Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Study in the mpMRI of the Prostate—Unnecessary or Underutilised? A Narrative Review

• Published in: Diagnostics (Basel) Vol. 13; no. 22; p. 3488
• Main Authors: Guljaš, Silva, Dupan Krivdić, Zdravka, Drežnjak Madunić, Maja, Šambić Penc, Mirela, Pavlović, Oliver, Krajina, Vinko, Pavoković, Deni, Šmit Takač, Petra, Štefančić, Marin, Salha, Tamer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01-11-2023
• Subjects: Biopsy; bpMRI; Contrast agents; Contrast media; DCE-MRI; Disadvantages; Magnetic resonance imaging; mpMRI; Permeability; Prostate cancer; Croatia
• ISSN: 2075-4418; 2075-4418
• DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13223488

The aim of this review is to summarise recent scientific literature regarding the clinical use of DCE-MRI as a component of multiparametric resonance imaging of the prostate. This review presents the principles of DCE-MRI acquisition and analysis, the current role of DCE-MRI in clinical practice with special regard to its role in presently available categorisation systems, and an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of DCE-MRI described in the current literature. DCE-MRI is an important functional sequence that requires intravenous administration of a gadolinium-based contrast agent and gives information regarding the vascularity and capillary permeability of the lesion. Although numerous studies have confirmed that DCE-MRI has great potential in the diagnosis and monitoring of prostate cancer, its role is still inadequate in the PI-RADS categorisation. Moreover, there have been numerous scientific discussions about abandoning the intravenous application of gadolinium-based contrast as a routine part of MRI examination of the prostate. In this review, we summarised the recent literature on the advantages and disadvantages of DCE-MRI, focusing on an overview of currently available data on bpMRI and mpMRI, as well as on studies providing information on the potential better usability of DCE-MRI in improving the sensitivity and specificity of mpMRI examinations of the prostate.