Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging in detecting and staging prostatic cancer.

Thirteen patients were examined for grade, stage, and extent of their prostatic cancer, utilizing nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical workup for metastases. Of these 13 patients, 12 had known prostatic cancer proved by needle biopsy or by pathologic examination of transurethral prostatectomy tissue. Five of these patients underwent radical surgery allowing further correlation of clinical findings and MRI data with the surgical pathologic findings. MRI of the prostate was found to be a sensitive modality in detecting prostatic carcinoma and showing extension of disease in some cases. Also, in some cases it was not always possible to differentiate between prostatic carcinoma and benign prostatic hyperplasia with MRI.