A Quantitative MRI Study of Prostate Cancer Before and After Radiation Therapy

The purpose of the study is to examine the influence of external beam radiation on the prostate and prostate cancer using novel quantitative MRI techniques. Twenty-one men, previously diagnosed with prostate cancer, will be studied using T2 relaxation mapping and contrast agent kinetic methods before and after treatment by radiotherapy. The MRI findings will be correlated with biochemical (prostate specific antigen) progression and biopsy results. At the end of year 2 all steps are in place for the assessment and analysis of the clinical data. Ten patients have thus far been studied and a preliminary analysis of their data has been undertaken. The data is both complete and of a high quality. The findings described in year 1 have been published and there is considerable interest from the MR community in the results generated.
Original contains color plates: All DTIC reproductions will be in black and white.