ENDORECTAL MRI FOR LOCAL STAGING OF PROST ATE-CANCER - CORRELATION WITH PATHOLOGY SPECIMENS - A REPORT OF 37 CASES

Endorectal surface coil magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used in t he local staging of prostate cancer in 47 patients. We used an 1,5 Tes la General Electric magnet. Fast spin echo sequences were acquired in all cases. All pathological specimen were reviewed by one pathologist. Pathological study showed that 19 patients had a locally confined can cer of the prostate (pT2), and 28 had an extraglandular extension (pT3 ). MRI correctly predicted a pT3 tumor in 15 of 28 cases, and a pT2 tu mor in 18 of 19 patients. MRI was 70% accurate in the differenciation of stage pT2 from stage pT3 cancer. One case was overestimated and 13 cases were underestimated. The latter 13 patients had microscopic extr acapsular invasion only.