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Multiparametric MRI - local staging of prostate cancer and beyond


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Figure 1

65-yr-old man with PSA 19.5 ng/ml. Invasion of the periprostatic fat and neurovascular bundle (NVB) infiltration at the left midgland consistent with T3a disease. Biopsy showed Gleason score (GS) 4 + 4 = 8. Radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) confirmed GS 4 + 4 = 8 and showed established T3a disease with a clear surgical margin (at least 1 mm).
65-yr-old man with PSA 19.5 ng/ml. Invasion of the periprostatic fat and neurovascular bundle (NVB) infiltration at the left midgland consistent with T3a disease. Biopsy showed Gleason score (GS) 4 + 4 = 8. Radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) confirmed GS 4 + 4 = 8 and showed established T3a disease with a clear surgical margin (at least 1 mm).

Figure 2

77-yr-old man with PSA 38.2 ng/ml. (A) T2 weighted (T2W) imaging; (B) diffusion weighted (DW) imaging: (C) apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map. T3a at the right mid gland with bulging and asymmetrical thickening of the right neurovascular bundle (arrow). Gleason score (GS) = 9 with extracapsular extension and clear surgical margins was confirmed at radical prostatectomy.
77-yr-old man with PSA 38.2 ng/ml. (A) T2 weighted (T2W) imaging; (B) diffusion weighted (DW) imaging: (C) apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map. T3a at the right mid gland with bulging and asymmetrical thickening of the right neurovascular bundle (arrow). Gleason score (GS) = 9 with extracapsular extension and clear surgical margins was confirmed at radical prostatectomy.

Figure 3

74-yr-old man with PSA 35.2 ng/ml. (A) T2 weighted (T2W) imaging, (B) diffusion weighted (DW) imaging, (C) apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map. T3a at the right mid gland as suggested by a broad capsular contact at 19.4 mm. Biopsy showed Gleason score (GS) 4 + 4 = 8 disease. Patient underwent radiotherapy.
74-yr-old man with PSA 35.2 ng/ml. (A) T2 weighted (T2W) imaging, (B) diffusion weighted (DW) imaging, (C) apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map. T3a at the right mid gland as suggested by a broad capsular contact at 19.4 mm. Biopsy showed Gleason score (GS) 4 + 4 = 8 disease. Patient underwent radiotherapy.

Figure 4

57-yr-old man with PSA 26 ng/ml. (A) Axial T2 weighted imaging (T2WI) shows mid gland right peripheral zones (PZ) lesion (arrow) with capsular contact but no tumour extension beyond it. (B) axial thin-sliced cube reformat suggests capsular breach and right neurovascular bundle involvement (arrow). Prostatectomy showed tumour in the right mid gland, Gleason score 4 + 5 = 9, with established extracapsular extension (ECE) (pT3a).
57-yr-old man with PSA 26 ng/ml. (A) Axial T2 weighted imaging (T2WI) shows mid gland right peripheral zones (PZ) lesion (arrow) with capsular contact but no tumour extension beyond it. (B) axial thin-sliced cube reformat suggests capsular breach and right neurovascular bundle involvement (arrow). Prostatectomy showed tumour in the right mid gland, Gleason score 4 + 5 = 9, with established extracapsular extension (ECE) (pT3a).

Figure 5

65-yr-old-man with PSA = 15.3 ng/ml and Gleason score 4 + 4 = 8 at biopsy. Axial (A) and coronal (C) T2 weighted imaging (T2WI) and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) (B). T3b involving both seminal vesicles via ejaculatory ducts, shown in the coronal plane (arrow).
65-yr-old-man with PSA = 15.3 ng/ml and Gleason score 4 + 4 = 8 at biopsy. Axial (A) and coronal (C) T2 weighted imaging (T2WI) and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) (B). T3b involving both seminal vesicles via ejaculatory ducts, shown in the coronal plane (arrow).

Figure 6

67-yr-old man with raising PSA = 12.7 ng/ml. (A) (coronal) and (B) (axial) T2 weighted (T2W) imaging shows index lesion in the left apex (*) and a low signal focus in the left seminal vesicle (arrow) with corresponding restricted diffusion on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) ((C); arrow) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map ((D); arrow).
67-yr-old man with raising PSA = 12.7 ng/ml. (A) (coronal) and (B) (axial) T2 weighted (T2W) imaging shows index lesion in the left apex (*) and a low signal focus in the left seminal vesicle (arrow) with corresponding restricted diffusion on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) ((C); arrow) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map ((D); arrow).

