Premium
MRI scans significantly change target coverage decisions in radical radiotherapy for prostate cancer
Author(s) -
Chang Joe H.,
Lim Joon Daryl,
Nguyen Brandon T.,
Hiew CheeYan,
Esler Stephen,
Angus David,
Chao Michael,
Wada Morikatsu,
Quong George,
Khoo Vincent
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of medical imaging and radiation oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.31
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1754-9485
pISSN - 1754-9477
DOI - 10.1111/1754-9485.12107
Subject(s) - medicine , prostate cancer , radiation therapy , stage (stratigraphy) , radiology , prostate , cancer staging , magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear medicine , cancer , paleontology , biology
Conventional clinical staging for prostate cancer has many limitations. This study evaluates the impact of adding MRI scans to conventional clinical staging for guiding decisions about radiotherapy target coverage. Methods This was a retrospective review of 115 patients who were treated between F ebruary 2002 and S eptember 2005 with radical radiotherapy for prostate cancer. All patients had MRI scans approximately 2 weeks before the initiation of radiotherapy. The T stage was assessed by both conventional clinical methods ( cT‐staging ) as well as by MRI ( mT‐staging ). The radiotherapy target volumes were determined first based on cT‐staging and then taking the additional mT staging into account. The number of times extracapsular extension or seminal vesicle invasion was incorporated into target volumes was quantified based on both cT‐staging and the additional mT‐staging . Results Extracapsular extension was incorporated into target volumes significantly more often with the addition of mT ‐staging (46 patients (40%) ) compared with cT ‐staging alone (37 patients (32%) ) ( P = 0.002). Seminal vesicle invasion was incorporated into target volumes significantly more often with the addition of mT ‐staging (21 patients (18%) ) compared with cT ‐staging alone (three patients (3%) ) ( P < 0.001). A total of 23 patients (20%) had changes to their target coverage based on the mT‐staging . Conclusions MRI scans can significantly change decisions about target coverage in radical radiotherapy for prostate cancer.