Impact of the use of an endorectal coil for 3 T prostate MRI on image quality and cancer detection rate

Abstract

This work aims to assess the impact of an additional endorectal coil on image quality and cancer detection rate within the same patients. At a single academic medical center, this transversal study included 41 men who underwent T2- and diffusion-weighted imaging at 3 T using surface coils only or in combination with an endorectal coil in the same session. Two blinded readers (A and B) randomly evaluated all image data in separate sessions. Image quality with respect to localization and staging was rated on a five-point scale. Lesions were classified according to their prostate imaging reporting and data system (PIRADS) score version 1. Standard of reference was provided by whole-mount step-section analysis. Mean image quality scores averaged over all localization-related items were significantly higher with additional endorectal coil for both readers (p < 0.001), corresponding staging-related items were only higher for reader B (p < 0.001). With an endorectal coil, the rate of correctly detecting cancer per patient was significantly higher for reader B (p < 0.001) but not for reader A (p = 0.219). The numbers of histologically confirmed tumor lesions were rather similar for both settings. The subjectively rated 3-T image quality was improved with an endorectal coil. In terms of diagnostic performance, the use of an additional endorectal coil was not superior.

Factors Influencing Variability in the Performance of Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Detecting Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Literature Review

“…A total of 11 studies comparing the use of mpMRI with an external pelvic phased-array coil with or without an ERC were included (Supplementary Table 2) [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]. Four studies did not use DWI.…”

The emerging role of imaging in prostate cancer secondary screening: multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and the incipient incorporation of molecular imaging

“…Endorectal coils are no longer used in our prostate imaging protocol, as in 3.0-Tesla systems such coils have not correlated with significant diagnostic benefit compared to the use of only body coils. 33,34 Endorectal coils can, however, improve the detection of certain features of PCa when used with 1.5-Tesla systems, including the determination of T3a (extraprostatic extension) and T3b (seminal vesicle invasion) disease. [34][35][36] Prior to scanning, patients are injected intramuscularly with 1 mg glucagon in order to reduce bowel motility.…”

Quality Comparison of 3 Tesla multiparametric MRI of the prostate using a flexible surface receiver coil versus conventional surface coil plus endorectal coil setup

“…Prostate MRI was initially performed with an endorectal receiver coil (ERC) [3] because its proximity to the gland increased the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the acquired images. The higher SNR could be exploited to increase spatial and/or temporal resolution [4,5], possibly improving clinical performance [6][7][8].…”