Role of Diffusion Tensor MRI at 3T: in Differentiation Between Central Gland Prostatic Cancer and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Abstract

Carcinoma of the prostate is an important health problem.It is considered the fifth most common cancer worldwide and causes 6% of cancer deaths in men. Central gland (CG) carcinoma composes about 30% of all prostate cancers. Although CG carcinoma tends to have low Gleason scores and low pathologic stages, up to 16% of such cancers demonstrate progression if untreated. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) appears to be associated with a state of hyperplasia of the stromal and epithelial compartments, with the enzyme 5AR2 having a key role in driving organ growth. MRI has been considered as an excellent technique for detection of prostatic carcinoma. It is generally used to depict prostate anatomy. On T2-weighted images, prostate cancer appears as an area of low signal intensity within the high signal intensity of a normal peripheral zone. Evaluation of the CG with conventional T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is difficult because of the histologic heterogeneity of the CG. DWI appears to hold promise as a non-invasive imaging modality in the detection of early microstructural and functional changes of different organs.