Correlation between Histopathological Findings and MR Imaging of the Prostate

Ikuko Hori and Yuji Suto

Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago 683, Japan

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the prostate gland was performed in 8 patients with cancer prior to radical prostectomy or pelvic exenteration and 3 healthy volunteers. To investigate the imaging of prostatic cancer by MR, we compared the signal intensity on T2-weighted images with histopathological findings. Firstly, the area ratio of the glandular lumen or vascular lumen to the whole area of a field of a stained prostatic gland section viewed at a 100-fold magnification, and signal intensity on T2-weighted images were measured. Then, correlations were estimated between the glandular lumen ratio and signal intensity on preoperative MR images, and between the vascular lumen ratio and signal intensity. Tissues with large glandular lumens showed high intensity on T2-weighted images. No relation was observed between the signal intensity and vascular lumen ratio. The signal intensity on T2-weighted images seemed to be correlated with the glandular lumen ratio in the prostatic gland.

Key words: glandular lumen; magnetic resonance imaging; prostatic cancer; T2-weighted image

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