Incidental Brain Metastases From Prostate Cancer Diagnosed With PSMA PET/CT and MRI: A Case Series and Literature Review.

Abstract

Background: Brain metastases (BMETS) from prostate cancer are rare. Hence, brain imaging in neurologically asymptomatic patients with advanced prostate cancer (aPC) is not routinely performed. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT uses a radiotracer that binds to prostate cancer epithelial cells and is FDA-approved for initial staging for high-risk prostate cancer, detecting prostate cancer recurrence, and determining eligibility for radionuclide therapy.

Methods: We report six patients with asymptomatic BMETS from aPC found on staging PSMA PET/CT or MRI. Along with cranial MRI, PSMA PET/CT may be useful for detecting asymptomatic intracranial metastasis in select patients with prostate cancer.

Results: Brain metastases were diagnosed in four patients by staging PSMA PET/CT scan-three after systemic disease progression and one during routine surveillance. In two other patients, BMETS were detected using MRI despite negative PSMA PET/CT for brain lesions. All were neurologically asymptomatic. Three patients had undetectable serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentrations; one had neuroendocrine differentiation on histology.

Conclusion: In patients with poorly differentiated or neuroendocrine aPC, BMETS may occur without neurologic symptoms and stable PSA. PSMA PET/CT may complement brain MRI for identifying BMETS in these patients.