title: New imaging techniques in prostate cancer.
abstract: Correct staging of prostate cancer at initial diagnosis, as well as accurate staging and tumor localization with biochemical recurrence, remains generally inaccurate with current imaging techniques. Newer modalities are being investigated to accurately identify patients with prostate cancer at different stages of disease. Identification of locally recurrent disease or distant metastasis at the time of biochemical failure after local therapy will help guide treatment options and avoid potentially toxic salvage therapies in patients who will not benefit. A review of prostate cancer imaging literature over the past 12 months was performed to identify emerging imaging modalities that may be beneficial in the management of prostate cancer. Enhanced transrectal ultrasonography modalities, including ultrasound contrast agents, color and power Doppler, and elastrography, have demonstrated incremental benefit when combined with standard gray-scale ultrasonography to accurately target and diagnose prostate cancer. Endorectal MRI, with contrast enhancement and spectroscopic imaging, shows promise in the initial staging of prostate cancer prior to local therapy. The use of positron-emission tomography scan for prostate cancer remains to be defined, but may help delineate the site of recurrence with biochemical failure after local therapy. Several new imaging modalities show promise for the evaluation of the patient with prostate cancer. Enhanced ultrasonography techniques may prove to be more accurate in diagnosing prostate cancer over standard gray-scale ultrasonography. Accumulating evidence supports the use of endorectal MRI and spectroscopy to help treatment planning with either surgical or radiotherapeutic approaches. Although intriguing, the available data for positron-emission tomography in prostate cancer remains too shallow to advocate routine use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Thomas Jefferson University, 1015 Walnut Street, Suite 1102, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
authors.forename: Edouard J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Trabulsi
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Merriam
authors.forename: Leonard G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Gomella
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography