A direct comparison of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging for prostate cancer detection and prediction of aggressiveness

Introduction

Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) analyse tissue vascularization. We evaluated if CEUS can provide comparable information as DCE-MRI for the detection of prostate cancer (PCa) and prediction of its aggressiveness.

Material and methods

A post-hoc evaluation of 92 patients was performed. In each patient CEUS and DCE-MRI parameters of the most suspicious lesion identified on MRI were analysed. The predictive values for discrimination between benign lesions, low-/intermediate- and high-grade PCa were evaluated. Results of targeted biopsy served as reference standard (benign lesions, n=51; low- and intermediate-grade PCa [Gleason grade group 1 and 2], n=22; high-grade PCa [≥ Gleason grade group 3], n=19).

Results

In peripheral zone lesions of all tested CEUS parameters only time to peak (TTP_CEUS) showed significant differences between benign lesions and PCa (AUC 0.65). Of all tested DCE-MRI parameters, rate constant (K_ep) was the best discriminator of high-grade PCa in the whole prostate (AUC 0.83) and in peripheral zone lesions (AUC 0.89).

Conclusion

DCE-MRI showed a superior performance for detection of PCa and prediction of its aggressiveness. CEUS and DCE-MRI performed better in peripheral zone lesions than in transition zone lesions.

Key Points

? DCE-MRI gathers information about vascularization and capillary permeability characteristics of tissues. ? DCE-MRI can detect PCa and predict its aggressiveness. ? CEUS also gathers information about vascularization of tissues. ? For detection of PCa and prediction of aggressiveness DCE-MRI performed superiorly. ? Both imaging techniques performed better in peripheral zone lesions.

     

Visualization of prostate cancer using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI: comparison with transrectal power Doppler ultrasound

This study was designed to assess the efficacy of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI), in comparison with power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS), for visualizing prostate cancer. 111 men suspected of having prostate cancer underwent imaging before undergoing octant biopsy. Subsequently, 31 cancer-positive patients were enrolled in this study. DCE-MRI was obtained using a three-dimensional fast-field echo sequence, which assured wide coverage of the prostate gland. The transrectal PDUS were scored according to the degree of power Doppler flow signals. The time intensity curve types for the DCE-MRI and the PDUS scores were compared with the histopathologic results for each region. The time intensity curves were correlated significantly with PDUS scores (p<0.001). Using PDUS, the overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of cancer visualization in peripheral zones were 69%, 61% and 66%, respectively. Using DCE-MRI, the corresponding values were 87%, 74% and 82%. In the inner gland, using PDUS, the overall sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 68%, 94% and 83%, respectively. Using DCE-MRI, the corresponding values were similar (68%, 86% and 78%). DCE-MRI was significantly more sensitive than transrectal PDUS in peripheral zones (p<0.05). In conclusion, both transrectal PDUS and DCE-MRI can be used to demonstrate hypervascularity in many prostate cancers. DCE-MRI was significantly more sensitive than PDUS for visualizing of prostate cancers without loss of specificity in the peripheral zone.     

Combined quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging and (1)H MR spectroscopic imaging of human prostate cancer

PURPOSE: To differentiate prostate carcinoma from healthy peripheral zone and central gland using quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and two-dimensional (1)H MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) combined into one clinical protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-three prostate cancer patients were studied with a combined DCE-MRI and MRSI protocol. Cancer regions were localized by histopathology of whole mount sections after radical prostatectomy. Pharmacokinetic modeling parameters, K(trans) and k(ep), as well as the relative levels of the prostate metabolites citrate, choline, and creatine, were determined in cancer, healthy peripheral zone (PZ), and in central gland (CG). RESULTS: K(trans) and k(ep) were higher (P < 0.05) in cancer and in CG than in normal PZ. The (choline + creatine)/citrate ratio was elevated in cancer compared to the PZ and CG (P < 0.05). While a (choline + creatine)/citrate ratio above 0.68 was found to be a reliable indicator of cancer, elevated K(trans) was only a reliable cancer indicator in the diagnosis of individual patients. K(trans) and (choline + creatine)/citrate ratios in cancer were poorly correlated (Pearson r(2) = 0.07), and thus microvascular and metabolic abnormalities may have complementary value in cancer diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The combination of high-resolution spatio-vascular information from dynamic MRI and metabolic information from MRSI has excellent potential for improved localization and characterization of prostate cancer in a clinical setting. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2004;20:279-287. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

动态增强MR成像在前列腺癌中的应用进展

新生血管生成是前列腺癌发生、发展及转移的重要因素之一,动态增强MRI(DCE-MRI)通过采集对比剂注入前、中、后的组织影像信息,可获得时间-信号强度曲线、半定量及定量灌注参数,反映肿瘤组织的微循环及血流灌注变化,以实现对前列腺癌的定量分析。就DCE-MRI在前列腺癌定性诊断、半定量及定量分析、分期诊断及疗效评估方面的价值及研究进展予以综述。     

Overview of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in prostate cancer diagnosis and management

OBJECTIVE: This article is a primer on the technical aspects of performing a high-quality dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) examination of the prostate gland. CONCLUSION: DCE-MRI is emerging as a useful clinical technique as part of a multi-parametric approach for evaluating the extent of primary and recurrent prostate cancer. Performing a high-quality DCE-MRI examination requires a good understanding of the technical aspects and limitations of image acquisition and postprocessing techniques.     

Localization of prostate cancer using 3T MRI: comparison of T2-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging

OBJECTIVE: To compare dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging and T2-weighted imaging using a 3T MR unit for the localization of prostate cancer. METHODS: Twenty consecutive patients with biopsy-proven prostate cancer underwent both T2-weighted imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. At T2-weighted imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging, the presence or absence of prostate cancer confined within the prostate without extracapsular or adjacent organ invasion was evaluated in the peripheral zones of base, mid-gland, and apex on each side. Final decisions on prostate cancer localization were made by consensus between two radiologists. Degrees of depiction of tumor borders were graded as poor, fair, or excellent. RESULTS: Prostate cancer was pathologically detected in 64 (53%) of 120 peripheral zone areas. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for prostate cancer detection were 55%, 88% and 70% for T2-weighted imaging and 73%, 77%, and 75% for dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging, respectively. Three cancer areas were detected only by T2-weighted imaging, 15 only by dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging, and 34 by both T2-weighted imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. A fair or excellent degree at depicting tumor border was achieved in 67% by T2-weighted imaging and in 90% by dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging at 3T MRI is superior to T2-weighted imaging for the detection and depiction of prostate cancer and thus is likely to be more useful for preoperative staging.     

Dual dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging

A method was devised for obtaining dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted and relaxation rate (ΔR2*) images simultaneously to evaluate regional hemodyn-amics of the brain tumors. On a 1.5-T MR system, dual dynamic contrast-enhanced images were obtained using a gradient echo (dual echo fast field echo) pulse sequence with the keyhole technique to improve temporal and spatial resolution during a rapid bolus injection of gadopentetate dimeglumine. The dynamic T1 contrast images were obtained from the first echo; moreover. ∫ ΔR2*dt values were calculated from the first and the second echo images. The dynamic T1 contrast images provided information about characteristic enhancement pattern (vascularization and disruption of bloodbrain barrier), and the f ΔR2*dt values provided a map of regional blood pool in tumor site, peritumoral edema, and other surrounding regions of the brain. The ability to obtain dynamic contrast-enhanced T1 contrast and ΔR2* imaging at the same time allows optimization of the advantages of each and thereby more information about the microvascular circulation of the brain lesions.     

磁共振DWI及动态增强扫描在前列腺疾病诊断中的价值

目的探讨磁共振扩散加权成像(DWI)和动态增强扫描(DCE-MRI)在前列腺疾病中的诊断价值。方法经穿刺活检或手术病理证实的20例前列腺癌及31例前列腺增生(BPH)患者进行了MR常规扫描、DWI和DCE-MRI扫描,测量病变的表观扩散系数(ADC)值,观察病灶常规MRI、DWI和动态增强MRI特征,绘制信号强度-时间曲线(SI-T曲线),SI-T曲线分成3型:Ⅰ型为信号强度早期增高后仍持续增高;Ⅱ型为信号强度早期增高后出现平台期;Ⅲ型为信号强度早期增高后出现下降期。经方差分析比较不同组织和病灶间差异。结果经DCE-MRI检查,20例前列腺癌患者中17例病灶区呈Ⅲ型曲线,2例呈Ⅱ型曲线,1例呈Ⅰ型曲线;31例前列腺增生患者中26例呈Ⅰ型曲线,4例呈Ⅱ型曲线,1例呈Ⅲ型曲线。前列腺癌组与BPH组的SI-T曲线类型分布的差异有统计学意义(P<0.01)。20例前列腺癌病灶于DWI上为高信号,于ADC图上呈明显低信号,ADC值为(1.18±0.08)×10-3 mm2/s,未被癌组织侵及的外围叶于DWI、ADC图上均呈等信号,ADC值为(2.67±0.09)×10-3 mm2/s;31例前列腺增生患者中央叶和外围叶于DWI、ADC图上均呈等信号,ADC值分别为(1.87±0.07)×10-3 mm2/s、(2.64±0.11)×10-3mm2/s。除前列腺增生的外围叶与未被癌组织侵及的外围叶之间差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)外,前列腺增生、前列腺癌、前列腺增生的外围叶和未被癌组织侵及的外围叶各组之间差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。DCE-MRI和DWI联合应用在前列腺癌诊断的敏感度、特异度和准确度均达80%以上。结论 DCE-MRI、DWI在前列腺癌和前列腺增生中具有特征性影像学表现,2种方法联合应用提高了MRI诊断前列腺癌的诊断和分期准确率。     

Discrimination of prostate cancer from normal peripheral zone and central gland tissue by using dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging

PURPOSE: To evaluate which parameters of dynamic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and T2 relaxation rate would result in optimal discrimination of prostatic carcinoma from normal peripheral zone (PZ) and central gland (CG) tissues and to correlate these parameters with tumor stage, Gleason score, patient age, and tumor markers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 58 patients with prostatic carcinoma, 36 were included for analysis. Patients underwent MR imaging at 1.5 T with an endorectal-pelvic phased-array coil and subsequently underwent prostatectomy. A T2-weighted turbo spin-echo sequence, an intermediate-weighted sequence, and a fast T1-weighted gradient-echo sequence (seven sections in 2.03 seconds) during bolus injection of 0.1 mmol gadopentetate dimeglumine per kilogram of body weight were performed. Contrast agent concentration-time curves were obtained for prostatic carcinoma and normal PZ and CG tissue by using whole-mount sections to guide placement of regions of interest. Onset time, time to peak, peak enhancement, relative peak enhancement, washout, and T2 relaxation rates were calculated. Multivariate receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed with and without relative peak enhancement. RESULTS: Results of multivariate receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that relative peak enhancement demonstrated the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) in the PZ and the CG (AUC = 0.93, 0.82). Results of multivariate analysis without relative peak enhancement showed that relative peak enhancement in the PZ and washout in the CG demonstrated the highest AUC (AUC = 0.9, 0.81). Pearson correlation coefficients between the dynamic parameters or T2 relaxation rates in carcinoma and the tumor stage, Gleason score, patient age, and tumor markers ranged between 0.02 and 0.44. CONCLUSION: The optimal parameter for discrimination of prostatic carcinoma in the PZ and CG was relative peak enhancement. If relative peak enhancement was not used, then peak enhancement was optimal in the PZ, and washout was optimal in the CG. Poor-to-moderate correlation was present between the dynamic parameters or T2 relaxation rate in carcinoma and the tumor stage, Gleason score, patient age, tumor volume, and prostate-specific antigen.     

