Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy with a body coil in the diagnosis of carcinoma prostate

We evaluate the feasibility of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-1 MRS) using a spine coil receiver (body coil) in the diagnosis of carcinoma prostate. Seventeen patients with biopsy-proven prostate carcinoma, five patients of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and five healthy young volunteers underwent H-1 MRS investigation. MRS was performed at 1.5 Tesla using a spine receiver coil for signal reception. In vivo citrate levels are reported as a ratio of citrate peak area to the sum of the areas of choline and creatine peak. MRS spectrum with good sensitivity and signal to noise (S/N) ratio was obtained in all 27 subjects. The citrate to creatine plus choline ratio was 0.31+/-0.25 in patients with cancer, 1.43+/-0.58 in BPH and 2.16+/-0.56 in controls. The difference in ratios between cancer and BPH and cancer and control was statistically significant (p<0.01). Within the cancer group, there was a statistically significant decline in levels with higher-grade malignancy (p<0.05). There were no complications of the procedure. There is a statistically significant decline in the ratio of citrate to choline plus creatine in the regions of cancer prostate when compared with BPH or normal control. The study demonstrates that MRS data can be reliably acquired using a spine coil receiver. MRS may also play a role in differentiating well-differentiated tumors from the anaplastic variety.