Sui wai Ling, Astrid van der Veldt, Marcel Segbers, Henk Luiting, Tessa Brabander, Frederik Verburg
{"title":"Tubarial salivary glands show a low relative contribution to functional salivary gland tissue mass","authors":"Sui wai Ling, Astrid van der Veldt, Marcel Segbers, Henk Luiting, Tessa Brabander, Frederik Verburg","doi":"10.1007/s12149-024-01965-x","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>In 2021, the tubarial salivary glands (TSGs) were newly identified on prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) as macroscopic glands in the nasopharyngeal wall. However, the relative contribution of the TSGs to the total salivary gland function, and consequently on the development of xerostomia after external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or PSMA-targeted radionuclide therapy (RNT) is not known. Therefore, we aimed to determine the presence of the TSGs and to quantify uptake in the TSGs on PSMA PET.</p><h3>Methods</h3><p>Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed on <sup>68</sup>Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT scans of 100 patients with prostate cancer. The mean and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmean and SUVmax) in the TSGs were measured and compared to the parotid, submandibular and sublingual salivary glands (PSGs, SMSGs and SLSGs, respectively). Furthermore, proportional function of the TSGs was compared to the PSGs, SMSGs and SLSGs based on the total organ PSMA (TO-PSMA).</p><h3>Results</h3><p>The TSGs were visible on 95% of the <sup>68</sup>Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT scans. The normalized median SUVmean and SUVmax was significantly higher for the PSGs (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and SMSGs (<i>p</i> < 0.001) compared to the TSGs, but not for the SLSGs (<i>p</i> = 0.242 and <i>p</i> = 0.300, respectively). The normalized median TO-PSMA was significantly higher for the PSGs (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and SMSGs (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and significant lower for the SLSGs (<i>p</i> < 0.001) compared the TSGs.</p><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The SUVmean, SUVmax and TO-PSMA of the TSGs were most comparable to the SLSGs. However, the measured PSMA uptake may be disproportional towards the saliva production. Therefore, future studies should focus on the relation between PSMA uptake and salivary function before and after PSMA therapy.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8007,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Nuclear Medicine","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12149-024-01965-x.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Annals of Nuclear Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12149-024-01965-x","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
In 2021, the tubarial salivary glands (TSGs) were newly identified on prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) as macroscopic glands in the nasopharyngeal wall. However, the relative contribution of the TSGs to the total salivary gland function, and consequently on the development of xerostomia after external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or PSMA-targeted radionuclide therapy (RNT) is not known. Therefore, we aimed to determine the presence of the TSGs and to quantify uptake in the TSGs on PSMA PET.
Methods
Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed on 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT scans of 100 patients with prostate cancer. The mean and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmean and SUVmax) in the TSGs were measured and compared to the parotid, submandibular and sublingual salivary glands (PSGs, SMSGs and SLSGs, respectively). Furthermore, proportional function of the TSGs was compared to the PSGs, SMSGs and SLSGs based on the total organ PSMA (TO-PSMA).
Results
The TSGs were visible on 95% of the 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT scans. The normalized median SUVmean and SUVmax was significantly higher for the PSGs (p < 0.001) and SMSGs (p < 0.001) compared to the TSGs, but not for the SLSGs (p = 0.242 and p = 0.300, respectively). The normalized median TO-PSMA was significantly higher for the PSGs (p < 0.001) and SMSGs (p < 0.001), and significant lower for the SLSGs (p < 0.001) compared the TSGs.
Conclusions
The SUVmean, SUVmax and TO-PSMA of the TSGs were most comparable to the SLSGs. However, the measured PSMA uptake may be disproportional towards the saliva production. Therefore, future studies should focus on the relation between PSMA uptake and salivary function before and after PSMA therapy.
期刊介绍:
Annals of Nuclear Medicine is an official journal of the Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine. It develops the appropriate application of radioactive substances and stable nuclides in the field of medicine.
The journal promotes the exchange of ideas and information and research in nuclear medicine and includes the medical application of radionuclides and related subjects. It presents original articles, short communications, reviews and letters to the editor.