Synthetic diffusion-weighted imaging in prostate cancer diagnosis: a comparison study with different B-value...

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Oncology

Background:

• Prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis relies on imaging techniques.
• Synthetic diffusion-weighted imaging (sDWI) offers potential for improved image quality.
• Optimizing b-value combinations in sDWI is crucial for accurate PCa detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of various b-value combinations on sDWI quality.
• To determine the optimal sDWI b-value combination for PCa diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 68 patients with abnormal prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
• Reconstruction of sDWI images using five b-value combinations (e.g., sDWI_0-200, sDWI_600-800, sDWI_0-600, sDWI_200-800, sDWI_0-800).
• Comparison with acquired DWI (aDWI₁₅₀₀) images; assessment of image quality and diagnostic efficacy via ROC curves.

Main Results:

• sDWI images exhibited higher contrast ratios than aDWI₁₅₀₀.
• sDWI_0-600, sDWI_200-800, and sDWI_0-800 showed significantly higher subjective quality scores.
• Area under the curve (AUC) was significantly larger for protocols using sDWI_0-600, sDWI_200-800, sDWI_0-800, and aDWI₁₅₀₀.

Conclusions:

• Different b-value combinations significantly affect sDWI image quality and diagnostic accuracy for PCa.
• Optimal sDWI for PCa detection involves b-value combinations including b≤200 s/mm² and b≥600 s/mm².