Sensitivity, Specificity, and Predictors of Positive Ga-Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography in Advanced Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

CONTEXT

Positron emission tomography (PET) of Ga-labelled prostate-specific membrane antigen (Ga-PSMA) is an emerging imaging modality introduced to assess the burden of prostate cancer, typically in biochemically recurrent or advanced disease. Ga-PSMA PET provides the ability to selectively identify and localize metastatic prostate cancer cells and subsequently change patient management. Owing to its limited history, robust sensitivity and specificity data are not available for Ga-PSMA PET-positive scans.

OBJECTIVE

A systematic review and meta-analysis of reported predictors of positive Ga-PSMA PET and corresponding sensitivity and specificity profiles.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

We performed critical reviews of MEDLINE, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases in April 2016 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement. Quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment if Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. Meta-analysis and meta-regression of proportions were performed using a random-effects model with pre-PET prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels as the dependent variable. Summary sensitivity and specificity values were obtained by fitting bivariate hierarchical regression models.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Sixteen articles involving 1309 patients were analysed. The overall percentage of positive Ga-PSMA PET among patients was 40% (95% confidence interval [CI] 19-64%) for primary staging and 76% (95% CI 66-85%) for biochemical recurrence (BCR). Positive Ga-PSMA PET scans for BCR patients increased with pre-PET PSA. For the PSA categories 0-0.2, 0.2-1, 1-2, and >2 ng/ml, 42%, 58%, 76%, and 95% scans, respectively, were positive. Shorter PSA doubling time increased Ga-PSMA PET positivity. On per-patient analysis, the summary sensitivity and specificity were both 86%. On per-lesion analysis, the summary sensitivity and specificity were 80% and 97%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In the setting of BCR prostate cancer, pre-PET PSA predicts the risk of positive Ga-PSMA PET. Pooled data indicate favourable sensitivity and specificity profiles compared to choline-based PET imaging techniques.

PATIENT SUMMARY

Positron emission tomography using Ga-labelled prostate-specific membrane antigen is an emerging radiological technique developed to improve the characterisation of metastatic prostate cancer. We summarised the data available to date and found that this new test provides excellent rates of detection of cancer spread in late-stage prostate cancer.