Prostate cancer: Evaluation of vascular characteristics with dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging - Initial experience

PURPOSE: To use contrast material - enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and a distributed-parameter tracer kinetics model for prospectively evaluating the vascular characteristics of prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two patients between 57 and 76 years of age ( mean age, 67 years) with histologically proved adenocarcinoma of the prostate were examined by using three-dimensional dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging at 1.5 T. The local research ethics committee approved this study, and written consent was obtained from all patients. Data from regions of interest drawn in tumor, normal-appearing peripheral zone tissue, and muscle were analyzed to provide estimates of perfusion, blood volume, interstitial volume, and microvascular permeability - surface area product. These estimates were compared by using the nonparametric Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS: Mean blood flow was significantly ( P <.001) higher in 22 prostate tumors than in 20 contralateral peripheral zones ( 66 vs 32 mL/100 mL/min). Similarly, the interstitial distribution volume in tumors was enlarged compared with the interstitial distribution volume in normal peripheral zones ( 42 vs 27 mL/100 mL). Blood volume and microvascular permeability - surface area product values in tumors (1.0 mL/100 mL and 22 mL/100 mL/min, respectively) were similar to estimated values in peripheral zone tissue ( 1.5 mL/100 mL and 21 mL/100 mL/min, respectively). CONCLUSION: These findings show considerable promise for isolating vascular characteristics of prostate cancer.