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Visualization of periprostatic nerve fibers before and after radical prostatectomy using diffusion tensor magnetic
Kazuhiro Kitajima1, Satoru Takahashi1, Yoshiko Ueno1
1Department of Radiology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-2 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku Kobe 650-0017, Japan.
Purpose:
The purpose was to evaluate whether the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) technique can visualize changes in the numbers of periprostatic nerve fibers before and after nerve-sparing and non-nerve-sparing prostatectomy.
Method:
Fifty-two prostate cancer patients underwent 3-T magnetic resonance imaging including DTI before and after prostatectomy.
Results:
After non-nerve-sparing prostatectomy, the numbers of tracts were significantly decreased at base (218.8±198.8 vs. 60.5±88.7), midgland (124.1±134.5 vs. 32.5±45.7), and apex (103.1±127.4 vs. 29.1±57.1). However, after nerve-sparing prostatectomy, the numbers of tracts were not changed significantly at base (170.5±139.7 vs. 127.7±146.0), midgland (134.3±140.8 vs. 83.7±58.3), and apex (64.1±68.4 vs. 62.3±61.9).
Conclusion:
DTI technique may be feasible for visualization of periprostatic nerve fibers.
