MR imaging of the prostate: 1.5T versus 3T

Over the past several years, evidence supporting the use of MR imaging in the evaluation of prostate cancer has grown. Almost all this work has been performed at 1.5T. The gradual introduction of 3T scanners into clinical practice provides a potential opportunity to improve the quality and usefulness of prostate imaging. Increased signal to noise allows for imaging at higher resolution, higher temporal resolution, or higher bandwidth. Although this may improve the quality of conventional T2-weighted prostate imaging, which has been the standard sequence for detecting and localizing prostate cancer for years, the real potential for improvement at 3T involves more advanced techniques, such as spectroscopy, diffusion-weighted imaging, dynamic contrast imaging, and susceptibility imaging. This review presents the current data on 3T MR imaging of the prostate as well as the authors' impressions based on their experience at Yale-New Haven Hospital.