Comparison of T2(*) mapping with diffusion-weighted imaging in the characterization of low-grade vs...

To evaluate the diagnostic value of T2(*) mapping compared with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping in the characterization of low-grade (Gleason score, ≤6) vs intermediate-grade and high-grade (Gleason score ≥7) prostate cancer (PCa).

62 patients who underwent MRI before prostatectomy were evaluated. Two readers independently scored the probabilities of tumours in 12 regions of the prostate on T2(*) and ADC images. The data were divided into two groups, i.e. low- vs intermediate- and high-grade PCa, and correlated with the histopathological results. The diagnostic performance parameters, areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curves and interreader agreements were calculated.

For Reader 2, ADC mapping exhibited a greater accuracy for intermediate-grade PCas than for high-grade PCas (0.77 vs 0.83, p < 0.05). For both readers, T2(*) mapping exhibited a greater accuracy for intermediate-grade PCas than for high-grade PCas (Reader 1, 0.86 vs 0.81; Reader 2, 0.83 vs 0.78; p < 0.05). The areas under the curve of T2(*) mappings were greater than those of the ADC mappings for the intermediate- and high-grade PCas (Reader 1, 0.83 vs 0.78; Reader 2, 0.80 vs 0.75; p < 0.05) but not for the low-grade PCas (Reader 1, 0.86 vs 0.84; Reader 2, 0.83 vs 0.82; p > 0.05). The weighted κ value of T2(*) mapping was 0.59.

T2(*) mapping improves the accuracy of the characterization of intermediate- and high-grade PCas but not low-grade PCas compared with ADC mapping.

T2(*) mapping exhibited greater diagnostic accuracy than ADC mapping in the characterization of intermediate- and high-grade PCas. T2(*) mapping exhibited limited value in the characterization of low-grade PCa.