{"id":4922,"date":"2026-03-09T09:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T08:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/urology\/psma-pet-scan-in-prostate-cancer-why-have-this-test-done\/"},"modified":"2026-09-10T13:57:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T12:57:24","slug":"psma-pet-scan-in-prostate-cancer-why-have-this-test-done","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/urology\/psma-pet-scan-in-prostate-cancer-why-have-this-test-done\/","title":{"rendered":"PSMA PET scan in prostate cancer: why have this test done?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"100%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/le-pet-scan-au-psma-nouvel-examen-dans-le-cancer-de-la-prostate-pourquoi-faire-cet-examen-vtb-69e238176499d.jpg\" alt=\"Video thumbnail for &#39;PET Scan at PSMA: a new test for prostate cancer: why have this test done?&#39;\" style=\"max-width: 100%;height: auto\"><\/p>\n<p> When prostate cancer is newly diagnosed, or when PSA levels rise after treatment, a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/fr.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Antig%C3%A8ne_prostatique_sp%C3%A9cifique\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PSMA<\/a> PET scan<\/strong> is often prescribed. For many men, this test remains rather unclear. What exactly is its purpose? What can it show? And above all, what is expected from its results?<\/p>\n<p> The PET scan at PSMA is now a major examination in the management of <strong>prostate cancer<\/strong> , as it allows for a highly accurate assessment of the extent of the disease and guides the choice of treatment.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align:center\"> <iframe title=\"Le Pet Scan au PSMA: nouvel examen dans le cancer de la prostate: pourquoi faire cet examen ?\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jrYiriF5Dn4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<h2> What is a PET scan at PSMA?<\/h2>\n<p> The acronym <strong>PSMA<\/strong> stands for <strong>prostate-specific membrane antigen<\/strong> . It is a molecule present on the surface of cancerous prostate cells.<\/p>\n<p> The principle of the examination is simple. A <strong>slightly radioactive tracer<\/strong> is injected, which will bind to the PSMA molecule. Then, a whole-body scan is performed to identify the areas where this tracer has bound.<\/p>\n<p> In other words, PSMA PET scans allow for more precise localization of prostate cancer foci, whether they are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> within the prostate itself,<\/li>\n<li> around the prostate,<\/li>\n<li> in the lymph nodes,<\/li>\n<li> or in other organs, particularly bones.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2> Why is your doctor prescribing this test?<\/h2>\n<p> The first reason is the completion of what is called an <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cancer-estparisien.aphp.fr\/lexique\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">extension assessment<\/a><\/strong> .<\/p>\n<p> When a more aggressive form of prostate cancer is suspected, it is not enough to simply know that cancer is present in the prostate. It is also necessary to determine whether it is <strong>strictly localized<\/strong> or if there are already other distant locations, known as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/types\/metastatic-cancer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">metastases<\/a><\/strong> .<\/p>\n<p> This is precisely where the PSMA PET scan becomes so valuable. It allows us to answer a crucial question: <strong>is the cancer confined to the prostate, or has it already spread?<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2> A more precise examination than previous assessments<\/h2>\n<p> Before the arrival of PET scans at PSMA, two examinations were most often relied upon:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> a <strong>thoraco-abdomino-pelvic CT scan<\/strong> with injection of iodinated contrast medium,<\/li>\n<li> a <strong>bone scan<\/strong> .<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> In many situations, PSMA PET scans have replaced this older approach because they offer <strong>significantly greater accuracy<\/strong> . They essentially combine a highly targeted search for prostate tumor cells with a whole-body scan.<\/p>\n<p> This precision changes many things in practice, as it helps to better classify the disease from the outset.<\/p>\n<h2> What the PET scan at PSMA can show<\/h2>\n<h3> 1. A more precise local assessment in the prostate<\/h3>\n<p> We already know that prostate cancer is present, as the diagnosis was made through various examinations, including <strong>prostate biopsies<\/strong> . Nevertheless, a PSMA PET scan can provide additional information.<\/p>\n<p> It can sometimes reveal that there are <strong>multiple locations within the prostate<\/strong> than previously identified by MRI or biopsies. This allows for a more precise local assessment.<\/p>\n<h3> 2. A possible extension around the prostate<\/h3>\n<p> The examination may also show PSMA uptake <strong>around the prostate<\/strong> . This suggests that the disease may have crossed the boundaries of the gland and locally invaded surrounding tissues, particularly <strong>prostatic fat<\/strong> .<\/p>\n<p> This information is important because it directly influences the treatment strategy.