[Combined usage of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and transrectal ultrasound for transrectal prostate...

To retrospectively analyze the clinical value of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRDWI) in the detection of prostate cancer in suspected patients.

Between January 2009 and December 2010, 141 patients with suspected prostate cancer underwent MRDWI and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided prostate biopsy. They were divided into 4 groups by prostate surface antigen (PSA) < 10 µg/L, 10 µg/L ≤ PSA < 20 µg/L, 20 µg/L ≤ PSA < 50 µg/L and PSA ≥ 50 µg/L. Then the diagnostic accuracy of MRDWI was tested.

The diagnostic rate of patients with PSA < 10 µg/L, 10 µg/L ≤ PSA < 20 µg/L, 20 µg/L ≤ PSA < 50 µg/L and PSA ≥ 50 µg/L were 23.7%, 35.5%, 66.7% and 96.3% respectively. The sensitivity of MRDWI was significantly better than TRUS. In patients with PSA < 10 µg/L, 10 µg/L ≤ PSA < 20 µg/L, 20 µg/L ≤ PSA < 50 µg/L and PSA ≥ 50 µg/L, the patient-based sensitivities were 85.7%, 72.7%, 97.8%, 100.0% respectively; when based by segment of specimen, the sensitivities were 85.5%, 71.9%, 91.5% and 94.4% respectively.

The sensitivity of MDWI is significantly better than TRUS in the diagnosis of prostate cancer. The combined use of MDWI and TRUS has the benefit of guiding the biopsy of cancer foci in patients with suspected prostate cancer.