Comparison of T2(*) mapping with diffusion-weighted imaging in the characterization of low-grade vs intermediate-grade and high-grade prostate cancer.

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic value of T2* mapping compared with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping in the characterization of low-grade (Gleason score, ≤6) vs intermediate-grade and high-grade (Gleason score ≥7) prostate cancer (PCa).Methods:62 patients who underwent MRI before prostatectomy were evaluated. Two readers independently scored the probabilities of tumours in 12 regions of the prostate on T2* and ADC images. The data were divided into two groups, i.e. low- vs intermediate- and high-grade PCa, and correlated with the histopathological results. The diagnostic performance parameters, areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curves and interreader agreements were calculated.Results:For Reader 2, ADC mapping exhibited a greater accuracy for intermediate-grade PCas than for high-grade PCas (0.77 vs 0.83, p < 0.05). For both readers, T2* mapping exhibited a greater accuracy for intermediate-grade PCas than for high-grade PCas (Reader 1, 0.86 vs 0.81; Reader 2, 0.83 vs 0.78;...