Lung uptake detected by 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in prostate cancer patients with SARS-CoV-2: a case series

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathology is associated with neoangiogenesis and interstitial pneumonia. 68Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT is able to image in vivo PSMA (Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen) expression on both prostate cancer (PCa) cells and neovasculature endothelial cells. The aim of the case series was to explore pulmonary PSMA expression not related to cancer in patients with PCa and concomitant COVID-19. In this retrospective, multicenter case series, patients who underwent 68Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT for PCa and concomitant proven COVID-19 infection were analyzed. Patients were stratified according to 68Ga-PSMA-11 intensity of uptake in the lung (SUVmax). Low uptake: < blood pool; mild-to-moderate uptake: > blood pool and < liver; intense uptake: > liver. Potential correlation between pulmonary 68Ga-PSMA-11 uptake not related to PCa and CT patterns typical for COVID-19 was assessed. Nine patients were included, all of them presenting abnormal 68Ga-PSMA-11 uptake, at different grades: 2/9 low, 6/9 mild-to-moderate, 1/9 high. Uptake distribution was generally bilateral, peripheral and posterior, positively matching with ground-glass CT alterations in 7/9 (78%) patients, while mismatch was observed in 2/9 (22%). 1/9 patients presented PCa lung metastases at 68Ga-PSMA-11. 68Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT detected increased PSMA uptake within the lung, not related to PCa, matching with CT typical COVID-19 patterns in almost all patients. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET in COVID-19 patients and the potential role of PSMA overexpression as a biomarker for neoangiogenesis, in both oncological and infective disorders.