A Comparison of the Diagnostic Accuracy of Luminal Index Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Multi-parametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging for the Accelerated Detection of Significant Prostate Cancer
Multi-parametric (mp) MRI has now internationally been incorporated as standard of care in the work-up of participants with suspected prostate cancer. The standard mpMRI protocol requires 30-45 minutes to be performed and has a sensitivity and specificity of approximately 90% and 50% for the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer. Compared to the non-targeted systematic transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) biopsy approach in men with clinically suspected prostate cancer (e.g.: elevated PSA), performing mpMRI as a triage test allows to detect clinically significant cancer in more men (38% vs 26%) and clinically insignificant cancer in less men (9% vs 22%), while avoiding biopsy in roughly one third of men. However, there is need for improvement in the prostate diagnostic pathway even after incorporation of mp-MRI, specifically mpMRI can miss significant cancer in around 10% of cases and only 50% of positive scans turn out to harbor significant cancer at biopsy. Moreover, the key functional imaging sequence of mp-MRI (i.e.: DWI) often suffers from image artifacts causing difficulty in scan interpretation. To address these issues the investigators aim to investigate Luminal Index MRI (LI-MRI), a novel method of MR imaging that requires only up to 10 minutes to be performed and doesn't require the use of contrast media. LI-MRI has shown promising results for the characterization of prostate cancer. In this study the diagnostic performance of LI-MRI and mpMRI for the detection of prostate cancer will be directly compared.
• Men with clinically suspected prostate cancer and referred for prostate MRI
• Willing and able to provide a written informed consent