Biexponential apparent diffusion coefficients values in the prostate: comparison among normal tissue, prostate...

Area of Science:

• Radiology and Imaging Science
• Oncology and Urology
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Prostate cancer detection relies on accurate tissue characterization.
• Conventional monoexponential diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) has limitations.
• Advanced DWI models may offer improved diagnostic capabilities for prostate lesions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate biexponential diffusion parameters (ADCf, f, ADCs) against monoexponential ADC for differentiating prostate cancer from benign tissues.
• To compare the diagnostic accuracy of these parameters in various prostate pathologies.

Main Methods:

• Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with conventional and extended b-factors (0-3000 s/mm²) was performed on healthy volunteers and patients.
• Monoexponential ADC and biexponential parameters (ADCf, f, ADCs) were calculated for prostate cancer, BPH, prostatitis, and normal tissues.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess diagnostic performance.

Main Results:

• Prostate cancer exhibited significantly lower ADC, ADCf, f, and ADCs compared to all other tissues.
• Fast ADC (ADCf) demonstrated accuracy comparable to ADC in differentiating cancer from BPH and prostatitis.
• The fraction of fast ADC (f) and slow ADC (ADCs) showed lower accuracy than ADC for differentiating cancer from benign conditions.

Conclusions:

• Biexponential DWI provides valuable parameters for prostate tissue characterization.
• The fast ADC (ADCf) parameter offers accuracy similar to standard ADC for distinguishing prostate cancer from benign lesions.
• Biexponential DWI models may enhance the non-invasive diagnosis of prostate cancer.