Prostate eCoil™: Distinguishing between Intracapsular and Extracapsular Disease

Determining whether prostate cancer has spread beyond the capsule of the gland is key for staging and treatment planning. The difference in treatment options is dramatic. If the cancer is intracapsular, radiation therapy, surgery or watchful waiting become options. If the cancer has spread outside the gland, extracapsular extension, staging is T3 or T4 by definition and physicians might consider a more aggressive combination therapy.

However, finding an appropriate diagnostic test for distinguishing between intracapsular and extracapsular prostate cancer has been a challenge. DRE, PSA, Ultrasound, CT, and Bone Scans only go so far, and because the treatment solution is a question of diagnosis, clinicians and patients need a method to get closer to the solution than existing technologies.

Prostate MRI at 3.0T using MEDRAD’s 3.0T Prostate eCoil may provide the answer.

The eCoil gets closer to the prostate to improve the accuracy of images by increasing signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The eCoil provides precise and accurate images of the prostate and the surrounding anatomy. The eCoil provides the ability to use small fields of view and high spatial resolution. This advantage may provide the physician with the ability to obtain greater sensitivity and specificity information when distinguishing between intracapsular and extracapsular disease.

Researchers, such as Dr. Neil Rofsky, Beth Israel Deaconness, Harvard Medical School, who already use the MEDRAD eCoil, are expressing their views. "Anatomic information from the combined MEDRAD 30T eCoil™ and MEDRAD Spectris Solaris® injected contrast enhancement images has enabled better distinction between intracapsular and extracapsular disease," said Dr. Rofsky.

The prostate images speak for themselves.

Optimizing the treatment options for the patient is the positive result of making this distinction. The MEDRAD 3.0T eCoil can aid in doing so.