Clinical Applications of Molecular Imaging in the Management of Prostate Cancer

Abstract

At the heart of selecting an optimal management strategy for men with prostate cancer is accurately determining a given patient's clinical stage and extent of disease. Molecular imaging with PET using properly selected radiotracers offers the opportunity for improved contrast resolution over conventional imaging and thus increased sensativity for detecting sites of disease. In addition, molecular imaging provides the prospect of obtaining functional or biological information regarding a patient's cancer. To date, several PET radiotracers have been developed for prostate cancer imaging. This review summarizes the potential clinical applications of molecular imaging in the management of men with prostate cancer.

Keywords: Cancer staging; Molecular imaging; PET; Prostate cancer.