Prostate MRI: Is Endorectal Coil Necessary?-A Review

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Oncology

Background:

• 3 Tesla (3T) prostate MRI is crucial for cancer detection and staging.
• The necessity of endorectal coil (ERC) use in 3T prostate MRI remains debated.
• Comparing ERC with non-endorectal coil (NERC) techniques, including phased array coils and wearable perineal coils, is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the necessity of endorectal coil use in 3T prostate MRI.
• To compare image quality and diagnostic performance between 3T prostate MRI with and without ERC.
• To evaluate the impact of ERC on lesion detection, localization, and staging.

Main Methods:

• A literature review was conducted using PubMed for studies published until July 31, 2021.
• 14 studies comparing 3T prostate MRI with and without ERC were identified and analyzed.
• Data on image quality scores and diagnostic performance metrics were extracted and compared.

Main Results:

• Endorectal coil use significantly improved quantitative and qualitative image quality, including signal-to-noise ratios and contrast-to-noise ratios.
• Subjective image quality for anatomic detail on T2-weighted and diffusion-weighted images was enhanced with ERC.
• Endorectal coils demonstrated higher sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value for detecting overall and index lesions, especially smaller and less aggressive cancers.

Conclusions:

• Endorectal coils are necessary for optimizing 3T prostate MRI image quality and diagnostic performance.
• ERC use improves the detection, localization, and staging of prostate cancers, particularly smaller and less aggressive ones.
• The benefits of ERC in 3T prostate MRI outweigh potential drawbacks like increased artifact occurrence in specific sequences.