title: Prebiopsy magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Existing screening investigations for the diagnosis of early prostate cancer lack specificity, resulting in a high negative biopsy rate. There is increasing interest in the use of various magnetic resonance methods for improving the yield of transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsies of the prostate in men suspected to have prostate cancer. We review the existing status of such investigations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search was carried out using the Pubmed database to identify articles related to magnetic resonance methods for diagnosing prostate cancer. References from these articles were also extracted and reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent studies have focused on prebiopsy magnetic resonance investigations using conventional magnetic resonance imaging, dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging, magnetization transfer imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the prostate. This marks a shift from the earlier strategy of carrying out postbiopsy magnetic resonance investigations. Prebiopsy magnetic resonance investigations has been useful in identifying patients who are more likely to have a biopsy positive for malignancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prebiopsy magnetic resonance investigations has a potential role in increasing specificity of screening for early prostate cancer. It has a role in the targeting of biopsy sites, avoiding unnecessary biopsies and predicting the outcome of biopsies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radio-diagnosis, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Virendra
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Naranamangalam R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Jagannathan
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thulkar
authors.forename: Rajeev
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*