Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a nonmalignant pathological enlargement of the prostate, which occurs primarily in the transitional zone. BPH is highly prevalent and is a major cause of lower urinary tract symptoms in aging males, although there is no direct relationship between prostate volume and symptom severity. The progression of BPH can be quantified by measuring the volumes of the whole prostate and its zones, based on image segmentation on magnetic resonance imaging. Prostate volume determination via segmentation is a useful measure for patients undergoing therapy for BPH. However, prostate segmentation is not widely used due to the excessive time required for even experts to manually map the margins of the prostate. Here, we review and compare new methods of prostate volume segmentation using both manual and automated methods, including the ellipsoid formula, manual planimetry, and semiautomated and fully automated segmentation approaches. We highlight the utility of prostate segmentation in the clinical context of assessing BPH. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can result in lower urinary tract symptoms, and is one of the most common diseases affecting aging men. BPH can compromise quality of life and is a major healthcare cost. Despite the high prevalence of BPH, few methods of accurately assessing prostate volume are actually used in clinical practice. While patient assessment of urinary symptoms dictates the need for treatment, it is highly subjective, whereas prostate volume change is a more objective measure of treatment response. The most common clinical model for approximating the prostate gland size is the ellipsoid model from transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) imaging, which has been shown to underestimate prostate volume for prostates larger than 50 mL and to overestimate prostate volume for glands smaller than 30 mL (1). Despite its limitations, the TRUS method of prostate volume assessment is preferred in current clinical practice due to its availability and cost and time efficiency (2). More accurate prostate volume measurement with magnetic resonance (MR) planimetry is time-intensive and, thus, rarely performed.Prostate segmentation is an accurate technique for prostate volume determination that can be used in coregistration with various imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with positron emission tomography and MRI with ultrasonography. Segmentation can be used for both diagnostic and interventional procedures, including guided biopsies and focal ablation. Newly developed methods of automated prostate segmentation allow for efficient prostate volume determination, thereby enhancing decision support systems and computer-aided diagnosis tools.This article reviews the major methods of prostate volume determination currently in use, including the ellipsoid formula, manual planimetry, and semiautomated and fully automated segmentation. A clinical overview of BPH is also provided to highlight the utility of prostate segmentation in the clinical management...

Prostate volume estimates obtained with a fully automated 3D segmentation tool based on normalized gradient fields cross-correlation and graph-search refinement can yield highly accurate prostate volume estimates in a clinically relevant time of 10 seconds. This tool will assist in developing a broad range of applications including routine prostate volume estimations, image registration, biopsy guidance, and decision support systems.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Although utility of diffusion MR imaging in the preoperative diagnosis of common pediatric cerebellar tumors is generally recognized, its added value has not been systematically studied previously. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of diffusion MR imaging on the accuracy of preoperative diagnosis of common pediatric cerebellar tumors among reviewers with different experience levels.

Prostate cancer is currently the most common solid organ cancer type among men in the Western world. Currently, all decision-making algorithms and nomograms rely on demographics, clinicopathological data and symptoms. Such an approach can easily miss significant cancers while detecting many insignificant cancers. In this review, novel functional and molecular imaging techniques used in the diagnosis and staging of localised prostate cancer and their effect on treatment decisions are discussed.