[Characterization of prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia and normal prostates using endorectal 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy].

BACKGROUND We evaluate the usefulness of 1H endorectal resonance spectroscopy to characterize prostate pathology. METHODS With an endorectal surface coil we have studied 20 individuals with normal (1), benign hyperplastic (9) and malignant (10) prostates. RESULTS The major findings of our studies were that the patients with cancer have a significantly lower citrate-to-choline ratio (cit/cho) and creatin-to-choline ratio (cre/cho) than the patients with BPH (p < 0.05). There is well correlation between cit/cho and gland-to-stroma ratio of the BPH tissue as well as histological grade of the cancer tissue. 1H spectroscopy offers the advantages of differential diagnosis between benign and malignant prostates. We, however, failed to demonstrate cancer in 2 cases; the lesion was too small in one case, and out of the region of interest in the other. It is necessary that the foci in the prostate is at least 1.5 X 1.5 X 1.5 cm3 of the volume in order to obtain genuine spectrogram of carcinoma. CONCLUSION Endorectal 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy can characterize metabolic differences between the normal and malignant prostate.