MRI Surveillance for Prostate Cancer

This project is focused on the use of serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in men monitored with active surveillance (AS) for low to intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

A key challenge in prostate cancer is to distinguish cancers which need treating from those which do not. Prostate biopsy is used to identify low-risk prostate cancers which can safely be monitored with AS. Standard biopsies can under-sample cancers, are uncomfortable and can cause infections.  Multiparametric MRI entails the use of different MR sequences, such as T2-weighted, diffusion-weighted and DCE (i.e. the injection of intravenous contrast, mainly gadolinium) imaging.

This technique allows a detailed non-invasive prostate assessment and might allow men to avoid repeat biopsies in the AS setting. The greatest variability across centres lies in the acquisition of DCE sequences and further assessment of the utility (or not) of DCE imaging in prostate MRI is warranted in the diagnostic setting.  

Area

Radiology

UCL leads

• Professor Francesco Giganti, Faculty of Medical Sciences