PET Imaging of Prostate Cancer Using Radiolabeled Choline

Although PET using fludeoxyglucose F 18 (FDG) is a promising modality for metabolic imaging of different tumors, the results in prostate cancer have been somewhat inconsistent. Low FDG avidity of most prostate cancer cells and urinary activity are suggested as the main limitations of FDG PET for the evaluation of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer exhibits increased choline metabolism, which is the rationale for using radiolabeled choline for PET. This article describes the basic concepts of radiolabeled choline regarding pharmacokinetics, radiation dosimetry, synthesis, and biodistribution, in addition to advances concerning clinical PET using 11C- and 18F-choline in primary staging and restaging of prostate cancer patients.