Quantitative analysis of prostate adenocarcinoma by magnetic resonance spectroscopy: correlation study with systemic biopsy

Objective: To quantitatively evaluate the metabolic changes of prostate adenocarcinoma using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Methods: Eighteen patients of prostate cancer proved by ultrasound guided systemic biopsy were enrolled in this study. All the puncture locations were marked and the corresponding (Choline + Creatine)/Citrate ratios were calculated on the basis of the MRS metabolic map. Results: 204 samples were obtained and 106 of them were diagnosed as cancer. The average (Cho + Cre)/Cit ratio in the 106 positions was 2.53±1.02. The (Cho + Cre)/Cit ratio of cancer area was statistically higher than that of noncancerous area (F=8.64, P<0.01). But there was overlap of the (Cho + Cre)/Cit ratio between the two groups. If take 0.86 as the threshold, there would be 10.9% overlap between the malignant and nonmalignant areas. Conclusion: The metabolic changes of the prostate adenocarcinoma could be quantitatively evaluated by MRS