MRI and Choline-PET of the Prostate

Combined anatomic and metabolic imaging is already in clinical use for prostate cancer. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been shown to aid in prostate cancer detection, localization and evaluation of local tumor extent and can provide a road-map for surgical and radiation treatment planning. Commercially available proton MR spectroscopy (1H-MRS) software packages provide a metabolic map of the prostate, displaying concentrations of citrate, creatine, choline, and polyamines. Prostate cancer identification with 1H-MRS is based on the detection of an increased [choline+creatine] to citrate ratio and a decrease…