Prostate perfusion mapped by technetium-99m macroaggregated albumin after selective arterial injection.

PURPOSE: To determine if perfusion of the prostate can be mapped using technetium-99m ((99m)Tc) macroaggregated albumin (MAA) after selective prostate artery catheterization.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Selective prostate artery injections of MAA were performed and analyzed in 14 patients; 9 patients received unilateral injection, and 5 patients received bilateral injections (37 MBq/1 mCi per injection). Fused single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) images were subsequently acquired using a fiducial marker technique. Perfusion distribution was assessed, and relative intraprostatic versus extraprostatic activity was quantified and compared between groups.

RESULTS

The percentage of the prostate gland containing activity was significantly greater for the bilateral injection group compared with the unilateral injection group (76.6% vs 44.3%, P < .05). The percentage of relative intraprostatic versus extraprostatic activity was significantly lower for the bilateral injection group compared with the unilateral injection group (40.3% vs 75.9%, P < .05). Sites of visualized extraprostatic activity included the seminal vesicles (8 of 14 patients), internal iliac vessels (7 of 14 patients), bladder wall (5 of 14 patients), space of Retzius (3 of 14 patients), rectal wall (3 of 14 patients), and penis (1 of 14 patients).

CONCLUSIONS

Perfusion mapping with (99m)Tc-MAA can be effectively performed with SPECT/CT after selective prostate artery catheterization. The relative percentage of intraprostatic versus extraprostatic activity can be quantified, and the distribution of activity within and outside the prostate gland can be determined.