Figure 7

55-yr-old-man with PSA 32 ng/ml. (A) T2 weighted (T2W) imaging, (B) T1 weighted (T1W) imaging, (C) diffusion weighted (DW) imaging, (D) apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map. Low T2 signal in the right seminal vesicle is mimicking prostate cancer (D), however, there is no restricted diffusion. Biopsy of the right seminal vesicle showed amyloidosis which was confirmed at radical prostatectomy. Index tumour with Gleason score 4 + 3 = 7 was in the left peripheral zone.
55-yr-old-man with PSA 32 ng/ml. (A) T2 weighted (T2W) imaging, (B) T1 weighted (T1W) imaging, (C) diffusion weighted (DW) imaging, (D) apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map. Low T2 signal in the right seminal vesicle is mimicking prostate cancer (D), however, there is no restricted diffusion. Biopsy of the right seminal vesicle showed amyloidosis which was confirmed at radical prostatectomy. Index tumour with Gleason score 4 + 3 = 7 was in the left peripheral zone.

Figure 8

77-yr-old man with PSA = 38.2 ng/ml. Enlarged nodes bilaterally consistent with metastatic involvement on T2 weighted imaging (T2WI) (A), more conspicuous on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) (B).
77-yr-old man with PSA = 38.2 ng/ml. Enlarged nodes bilaterally consistent with metastatic involvement on T2 weighted imaging (T2WI) (A), more conspicuous on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) (B).

Figure 9

61-yr-old man with PSA = 12.7 ng/ml. Bone metastasis (arrow) in the right sacrum shown as low signal on T1 weighted (T1W) imaging (A); more conspicuous as high signal on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) (B).
61-yr-old man with PSA = 12.7 ng/ml. Bone metastasis (arrow) in the right sacrum shown as low signal on T1 weighted (T1W) imaging (A); more conspicuous as high signal on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) (B).

PI-RADS v2.1 recommended MR imaging protocols

Imaging sequenceTechnical parameters
Axial plane and a minimum of one additional
T2 imagingorthogonal plane (either sagittal or coronal) Straight axial plane to the patient or to the long axis of
the prostate
FOV: 12-20 cm to image the entire prostate gland and
seminal vesicles
Section thickens/gap: 3 mm/0 mm
In-plane resolution: ≤0.7 mm (phase) x ≤0.4 mm (frequency)
DW imagingAxial plane (same locations as for T2WI)
Free-breathing spin echo EPI sequence combined with spectral fat saturation is recommended
Section thickness/gap: 3 mm/0 mm
TE: ≤90 ms; TR: >3000 ms
FOV: 16-22 cm
In plane dimension: ≤2.5 mm phase and frequency
ADC map calculation: low b-value should be set at 0 – 100 s/mm2, high b-value should be <1000 s/mm2
“High b-value”: b-value of ≥ 1400 sec/mm2; it can be acquired by scanning or calculated
DCEAxial plane (same locations as for T2WI)
Fat suppression and/or subtraction is recommended
2D or 3D T1 GRE sequence (preferred)
Section thickness/gap: 3 mm/0 mm
Injection rate: 2-3 ml/s
TR/TE: <100 ms/ <5 ms
In-plane dimension: ≤2mm X ≤2mm
Temporal resolution: ≤15 s
Total observation: >2min

Summary of TNM guidelines for the staging of prostate cancer

CategoryDefinition
Tumour
TxPrimary tumour cannot be assessed (e.g. CT study, severe artefacts on MRI)
T1a–T1bTumour incidental histologic finding
T1cTumour identified by needle biopsy but not visible by imaging
T2Organ confined disease
T2aThe tumour involves up to one half of 1 side of the prostate
T2bThe tumour involves more than one half of 1 side of the prostate
T2cThe tumour involves both sides of the prostate
T3Extraprostatic extension
T3aExtraprostatic extension (unilateral or bilateral) or microscopic invasion of the bladder neck
T3bTumour invades seminal vesicle(s)
T4Tumour invades adjacent structures other than seminal vesicles, such as external sphincter, rectum, bladder, levator muscles, and/or pelvic wall
Node
NxRegional lymph nodes were not assessed
N0No positive regional lymph nodes
N1Metastases in regional lymph node(s)
Metastasis
MxM staging not assessed (e.g. MRI with pelvic only coverage)
M0No distant metastasis
M1Distant metastasis
M1aNonregional lymph node(s)
M1bBones
M1cOther site(s) with or without bone disease

PI-RADS v2 criteria for predicting extraprostatic extension

Capsular abutment
Capsular irregularity, spiculation or retraction
Neurovascular bundle asymmetry or thickening
Obliteration of the rectoprostatic angle
Tumour-capsular contact > 10 mm
Bulge or loss of capsule
Measurable extracapsular disease
eISSN:
1581-3207
Language:
English
Publication timeframe:
4 times per year
Journal Subjects:
Medicine, Clinical Medicine, Radiology, Internal Medicine, Haematology, Oncology