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and pharmacokinetic models in prostate cancer

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI enables noninvasive analysis of prostate vascularization as well as tumour angiogenesis and capillary permeability characteristics in prostate cancers. Pharmacokinetic models summarizing the complex information provided by signal intensity-time curves for a few quantitative pharmacokinetic parameters are increasingly being used in the routine clinical setting. This review consists of two parts. The first part discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the MR pulse sequences that can be used for performing DCE-MRI and also of the most widely used pharmacokinetic parameters and models and the parameters they describe. The second part outlines the range of current and potential future clinical applications of DCE-MRI and pharmacokinetic parametric maps in patients with prostate cancer, with reference to the current scientific literature on the topic. The potential clinical applications of DCE-MRI for prostate cancer include detection, localization, and staging, differentiation of recurrent cancer and estimation of the patient's prognosis, as well as monitoring of treatment response.     

前列腺癌MR动态增强扫描定量分析及其应用

前列腺癌是老年男性最常见的恶性肿瘤之一,在西方国家位居男性恶性疾病发病率之首[1].近年来前列腺癌在亚洲国家的发病率也呈明显上升趋势,成为威胁老年男性健康的重要疾病之一[2].随着MR成像检查技术的发展,MRI已成为前列腺癌早期诊断和分期最有效的影像手段.     

3.0T动态增强MRI在前列腺癌诊断中的价值

目的：通过动态增强MRI（DCE—MRI）对前列腺癌进行定量分析,评估DCE—MRI在前列腺癌中的诊断价值。方法：选取46名前列腺疾病患者,年龄43～81岁,包括前列腺癌患者35名,前列腺增生患者11名。所有患者均行常规MRI及DCE-MRI检查,在灌注参数图上测量前列腺癌与正常组织的容积转运常数（Ktrans）、速率常数（Kep）、血管外细胞外容积分数（V。）值,比较三者在前列腺癌及正常组织中的差异,并进行ROc曲线分析,计算Ktrans、Kep、Vc诊断前列腺癌的敏感度及特异度并对Ktrans、Kep、Ve三者与Gleason评分进行相关性分析。结果：在前列腺癌与正常组织中,Ktrans、Kep差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．001）,Ve差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。Ktrans、Kep的ROc曲线下面积最大,两者的诊断敏感度及特异度分别为94．6％、92．9％和85．7％、71．4％。Ve在前列腺癌诊断中无明显价值。Ktrans、Kep、Ve与Gleason评分无明显相关性。结论：DCE—MRI定量分析在前列腺癌诊断中具有较高价值,可用于前列腺良恶性病变的鉴别诊断。     

Prostate cancer localization with dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging and proton MR spectroscopic imaging

PURPOSE: To prospectively determine the accuracies of T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, dynamic contrast material-enhanced MR imaging, and quantitative three-dimensional (3D) proton MR spectroscopic imaging of the entire prostate for prostate cancer localization, with whole-mount histopathologic section findings as the reference standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was approved by the institutional review board, and informed consent was obtained from all patients. Thirty-four consecutive men with a mean age of 60 years and a mean prostate-specific antigen level of 8 ng/mL were examined. The median biopsy Gleason score was 6. T2-weighted MR imaging, dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging, and 3D MR spectroscopic imaging were performed, and on the basis of the image data, two readers with different levels of experience recorded the location of the suspicious peripheral zone and central gland tumor nodules on each of 14 standardized regions of interest (ROIs) in the prostate. The degree of diagnostic confidence for each ROI was recorded on a five-point scale. Localization accuracy and ROI-based receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated. RESULTS: For both readers, areas under the ROC curve for T2-weighted MR, dynamic contrast-enhanced MR, and 3D MR spectroscopic imaging were 0.68, 0.91, and 0.80, respectively. Reader accuracy in tumor localization with dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging was significantly better than that with quantitative spectroscopic imaging (P < .01). Reader accuracy in tumor localization with both dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging and spectroscopic imaging was significantly better than that with T2-weighted imaging (P < .01). CONCLUSION: Compared with use of T2-weighted MR imaging, use of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging and 3D MR spectroscopic imaging facilitated significantly improved accuracy in prostate cancer localization.     

