Imaging metastatic bone disease from carcinoma of the prostate

Imaging bone metastases from prostate cancer presents several challenges. The lesions are usually sclerotic and appear late on the conventional X-ray. Bone scintigraphy is the mainstay of lesion detection, but is often not suitable for assessment of treatment response, particularly because of a 'flare' phenomenon after therapy. Magnetic resonance imaging is increasingly used in assessment, and newer techniques allow quantitation. In addition to (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)FDG), newer PET isotopes are also showing promise in lesion detection and response assessment. This article reviews the available imaging modalities for evaluating prostatic bony metastases, and links them to the underlying pathological changes within bone lesions.