<\/p>\n<h3> 3. Lymph node involvement or metastases<\/h3>\n<p> PSMA PET scans are also used to look for uptake in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cancer.gov\/publications\/dictionaries\/cancer-terms\/def\/lymph-node\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lymph nodes<\/a><\/strong> or other organs, particularly <strong>bones<\/strong> . Secondary locations in the skeleton are then referred to as <strong>bone metastases<\/strong> .<\/p>\n<p> In summary, the examination seeks to determine if the disease is:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> <strong>strictly localized<\/strong> to the prostate,<\/li>\n<li> <strong>locally advanced<\/strong> around the prostate,<\/li>\n<li> or already <strong>extended remotely<\/strong> .<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2> Why is this result so important for the treatment?<\/h2>\n<p> The purpose of the PET scan at PSMA is not just to &quot;see more clearly&quot;. Its result is primarily used to choose the <strong>best treatment<\/strong> .<\/p>\n<p> If the disease is strictly limited to the prostate, <strong>local treatment<\/strong> may be offered.<\/p>\n<p> On the other hand, if the examination reveals secondary locations, the management will need to be considered differently, with a <strong>more general treatment<\/strong> adapted to a more extensive disease.<\/p>\n<p> Therefore, this examination has real decision-making value. It is not just another image in the file, but a tool that can modify the therapeutic strategy.<\/p>\n<h2> In what cases is a PET scan requested at the PSMA?<\/h2>\n<p> There are primarily <strong>two main situations<\/strong> in which this examination is prescribed.<\/p>\n<h3> After initial diagnosis of prostate cancer<\/h3>\n<p> The first situation is that of the <strong>initial assessment<\/strong> , after the diagnosis of prostate cancer. If the cancer appears potentially aggressive, the doctor orders a PET scan at the PSMA to check for the absence of local or distant spread.<\/p>\n<p> The goal is to obtain the most accurate map possible of the disease before choosing between the different treatment options.<\/p>\n<h3> In case of a rise in PSA levels after treatment<\/h3>\n<p> The second situation is that of a cancer that has already been treated.<\/p>\n<p> After prostate cancer treatment, it is generally expected that <strong>PSA levels will become undetectable<\/strong> after surgery, or that they will remain <strong>very low and stable<\/strong> after other treatments.<\/p>\n<p> If, at some point, the PSA level starts to rise again, this is called a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.urofrance.org\/outils\/recommandations-des-cancers-urologiques\/prostate\/traitement\/recidive-biologique-apres-traitement-local\/definition-de-la-recidive-biologique\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">biological relapse<\/a><\/strong> . This term means that, for the moment, it is the PSA level that has changed, without us yet knowing precisely where a possible recurrence of the disease is located.<\/p>\n<p> In this context, PSMA PET scans are particularly useful. They allow doctors to look for <strong>new lesions<\/strong> and determine if they require further treatment.<\/p>\n<h2> What are the key takeaways from this exam?<\/h2>\n<p> PET scans at PSMA have become a gold standard examination in <strong>prostate cancer<\/strong> for two simple reasons:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> It allows for a <strong>very precise assessment of the extent of the problem<\/strong> .<\/li>\n<li> It helps to <strong>adapt the treatment<\/strong> to the actual situation of the disease.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> It is particularly useful:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> when prostate cancer appears aggressive at the time of diagnosis,<\/li>\n<li> or when <strong>a PSA level rises again<\/strong> after treatment has already been carried out.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> Thanks to its precision, it can show:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li> foci in the prostate,<\/li>\n<li> an extension around the gland,<\/li>\n<li> lymph node involvement,<\/li>\n<li> or metastases, particularly bone metastases.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2> The key point<\/h2>\n<p> When a PET scan at PSMA is prescribed, it is not a &quot;routine&quot; examination requested in principle. It is an examination that answers a very specific clinical question: <strong>where exactly is the disease located?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> And the subsequent course of treatment often depends on this answer. This is what makes it so important in the diagnosis, staging, and detection of recurrence of <strong>prostate cancer<\/strong> .<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When prostate cancer is newly diagnosed, or when PSA levels rise after treatment, a PSMA PET scan is often prescribed. For many [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4616,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-urology"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4922","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4922"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4922\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4973,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4922\/revisions\/4973"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4922"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4922"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dumonceau-urologie.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}