Ep. 313 Approaches to Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection in Contemporary Prostate Cancer Surgery with Dr. Kristen Greene

Ep. 313 Approaches to Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection in Contemporary Prostate Cancer Surgery with Dr. Kristen Greene

June 30, 2026 · 36 min

About this episode

Dr. Ruchi Talwar interviews Dr. Kirsten Greene about the role of pelvic lymph node dissection in prostate cancer surgery and the impact of PSMA PET imaging on surgical decisions.

Is pelvic lymph node dissection still necessary in the era of PSMA PET imaging? In this episode of BackTable Urology, Dr. Ruchi Talwar interviews Dr. Kirsten Greene about how advanced imaging is influencing decisions for radical prostatectomy. They examine the strengths and limits of PSMA PET, the risks and benefits of PLND, and why careful, evidence-based decision-making remains essential. --- Get the BackTable apphttps://www.backtable.com/app --- Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction03:12 - Risk Calculators and Consent04:39 - Nomograms vs. Complications09:57 - Endpoints That Matter11:38 - PSMA PET Strengths and Limits13:51 - Negative PET Decision-Making15:08 - Positive PET and Multimodal Care18:02 - Fluorescence Guided Surgery19:10 - Counseling on Complications22:27 - Preventing Lymphocele24:56 - How Lahey Wrap Works26:45 - Future Mapping and Therapy28:47 - Research Gaps and Dogma31:07 - Key Pearls and Wrap Up --- More about this episode Dr. Greene explains her approach using MSK and Briganti nomograms alongside PSMA PET, noting that PET scans may miss small nodal disease and quality varies between centers. She emphasizes PLND as a staging tool rather than a curative procedure…

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Host: Dr. Ruchi Talwar

Guest: Dr. Kirsten Greene

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