Comparative Analysis of the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient and Diffusion Tensor Imaging in the Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Rowan

Objective: demonstrate the diagnostic capabilities of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for prostate cancer compared with the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Methods: 364 patients with suspected prostate cancer underwent multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging including DTI. Results: T2-weighted prostate anatomy was compared with ADC and DTI maps; central and peripheral regions served as healthy areas. Pathological zones were assessed with ADC on diffusion-weighted imaging, and fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity on DTI. Cancer-suspicious areas showed elevated fractional anisotropy and reduced mean diffusivity versus unchanged tissue. Conclusion: DTI can identify prostate cancer with high accuracy and specificity, and combining standard MRI with DTI improves prognosis during active surveillance while supporting malignancy grading and radiopathological correlation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Multiparametric MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters

Biopsy strategies and clinical need

Abstract

RESEARCH ARTICLE Editorial Process: Submission:02/27/2024 Acceptance:07/12/2024 Comparative Analysis of the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient and Diffusion Tensor Imaging in the Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer Kanat Karakoishin1,2*, Zhamilya Zholdybay1, AkmaralAinakulova1, Yulduzkhan Dauytova1, Vitaly Kamhen3 Abstract Objective: The aim of this work was to demonstrate capabilities of diffusion tensor imaging as a diagnostic tool for prostate cancer in comparison with the apparent diffusion coefficient. Methods: 364 patients with suspected prostate cancer underwent multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging including diffusion tensor imaging. Results: The anatomical structure of the prostate obtained on T2-weighted imaging was compared with the apparent diffusion coefficient and diffusion tensor imaging maps. Therest ofthe gland (central and peripheral regions) were used as healthy areas. The apparent diffusion coefficient at diffusion-weighted imaging, fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity at diffusion tensor imaging were evaluated in pathological zones. Cancer-suspicious areas of the prostate had high fractional anisotropy fractional anisotropy and low mean diffusivity compared to unaltered areas. Fractional anisotropy values were significantly elevated in central gland cancer, compared to normal tissue, and slightly elevated in peripheral zone cancer. Conclusion: Diffusion tensor imaging has the potential to identify prostate cancer with high accuracy and specificity. The combination of standard magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging can significantly improve the prognosis of the disease during active surveillance. The fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity values can be useful in assessing the grade of malignancy and the radiolopathological correlation of the lesion. Keywords: Mean diffusivity-multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-diffusion-weighted imaging Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 25 (7), 2397-2408 Introduction Prostate cancer is among top diseases in the world in terms of high incidence and mortality worldwide. Acute problem of early diagnosis of prostate cancer is connected not only with the late treatment of patients, but also with the insufficient accuracy of traditional diagnostic methods. The complexity of visualization of tumor foci in the prostate gland remains an urgent task, despite the modern development of methods for imaging the prostate gland. Despite the large number of screening programs, transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided prostate biopsy remains an essential diagnostic step that assists in final diagnosis or clarifies the prevalence of the process in the prostate. Systematic TRUS-guided biopsy is effective in diagnosing prostate cancer, but due to lack of targeting for a specific lesion, it often leads to overdiagnosis of clinically insignificant (ciPC) and underdiagnosis of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPC) [1]. Thus, the search for new methods of diagnosing prostate cancer that reduce the need for repeated biopsies remains relevant [2] . Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) shows sufficient sensitivity and specificity in the evaluation of prostate cancer [3, 4] . However, recent study by Stabile et al. [2] suggests that mpMRI is ineffective in detecting cancer with a Gleason score (GS) of ≤7 [5-8] . One of the elements of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) [3,9], which is successfully used in the detection and localization of clinically significant prostate cancer [10]. DWI is based on the multidirectional thermal shifting of water molecules in tissue structures that may be isotropic (homogeneous and uniform in all directions) and anisotropic, in which, depending on the type, components and architectonics oftissues that are a physiological barrier, the movement of water molecules is inhomogeneous in one direction or another [11] . A recent study with 124 consecutive men with suspecte

FAQs

What is the study’s main objective?

To compare diffusion tensor imaging with the apparent diffusion coefficient as diagnostic tools for prostate cancer.

How many patients were included, and what imaging was performed?

364 patients with suspected prostate cancer underwent multiparametric MRI including diffusion tensor imaging.

Which DTI and diffusion measures were used, and how did cancer-suspicious areas differ?

The study evaluated fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity from DTI and ADC from DWI; cancer-suspicious areas had higher fractional anisotropy and lower mean diffusivity than unaltered areas.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Rowan