Will the attributes of multiparametric MRI permit the creation of a new approach to therapy?

To explore the concept that MRI can be used to permit a new approach to therapy of localized prostate cancer.

With the development of multiparametric MRI, we can characterize cancer within the prostate, in terms of location, volume and radiological phenotype. The use of volume and location to identify candidates for focal ablative therapy is well established.The radiological phenotype of a tumour includes the vascularity and diffusion characteristics of that tumour. These characteristics may help us to develop novel interventions to target particular characteristics of a tumour.The assessment of novel interventions such as sulforaphanes found in broccoli, and common medications used for other diseases such as aspirin and metformin typically use population based studies, or repeat biopsy studies in large groups of men on active surveillance. MRI, with its accurate detection of change in visible tumour over a 6-month period, could allow rapid noninvasive assessment of a novel intervention.

MRI could be used to allow the rapid and efficient assessment of dietary and other interventions to identify candidates for assessment in larger studies and potentially, to identify subgroups of tumours which would be most suited to a given intervention.