Correlation between multi-parameter MRI and Gleason score in prostate cancer using point-to-point irradiation analysis

Motivation: Prostate cancer biopsy is invasive and may be influenced by sampling errors, causing abnormalities visible on MRI to be overlooked. Goal(s): To propose a quantitative parameter for prostate cancer diagnosis. Approach: Patients underwent 3T MRI scans. Prostate cancer diagnosis was confirmed by outlining regions of interest on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps. Ratios for T2WI, DWI, and ADC values were calculated; Gleason score served as the reference standard. Results: Clinically significant prostate cancer can be identified and differentiated by measuring T2WI ratios, DWI ratios, and ADC values specific to prostate cancer. Impact: The proposed quantitative parameter, based on prostate cancer/obturator internus muscle signal intensity, enables noninvasive prostate cancer diagnosis and eliminates the need for biopsy.