MR-based techniques for imaging prostate cancer metabolism: current status and future perspectives

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiology
• Metabolic Imaging

Background:

• Prostate cancer (PCa) is a heterogeneous disease with varying aggressiveness.
• Multiparametric MRI is crucial for PCa diagnosis and management.
• Metabolic reprogramming is a key hallmark of PCa, necessitating advanced imaging techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review metabolic characteristics of PCa.
• To discuss current MR-based metabolic imaging techniques for PCa.
• To highlight recent advances and future perspectives in clinical translation.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on MR-based metabolic imaging in PCa.
• Focus on proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging (¹H-MRSI), hyperpolarized (HP) ¹³C MRI.
• Discussion of emerging techniques: CEST MRI, sodium (²³Na) MRI, and deuterium metabolic imaging (DMI).

Main Results:

• Metabolic imaging techniques like PET and HP ¹³C MRI are vital for PCa diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment monitoring.
• ¹H-MRSI, HP ¹³C MRI, CEST MRI, ²³Na MRI, and DMI show significant potential.
• These advanced MRI methods offer new avenues for precision medicine in PCa.

Conclusions:

• Metabolic imaging is essential for advancing precision medicine in prostate cancer.
• Further research and clinical translation of advanced MRI techniques are needed.
• These techniques promise improved early diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment monitoring for PCa patients.