MR imaging of the male pelvis

Prostate and urinary bladder cancer are the most frequently encountered mal ignancies of the urinary tract. Appropriate use of the different imaging te chniques is crucial for accurate assessment of prognosis and for the develo pment of appropriate treatment planning. Especially determination of local tumor extension and detection of nodal or bone metastases is extremely impo rtant. In this regard MR imaging is the most promising imaging technique. T herefore, in this review its role in staging these malignancies is evaluate d and compared with clinical staging, and other imaging techniques. Finally , future developments, such as new sequences, new contrast agents, the role of surface coils and MR-guided biopsy, are considered. Also, the preferred radiological approach is discussed.