Accuracy of pelvic multiparametric MRI in diagnosing local recurrence following radical prostatectomy. Case report and revision of the literature

Abstract

A Caucasian man (73 years old) six years from radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer (PCa) showed biochemical recurrence (BCR); the follow up based on PSA evaluated every 6 months was negative (0.1 ng/ml) for 5 years, but in the last year PSA increased to 0.3 vs 0.5 ng/ml. The patient was asymptomatic and underwent 3.0 Tesla mpMRI equipped with surface 16 channels phased-array coil placed around the pelvic area; multiplanar turbo spin-echo T2-weighted (T2W), axial diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), axial dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) and spectroscopy were performed. Pelvic mpMRI demonstrated the presence of a nodular tissue with a diameter of 10 mm. located on the left of the prostatic fossa near the rectum that was higly sospicious for local PCa recurrence. The patient underwent salvage RT (64 Gy); one year from RT PSA was 0.1 ng/ml suggesting that the patient was free from recurrence. In conclusion, mpMRI could be combined with PSA kinetics in the evaluation of men with BRC also in the presence of PSA values < 1 ng/ml.