Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Welcome to the advanced new world of MRI accurate diagnosis treatment and monitoring of prostate cancer / Can you imagine being treated
for a high fever, racking cough and pneumonia without a chest x-ray?
Can you imagine being diagnosed or treated for
prostate cancer without your doctor being able to see it?
That is what we were doing!
Finally, for the first time in medical history
the prostate can be seen in anatomic and functional detail withprostateMRI
/ It has taken 34 years, many scientists and clinicians worldwide to develop prostate MRI for clinical use. Prostate MRI was introduced into the North American healthcare system only few years ago.
The current practice of PSA Screening Trans Rectal Ultrasound (TRUS) schematic biopsy is inaccurate and misses one third of the aggressive prostate cancers that cause serious illness and frequently diagnoses non-aggressivecancers which cause no harm.
TRUS/MRI fusion targeted biopsy usually diagnoses the aggressive cancers at the initial biopsy session avoiding repeat biopsy sessions and biopsy complications.
When aggressive prostate cancers are diagnosed Prostate MRI becomes key in treatment selection and planning.
The MRI Exam
Prostate MRI takes 40-50 minutes.
The MRI unit may surround you to your chin, vibrates and is noisy.
A small injection of Buscopan and Gadolinium are given. Buscopan can cause a dry mouth and difficulty voiding after the exam. A cold sensation may occur with the Gadolinium injection. Patients with poor kidney function can not have Gadolinium.
MRI examines the prostate in
3 different detailed parameters – externalandinternalanatomy, cell density and micro bloodvessels. Imaged are all the pelvic organs – prostate, bowel, bladder, bones, large blood vessels and lymph nodes.
You may not be able to have a prostate MRI if you have moving metal body parts or are claustrophobic. /
Prostate MRI
A Major Advancement
- Evaluates men at risk of prostate cancer
- Locates and characterizes cancer nodules
- Selects/limits the number of men requiring biopsy
- Precision TRUS/MRI fusion targeted biopsy
earlier diagnosis and treatment - Local-regional staging
- Decreases overdiagnosis of
non-aggressive cancers and unnecessary treatment - Active surveillance criteria and monitoring
- More accurate treatment selection and planning (Focal Therapy, Surgery, Radiation)
- Post-treatment evaluation for residual or recurrent cancer
- An imaging biomarker
- Updates Prostate Cancer Classifications, Predictor Tables and Risk Stratifications
prostate cancer diagnosis, treatment and monitoring / Accuracy
Prostate MRI is 90% accurate in diagnosing aggressive prostate cancer when the MRI exam is of high quality, the report clinically useful, experienced radiologist, MRI knowledgeable urologist and a pathologist to provide proof of the presence of cancer from tissue samples.
Learn more
for doctors
- AUA Standard Operating Procedure for MRI of the Prostate,
American Urological Association White paper, online, 2017
- Prostate Cancer Imaging App,iTunes, 2016
Philippe Puech, M.D., Lille, France
for patients
- PCAMRI.com,2017
21 Educational Pamphlets For Patients And Curious Doctors
Samuel Aronson, M.D., Montreal, Canada
This pamphlet is available
free online
PCAMRI.com