Rapid quantitative T 2 mapping of the prostate using three‐dimensional dual echo steady state MRI at 3T

Purpose To develop and evaluate a rapid three‐dimensional (3D) quantitative T 2 mapping method for prostate cancer imaging using dual echo steady state (DESS) MRI at 3T. Methods In simulations, DESS‐T 2 mapping in the presence of T 1 andB 1 +variations was evaluated. In a phantom and in healthy volunteers (n = 4), 3D DESS‐T 2 mapping was compared with a two‐dimensional turbo spin echo (TSE) approach. In volunteers and a pilot patient study (n = 29), quantitative T 2 in normal prostate anatomical zones and in suspected cancerous lesions was evaluated. Results The simulated bias for DESS‐T 2 was < 2% (5%) for typically observed T 1 ( B 1 + ) variations. In phantoms and in vivo, high correlation of DESS‐T 2 and TSE‐T 2 (r 2  = 0.98 and 0.88, P  < 0.001) was found. DESS‐T 2 in the normal peripheral zone and transition zone was 115 ± 26 ms and 64 ± 7 ms, respectively, in healthy volunteers and 129 ± 39 ms and 83 ± 12 ms, respectively, in patients. In suspected cancerous lesions, DESS‐T 2 was 72 ± 14 ms, which was significantly decreased from the normal peripheral zone ( P  < 0.001) but not from the transition zone. Conclusion Rapid 3D T 2 mapping in the entire prostate can be performed in 1 min using DESS MRI. Magn Reson Med 76:1720–1729, 2016. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine