Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in staging of the prostatic cancer.

In a prospective study, the role of MRI in the staging of prostatic cancer has been assessed in 32 patients. The results of MRI has been compared with those conventional staging modalities for prostatic cancer including pelvic CT, cystoscopy, bimanual examination and biopsy of the prostate. The final clinical and/or pathologic staging was obtained. The results of CT were compared with those of MRI in a blind fashion. In 22 of Stage A and B neither MRI nor CT were able to define the extension of the disease. In no cases were results of CT superior to the MRI. However, in 10 cases, the seminal vesicles were involved and these cases were interpreted as stage C. In exploration 2 out of 10 cases had metastases shown by MRI. It is concluded that MRI is more sensitive in revealing the detail of the seminal vesicles thereby detecting the bulk of the tumor and the extension of cancer into the soft tissue of the lymphadenopathy of this organ. The role of MRI in the detection of and the utilization of paramagnetic media remains to be studied.