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Another diagnostic tool for prostate
cancer is endorectal MRI of the prostate
gland with spectroscopy. This prostate cancer diagnosis
is more commonly termed MRS
or MRSI.
A relatively new radiologic
advancement, the MRS is used to image the prostate,
the prostatic capsule, and the regional lymph nodes.
MRS can be conducted simultaneously. The main difference
in these two procedures is the use of a state-of-the-art
technological device that analyzes the body’s
chemical composition. By using MRS, physicians are able
to identify the volume of a prostate tumor and its stage,
as well as contrast cancerous tissue to healthy prostate
tissue. Cancerous prostate tissue is found to be high
in a chemical called choline, while low in another,
citrate. Healthy prostate is remains low in choline
and high in citrate. Although choline and citrate are
critical to the body in opposing amounts, both amino
acids are essential components in proper organ functioning.
When the images of both the MRS
and MRI agree there is a 75% to 90% accuracy rate. The
procedure takes approximately fifty minutes and is used
to help determine the probability of localized prostate
cancer. The MRS also can be used to verify whether the
prostate cancer has spread to seminal vesicles and regional
lymph nodes. MRS can be a helpful tool in diagnosing
patients who are only suspected of having prostate cancer.
The MRS serves as a guide to physicians and enables
them to determine the best place to initiate the prostate
biopsy and receive the most core samples from the prostate
gland.
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