Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Neoplasia, Radiation therapy / Oncology, Ablation procedures, MR-Diffusion/Perfusion, MR, Genital / Reproductive system male, Abdomen
Authors:
G. Cardone1, A. Losa1, L. Nava1, M. Lazzeri1, P. Mangili1, G. Guazzoni1, G. Balconi2; 1Milano/IT, 2Ornago/IT
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2012/C-1537
Background
Althoght prostate cancer has been considered a heterogeneous,
multifocal disease requiring whole-gland therapy,
recent studies demonstrated that a proportion of cancers are unifocal,
unilateral or of lower malignant potential,
and focal therapy for prostate cancer is emerging as a desirable and feasible approach for low-risk,
localized disease (1).
The essence of focal therapy is precise targeted ablation of a small tumors,
preferably minimally invasively,
while preserving the remainder of the uninvolved organ (1,2,3,4,5).
Cryosurgery is one option for the treatment of localized prostate cancer that provides some advantages over the conventional treatments (low morbidity rate,
shorter hospital stay,
negligible blood loss,
less expensive than competing therapies).
Brachytherapy is another option for the treatment of localized prostate cancer that provides some advantages over the conventional treatments (low morbidity rate,
shorter hospital stay,
preservation of potency),
and focal brachytherapy,
currently being used in breast cancer therapy,
can be utilized in the treatment of select patients with low-to-moderate risk prostate cancer as a possible alternative to whole-gland treatment (6).
The soft-tissue contrast resolution and multiplanar imaging capability of MR provide an effective tool for imaging follow-up of neoplastic lesions treated with focal cryotherapy and focal brachytherapy.