ga68-psma where?

A few years ago I had this scan as my PSA was rising. They found 2 spots (lower iliac nodes). They did SBRT, 10 sessions (those nodes and very nearby). It did wonders, knocking my PSA from 7.8 to below 0.21. That was in Jan, 2019. My PSA has been bouncing around between 0.21 and 0.75. It is now 0.47. My next PSA will be late January, so basically 3 years after my SBRT. If it rises some more, depending on the amount, I might opt for a Ga68 PSMA scan or maybe the newer PSMA scan. We now get to my question.

I no longer see the PSMA scan on the Umich site. I vaguely recall reading that it is only given at UCLA and in SF. Is that true (it was in clinical trials when I had it at Umich and now I think the trials are over and the FDA approved it). So, where do I get one of those 2 PSMA scans. I know the newer one is preferred because the tracer has a longer half-life and hence it can be done at more places. Is the newer one better in terms of results?

Bottom line: where can I get the PSMA test in Michigan. Due to a spinal injury, it is hard for me to travel (not to mention Covid concerns and flying).

Mel

Post Edited (compiler) : 11/29/2021 10:33:42 AM (GMT-7)

Yes, Pylarify was the other scan I was wondering about.
Is it better than the Ga68 one?

Mel

Plarify is an 18F (Flourine) radionuclide, like Axumin. I don't know how the two differ. Axumin is eliminated via the liver. 68Ga (Gallium) is eliminated via the kidneys, which can make lesions at the urethra-bladder area harder to detect, since the whole bladder "lights up". Other than that, 68Ga slightly outperformed 18F (Axumin) in head-to-head comparison studies. However, I don't know if those results hold for Plarify as well.

I saw that Duke Univ. near me just set up a Positron Imaging Research Lab offering 68Ga PSMA scans. The last I read, my insurer, BCBS of NC, covers 18F scans for the prostate, but considers 68Ga tracers as "experimental". I assume that will change.

Djin

GA68 PSMA scans are also done at MAYO.