3D proton MR spectroscopic imaging of prostate cancer using a standard spine coil at 1.5�T in clinical routine: a feasibility study

Abstract

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of 3D proton MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of the prostate using a standard spine instead of a dedicated endorectal coil at 1.5 T. Twenty-eight patients (25 with biopsy proven prostate cancers and three patients with a benign prostate hyperplasia) were examined. MRI and MRSI were conducted with commercial array surface coils at 1.5 T. Ratios of choline (Cho), creatine (Cr) and citrate (Ci) were calculated for tumour, central and peripheral zone retrospectively, based on axial T2 weighed MR images and histology reports. Prostate cancer was characterized by significantly elevated (Cho+Cr)/Ci ratio compared with non-tumourous prostate tissue. The quality of all proton MR spectra was considered to be good or acceptable in 17/28 patients (61%) and poor in 11/28 (39%) examinations. In 20/25 patients with proven malignancy (80%), MRSI was considered to be helpful for the detection of prostate cancer. In 4/25 patients with proven malignancy (16%) who underwent seed implantation, radiotherapy or hormone deprivation before MR examination spectroscopy was of poor and non-diagnostic quality. MRSI of the prostate is feasible within clinical routine using the spine array surface coil at 1.5 T. It can consequently be applied to patients even with contraindications for endorectal coils. However, spectral quality and signal-to-noise ratio is clearly inferior to 3D MRSI examinations with endorectal coils.

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy as a decision tool in multimodality treatment design for localised prostate cancer

“…More recently, the feasibility of two-dimensional and three-dimensional prostate MRS using external coils has been demonstrated [38,39]. Our experience at the Townsville Cancer Centre confirms both 2D and 3D MRS of the prostate, with combination of multiple external coils are feasible with diagnostic signal-to-noise ratios [40].…”

Three-dimensional Proton MR Spectroscopy of Human Prostate at 3 T without Endorectal Coil: Feasibility

“…MR spectroscopy of the prostate without an endorectal coil has previously been performed at a magnetic field strength of 1.5 T with a single spine-array coil element (4). The possibility of coherently adding the signals from multiple coil elements into one spectrum for every voxel of a spectroscopic imaging grid (5) has enabled the use of a combination of multiple coils at 1 H MR spectroscopy of the prostate.…”

MRI-guided prostate biopsy detects clinically significant cancer: analysis of a cohort of 100 patients after previous negative TRUS biopsy

“…The lesion-by-lesion detection rate for PCa with T2-weighted endorectal coil magnetic resonance tomography (eMRT) depending on the size and localization of the tumor reaches up to 88% [5,20] and can be further improved by multi-modality imaging using spectroscopy and diffusion imaging [14,23]. The technique of MRIguided biopsy (MR-GB) has been established and implemented into clinical routine in our institution six years ago [3].…”