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Added value of MRI tractography of peri-prostatic nerve plexus to conventional T2-WI in detection of extra-capsular extension of prostatic cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the role of DTI (with fibretracking) and T2-weighted imaging (T2-WI) used together for predicting extra-capsular extension in patients with localized prostate cancer.

Method and materials

Thirty-six patients with biopsy-proven diagnosis of prostatic neoplasia performed MRI and underwent radical prostatectomy. Histopathological analysis showed ECE in 15/36 and capsule sparing in 21/36. By means of T2-WI, ECE was evaluated in a qualitative manner, according to PI-RADS v.2 (two groups with low and high risk of ECE); sensitivity and specificity were calculated for both groups. We performed a quantitative analysis on two tractographic parameters, fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and computed the ratio between the lesion quadrant and its contralateral (L/H ratio). We compared L/H ratios of patients with and without ECE; ROC analyses were performed to determinate ECE cut-off values of tractographic parameters. These cut-off values were used in association with T2-WI to reassess patients and to evaluate whether specificity and sensitivity of ECE detection change.

Results

T2-WI showed a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 71% in detection of ECE. Tractography displayed a significant difference in L/H ratio for FA and ADC between patients with and without ECE. The simultaneous use of T2-WI and tractography revealed high sensitivity (100%) on patients with low suspect of ECE (on T2-WI) and high specificity (83%) on patients with high suspect of ECE (on T2-WI).

Conclusion

The morphologic component of T2-weighted imaging and functional aspect of DTI should be interpreted together to more successfully assess the presence of ECE.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ospedale Policlinico GB Rossi, Verona, Italy

    Adam Jerzy Cybulski, Matteo Catania, Sara Brancato, Nicola Cogo, Valerio di Paola, Roberto Pozzi Mucelli & Giancarlo Mansueto

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  1. Adam Jerzy Cybulski
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  2. Matteo Catania
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  3. Sara Brancato
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  4. Nicola Cogo
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  5. Valerio di Paola
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  6. Roberto Pozzi Mucelli
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  7. Giancarlo Mansueto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matteo Catania.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This study has been approved by the appropriate ethics committee and has therefore been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Cybulski, A.J., Catania, M., Brancato, S. et al. Added value of MRI tractography of peri-prostatic nerve plexus to conventional T2-WI in detection of extra-capsular extension of prostatic cancer. Radiol med 124, 946–954 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-019-01047-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-019-01047-3

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