Metabolic Signature of Prostate Cancer as Detected with Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging and 18F- Fluorodeoxyglucose-Positron Emission Tomography

Amita Shukla-Dave¹, Cecilia Wassberg², Darko Pucar³, Heiko Schoder¹, Debra Goldman¹, Victor E. Reuter¹, James Eastham¹, Peter T. Scardino¹, Steve M. Larson¹, Hedvig Hricak¹

Although metabolic imaging is frequently performed in cancer patients, the underlying genomic and biochemical mechanisms and the consequent imaging findings remain poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate citrate metabolism and glucose consumption in prostate cancer (PCa) using 1H-MRSI and 18F-FDG PET. Whole mount step section pathology was used as the standard of reference. Clinical, 1H-MRSI, 18F-FDG PET data were examined in 22 patients. 1H-MRSI was better able to detect index tumors in 21 patients while 18F-FDG PET detected tumor in 3 patients. Thus, we suggest that altered citrate metabolism precedes increased glucose consumption in PCa.