title: 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.
authors.affiliation: Section of Experimental Radiology, Department of Radiologic Diagnostics, Eberhard-Karls University Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany. matthias.lichy@med.uni-tuebingen.de
authors.forename: Matthias P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Lichy
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pintaske
authors.forename: Raimund
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kottke
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Machann
authors.forename: Aristotelis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anastasiadis
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roell
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hennenlotter
authors.forename: Till
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Diergarten
authors.forename: Fritz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schick
authors.forename: Arnulf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stenzl
authors.forename: Claus D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Claussen
authors.forename: Heinz-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Schlemmer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies