Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of prostate cancer: A review of current methods and applications

Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the Tofts kinetic model with the commonly used estimated parameters K^trans and k_ep.

Figure 2 Model-based arterial input function. Shown is the model-based arterial input function, based on the Parker function.

Figure 3 Example of enhancement kinetics pattern from two regions-of-interest. A: Transverse T2-weighted image. The green regions-of-interest (ROIs) corresponds to a benign PZ region. The red ROI corresponds to region with prostate cancer; B: Contrast curves of the two ROIs shown in A. The curves are characteristic of the types of time-intensity curves obtained with dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. The green ROI shows moderately slow and slight enhancement wash-in pattern. This is characteristic for many benign, enhancing tissues, such as normal prostate tissue. The red ROI shows a rapid rise in signal intensity with subsequent wash-out as is typical in tumors.

Figure 4 Representative 3T data in 63-year-old patient with prostate cancer (presurgical prostate-specific antigen level, 3. 4 ng/mL). A: Transverse T2-weighted image. Pharmacokinetic parameter maps based on the semi-quantitative method and the Toft’s kinetic model. Parametric maps for the semi-quantitative parameters, including; B: Peak-enhancement; C: Enhancement slope; D: Wash-out slope; E: Time-to-peak; and F: Intensity curve or contrast medium concentration at 60 s. Using the Toft’s kinetic model, the pharmacokinetic parameter maps for G K^trans and H v_e are shown.

Figure 5 Representative 3T data in a 54-year-old prostate cancer patient [presurgical prostate-specific antigen level, 4. 7 ng/mL; biopsy Gleason score, 7 (3 + 4)]. Pharmacokinetic parameter maps based on the semi-quantitative method and the Toft’s kinetic model. Parametric maps for the semi-quantitative parameters, including B: Peak-enhancement; C: Enhancement slope; D: Wash-out slope; E: Time-to-peak; and F: Intensity curve or contrast medium concentration at 60 s. Using the Toft’s kinetic model, the pharmacokinetic parameter maps for G K^trans and H v_e are shown.