Comparison of BOLD contrast and Gd-DTPA dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging in rat prostate tumor.

The microcirculation and oxygenation of a tumor play important roles in its responsiveness to cytotoxic treatment, and noninvasive assessments of its vascular properties may have prognostic value. Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) (1)H MRI based on infusion of Gd-DTPA, and blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) contrast based on altering inhaled gas are both sensitive to vascular characteristics. This study compares the effects observed in eight Dunning prostate R3327-AT1 rat tumors imaged sequentially at 4.7 Tesla by echo-planar imaging (EPI). Both interventions generated a significant response, and each revealed significant differences between the center and periphery of the tumors. On a voxel-by-voxel basis across the whole tumor population, there was a close correlation between the maximum rate of signal response and the magnitude of response to each intervention (R(2) >or= 0.6, P < 0.0001). However, when the data were analyzed separately for each individual tumor, some showed a weak correlation (R(2) < 0.4), particularly for DCE, and the nature (slope) varied between separate tumors. Generally, there was a weak correlation (N = 7, R(2) < 0.5) between responses to the two interventions on a tumor-by-tumor basis, which emphasizes that the techniques are not equivalent. Both techniques revealed intra- and intertumor heterogeneity, but the BOLD response was more rapidly reversible than the DCE response. This suggests that the BOLD technique may be a useful tool for investigating interventions (such as drugs) that cause vascular disruption.     

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR evaluation of prostate cancer before and after endorectal high-intensity focused ultrasound

Purpose

The authors sought to determine the diagnostic performance of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance (DCE-MR) imaging in the evaluation of prostate cancer before and after transrectal high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment.

Materials and methods

We analysed 25 patients with prostate cancer. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value was evaluated 1, 4 and 6 months after treatment. DCE-MR imaging was performed the day prior to and 1, 4 and 6 months after HIFU treatment. Transrectal prostate biopsies were obtained at the time of diagnosis and 6 months after treatment.

Results

Before treatment, intraglandular lesions were considered to be potential sites of neoplasm and subsequently confirmed as sites of prostate adenocarcinoma in all 25 patients based on prostatespecific antigen (PSA) values and histological examinations (rho=1; p<0.001). Using histology as the gold standard, DCE-MR imaging displayed 100% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value and 100% negative predictive value before treatment. After HIFU treatment, DCE-MR imaging showed 100% sensitivity and 96% specificity.

Conclusions

DCE-MR imaging can be used to visualise prostate adenocarcinoma. Several morphological and postgadolinium modifications in the follow-up DCE-MR images after HIFU treatment were also observed.     

Arterial input function calculation in dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI: an in vivo validation study using co-registered contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging

Objectives

Developing a method of separating intravascular contrast agent concentration to measure the arterial input function (AIF) in dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) of tumours, and validating its performance in phantom and in vivo experiments.

Methods

A tissue-mimicking phantom was constructed to model leaky tumour vasculature and DCE-MR images of this phantom were acquired. An in vivo study was performed using tumour-bearing rabbits. Co-registered DCE-MRI and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) images were acquired. An independent component analysis (ICA)-based method was developed to separate the intravascular component from DCE-MRI. Results were validated by comparing the time-intensity curves with the actual phantom and in vivo curves.

Results

Phantom study: the AIF extracted using ICA correlated well with the true intravascular curve. In vivo study: the AIFs extracted from DCE-MRI using ICA were very close to the true AIF. Intravascular component images were very similar to the CEUS images. The contrast onset times and initial wash-in slope of the ICA-derived AIF showed good agreement with the CEUS curves.

Conclusion

ICA has the potential to separate the intravascular component from DCE-MRI. This could eliminate the requirement for contrast medium uptake measurements in a major artery and potentially result in more accurate pharmacokinetic parameters.

Key Points

? Tumour response to therapy can be inferred from pharmacokinetic parameters. ? Arterial input function (AIF) is required for pharmacokinetic modelling of tumours. ? Independent component analysis has the potential to measure AIF inside the tumour. ? AIF measurement is validated using contrast enhanced ultrasound and phantoms.