry-guided dosing","route":"/terms/activity-prescription/"},{"id":"biochemical-recurrence","kind":"term","name":"Biochemical recurrence (BCR)","route":"/terms/biochemical-recurrence/"},{"id":"flare-phenomenon","kind":"term","name":"Flare phenomenon","route":"/terms/flare-phenomenon/"},{"id":"oligometastatic","kind":"term","name":"Oligometastatic disease","route":"/terms/oligometastatic/"},{"id":"psa-kinetics","kind":"term","name":"PSA kinetics: PSA doubling time and PSA density","route":"/terms/psa-kinetics/"},{"id":"psma-rads","kind":"term","name":"PSMA-RADS (PSMA reporting and data system)","route":"/terms/psma-rads/"},{"id":"prostatectomy","kind":"term","name":"Radical prostatectomy","route":"/terms/prostatectomy/"},{"id":"specific-activity","kind":"term","name":"Specific activity and molar activity","route":"/terms/specific-activity/"},{"id":"theranostics","kind":"term","name":"Theranostics","route":"/terms/theranostics/"}],"pairing":[{"id":"psma-pet-to-rlt","kind":"pairing","name":"PSMA PET → PSMA radioligand therapy","route":"/pairings/psma-pet-to-rlt/"}],"roadmap":[{"id":"molecular-imaging-roadmap","kind":"roadmap","name":"Molecular imaging roadmap: FDG → PSMA → FAP → antigen and immune PET","route":"/roadmaps/molecular-imaging-roadmap/"},{"id":"psma-theranostics-roadmap","kind":"roadmap","name":"PSMA theranostics roadmap: antigen discovery → PSMA PET → 177Lu-PSMA-617 → earlier lines and alpha","route":"/roadmaps/psma-theranostics-roadmap/"},{"id":"radiopharma-roadmap","kind":"roadmap","name":"Radiopharmaceutical roadmap: iodine → lutetium → actinium","route":"/roadmaps/radiopharma-roadmap/"}],"idea":[{"id":"idea-fund-academic-radiopharma-pipeline","kind":"idea","name":"A university cyclotron network with shared regulatory files for new tracers","route":"/ideas/idea-fund-academic-radiopharma-pipeline/"},{"id":"idea-bispecific-radioligands","kind":"idea","name":"Bispecific PSMA/GRPR radioligands for discordant prostate cancer lesions","route":"/ideas/idea-bispecific-radioligands/"},{"id":"idea-psma-pet-guided-mdt","kind":"idea","name":"PSMA-PET-guided metastasis-directed therapy as a curative strategy in oligorecurrent prostate cancer","route":"/ideas/idea-psma-pet-guided-mdt/"},{"id":"idea-tr2-psma-volume-qualification","kind":"idea","name":"Qualify PSMA PET tumour volume as a validated imaging biomarker","route":"/ideas/idea-tr2-psma-volume-qualification/"},{"id":"idea-tb161-instead-of-lu177","kind":"idea","name":"Terbium-161 instead of lutetium-177 in the same ligands","route":"/ideas/idea-tb161-instead-of-lu177/"}],"collection":[{"id":"prostate-cancer-foundation","kind":"collection","name":"Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF)","route":"/collections/prostate-cancer-foundation/"}],"person":[{"id":"oliver-sartor","kind":"person","name":"A. Oliver Sartor","route":"/people/oliver-sartor/"},{"id":"declan-murphy","kind":"person","name":"Declan G. Murphy","route":"/people/declan-murphy/"},{"id":"ebrahim-delpassand","kind":"person","name":"Ebrahim S. Delpassand","route":"/people/ebrahim-delpassand/"},{"id":"jeremie-calais","kind":"person","name":"Jeremie Calais","route":"/people/jeremie-calais/"},{"id":"johannes-czernin","kind":"person","name":"Johannes Czernin","route":"/people/johannes-czernin/"},{"id":"ken-herrmann","kind":"person","name":"Ken Herrmann","route":"/people/ken-herrmann/"},{"id":"louise-emmett","kind":"person","name":"Louise Emmett","route":"/people/louise-emmett/"},{"id":"matthias-eiber","kind":"person","name":"Matthias Eiber","route":"/people/matthias-eiber/"},{"id":"hofman-michael","kind":"person","name":"Michael Hofman","route":"/people/hofman-michael/"},{"id":"michael-morris","kind":"person","name":"Michael J. Morris","route":"/people/michael-morris/"},{"id":"peter-bartenstein","kind":"person","name":"Peter Bartenstein","route":"/people/peter-bartenstein/"},{"id":"phillip-kuo","kind":"person","name":"Phillip H. Kuo","route":"/people/phillip-kuo/"},{"id":"rahul-aggarwal","kind":"person","name":"Rahul Aggarwal","route":"/people/rahul-aggarwal/"},{"id":"richard-baum","kind":"person","name":"Richard P. Baum","route":"/people/richard-baum/"},{"id":"stefano-fanti","kind":"person","name":"Stefano Fanti","route":"/people/stefano-fanti/"},{"id":"thomas-hope","kind":"person","name":"Thomas A. Hope","route":"/people/thomas-hope/"},{"id":"uwe-haberkorn","kind":"person","name":"Uwe Haberkorn","route":"/people/uwe-haberkorn/"},{"id":"wolfgang-fendler","kind":"person","name":"Wolfgang P. Fendler","route":"/people/wolfgang-fendler/"}],"paper":[{"id":"paper-jadvar-snmmi-psma-auc-jnm-2022","kind":"paper","name":"Appropriate use criteria for prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET imaging","route":"/key-papers/paper-jadvar-snmmi-psma-auc-jnm-2022/"},{"id":"paper-hofman-lupsma-lancet-oncol-2018","kind":"paper","name":"LuPSMA trial: single-arm phase 2 study of 177Lu-PSMA-617 in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer","route":"/key-papers/paper-hofman-lupsma-lancet-oncol-2018/"},{"id":"paper-psmafore-lancet-2024","kind":"paper","name":"PSMAfore: 177Lu-PSMA-617 versus a change of androgen receptor pathway inhibitor in taxane-naive mCRPC","route":"/key-papers/paper-psmafore-lancet-2024/"},{"id":"paper-therap-lancet-2021","kind":"paper","name":"TheraP: [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 versus cabazitaxel in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer","route":"/key-papers/paper-therap-lancet-2021/"},{"id":"paper-vision-nejm-2021","kind":"paper","name":"VISION: lutetium-177 PSMA-617 radioligand therapy extends survival in advanced prostate cancer","route":"/key-papers/paper-vision-nejm-2021/"}],"opportunity":[{"id":"opp-grpr-psma-negative-prostate","kind":"opportunity","name":"GRPR imaging when the PSMA scan is negative","route":"/opportunities/opp-grpr-psma-negative-prostate/"}],"bottleneck":[{"id":"b-authorized-user-shortage","kind":"bottleneck","name":"Authorized user shortage for radionuclide therapy","route":"/bottlenecks/b-authorized-user-shortage/"},{"id":"b-site-readiness-referral","kind":"bottleneck","name":"Site readiness and referral pathway delays","route":"/bottlenecks/b-site-readiness-referral/"}],"section":[{"id":"f-molecular-imaging","kind":"section","name":"Molecular imaging","route":"/fronts/f-molecular-imaging/"},{"id":"f-radioligand-therapy","kind":"section","name":"Radioligand therapy","route":"/fronts/f-radioligand-therapy/"}]}}