title: Association between penile dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI-derived quantitative parameters and self-reported sexual function in patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The high incidence of prostate cancer, coupled with excellent prostate cancer control rates, has resulted in growing interest in nononcological survivorship issues such as sexual function. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly being performed for local staging of prostate cancer, and due to the close anatomical relationship to the prostate, penile enhancement is often depicted in prostate MRI.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the associations between quantitative perfusion-related parameters derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI of the penis and self-reported sexual function in patients with newly diagnosed prostate cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included 50 patients who underwent DCE-MRI for prostate cancer staging before prostatectomy. The following perfusion-related parameters were calculated: volume transfer constant (K(trans)), rate constant (k(ep)), extracellular-extravascular volume fraction (v(e)), contrast enhancement ratio (CER), area under the gadolinium curve after 180 seconds (AUC180), and slope of the time/signal intensity curve of the corpora cavernosa. Associations between perfusion-related parameters and self-reported sexual function were evaluated using the Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient responses to the sexual function domain of the Prostate Quality of Life survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five of the six DCE-MRI parameters (K(trans), v(e), CER, AUC180, and slope) were significantly associated with the overall score from the sexual domain of the survey (P = 0.0020-0.0252). CER, AUC180, and slope were significantly associated with the answers to all six questions (P = 0.0020-0.0483), ve was significantly associated with the answers to five of six questions (P = 0.0036-0.1029), and K(trans) was significantly associated with the answers to three of six questions (P = 0.0252-0.1023). k(ep) was not significantly associated with the overall survey score (P = 0.7665) or the answers to any individual questions (P = 0.4885-0.8073).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Penile DCE-MRI parameters were significantly associated with self-reported sexual function in patients with prostate cancer. These parameters are readily available when performing prostate MRI for staging and may be relevant to the management of patients considering prostate cancer therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Hebert Alberto
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: Olivio F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Donati
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wibmer
authors.forename: Debra A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Mulhall
authors.forename: Evis
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: Hedvig
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hricak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010413:Penis / Q000502:physiology*; D010477:Perfusion; D011468:Prostatectomy; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D057566:Self Report; D019529:Sexuality / Q000502:physiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media
keywords: DCE-MRI; Penis; Prostate Cancer; Sexual Function; Vasculogenic Erectile Dysfunction