Comparison Between Amide Proton Transfer Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using 3-Dimensional Acquisition and Diffusion-Weighted Imaging for Characterization of Prostate Cancer: A Preliminary Study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare diagnostic performance for tumor detection and for assessment of tumor aggressiveness in prostate cancer (PC) between amide proton transfer magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with 3-dimensional acquisition (3DAPT) and diffusion-weighted imaging.MethodsThe subjects were 23 patients with 27 pathologically proven PCs who underwent 3T multiparametric MRI. With reference to the pathology findings, 2 readers in consensus identified the location of PC on multiparametric MRI and measured APT signal intensity (APT SI [%]) and mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the benign region and each PC lesion.ResultsThe mean ADC showed a significant difference between benign regions and PC lesions (0.74 +/- 0.15 vs 1.37 +/- 0.21, P < 0.001), whereas APT SI did not (P = 0.091). Lesion APT SI was significantly higher and lesion ADC was significantly lower in PCs with Gleason group (GG) >= 3 than in PCs with GG <= 2 (3.37 +/- 1.30 vs 1.78 +/- 0.67, P < 0.001, and 0.71 +/- 0.18 vs 0.79 +/- 0.10, P = 0.038, respectively). The APT SI was significantly higher in GG3 than in GG1, in GG3 than in GG2, and in GG4 than in GG2 (P = 0.009, P = 0.001, and P = 0.006, respectively). The area under the curve for separating tumor lesions and benign regions was 0.601 for 3DAPT and 0.983 for ADC (P < 0.001). The area under the curve for separating tumors with GG <= 2 from tumors with GG >= 3 was 0.912 for 3DAPT and 0.734 for ADC (P = 0.172).ConclusionsIn patients with PC, it might be preferable to use ADC to discriminate benign from malignant tissue and use APT SI for assessment of tumor aggressiveness.