Objective To quantitatively analyze and testify the diagnostic value of combined MRS and DWI for prostate cancer based on sextant localization.Methods Patients who underwent prostate MR examinations in our hospital had MRS and DWI scanning in addition to conventional MRI.The(choline+creatine)/citrate(CC/C)value in each measurable voxel and the minimal ADC value(ADC_(mini))in each sextant were measured.Taking CC/C of no less than 0.911 as the cutoff value for prostate cancer,the ratios of positive voxel(PVR)in sextants were calculated.The selected patients were divided into 2 groups according to the date of examination,for the quantitative analysis and the verification respectively.Group 1 was from Feb,2006 to Dec,2006,and group 2 from Jan,2007 to Jul,2007.The diagnostic efficacy of PVR,ADC_(mini) and their combination was tested by ROC analysis.Results There were 40 patients in group 1 and group 2 respectively for the linear discrimination of the cluster analysis,including 20 patients with prostate cancer and 20 patients without prostate cancer.The linear discrimination equation calculated from group 1 was 'D=3.264×ADC_(mini)-0.205×PVR-4.407'.The areas under curve(Az)of ROC for PVR,ADC_(mini) and D were 0.769,0.910 and 0.909,respectively.In group 2,the Az of ROC for PVR,ADC_(mini) and D were 0.838,0.912 and 0.915,respectively.There were no statistical difference between ADC_(mini)-alone and D in both groups(X~2=0.32 and 1.50,P＞0.05).Conclusions Quantitative prostate DWI had higher diagnostic value than MRS.The combined use of MRS and DWI was not superior to the DWI-alone in the diagnostic efficacy of prostate cancer.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of MRS in prostate cancer based on sextant localization. Methods There were 110 patients, 54 patients with pathologically confirmed prostate cancer and 56 patients confirmed non-prostate cancer proved by ultrasound guided systemic biopsy. The (choline + creatine)/citrate (CC/C) value in each voxel and ratio of positive voxel (PVR) in sextant localization were measured. The ROC analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of CC/C in single voxel and PVR in sextant localization. Results There are 1673 and 2426 voxel in prostate cancer and non-prostate cancer respectively. The median of CC/C in cancer sextants was 2. 137; the median of CC/C in noncancer sextants was 0. 600. The difference of these two groups was statistically significant (Z = -41.7, P < 0. 01 ). The diagnostic sensitivity was 81.4% ( 1362/1673 ), the specificity was 83.1% (2018/2426), and the accuracy was 82.4% [ (1362+2018)/4099] for prostatic cancer with the cutoff point 0. 911 of the CC/C value. The median of PVR in cancer sextants and noncancer sextants were 1 and 0 respectively, the difference of PVR was statistically significant (Z = -11.7,P < 0.01 ). The diagnostic sensitivity was 77. 5% (148/191), the specificity was 76. 9% (247/321), and the accuracy was 77. 1% [ ( 148 + 247 )/ 512] for prostatic cancer with the cutoff point 0. 519 of the PVR. Conclusion Detecting the cutoff point of the CC/C value in single voxel and the PVR in sextant localization may be valuable in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of endocrine for prostate cancer with bone metastases with MR diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Methods Forty patients with bone metastases from prostate cancer were examined with DWI. Seventeen patients underwent endocrine therapy were recruited as the test group, the other 23 were regarded as the control group. There was no relapse of the metastases according to clinical diagnosis in the test group. DWI sequences were based on steady-state free precession with b value (800 s/mm~2). After identifying the metastasis according to the T1WI and T2WI, ROIs were marked at the metastases, normal muscle, normal bone and bladder on DWI, and the ADC values of the ROIs were calculated respectively. Non-parameter two independent samples test was applicated to compare the ADC values of the metastases between the two groups.Results ADC values of the bone metastases were (1.10±0.50)×10~(-3)mm~2/s in the test group and (1.12±0.30) ×10~-3mm~2/s in the control group (P>0.05).Conclusion MR DWI shows no help in evaluating the therapeutic effect of endocrine for prostate cancer with bone metastases.

Objective To study the changes of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values and the association with serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) in prostate cancer patients. Methods Diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequences were performed in 47 patients with biopsy proved locally confined prostate cancer,age ranged from 56 to 86 years.t-PSA range,f-PSA range and F/T range in serum of all patients were 1.41-603.16 ng/ml,0.10-12.29 ng/ml and 0.01-0.36,respectively.The patients'clinical staging were 2 cases of stage A,18 cases of stage B and 27 cases of stage C,among which 1 cases were well differentiated (Gleason 2-4), 23 were moderately differentiated (Gleason 5-7) and 23 were poorly differentiated(Gleason 8-10),respectively.Images were obtained with a diffusion factor of 800 s/mm2.According to the pathological results obtained by ultrasound guided systemic biopsy,the locations of the prostate cancerous region were marked as one or more of the sextants.The ADC values of every region and whole gland were measured and analyzed with ROC curve.Correlations between the ADC and t-PSA,f-PSA,F/T ratios were analyzed.Results Acceptable images for ADC measurement were obtained in all cases.The mean ADC values of cancerous and noncancerous regions in 47 prostate patients were(1.29±0.28)×10-3mm2/s and (1.78+0.32)×10-3mm2/s and significant difference was noted in ADC values between cancerous and noncancerous regions(t=13.58,P＜0.01).Negative correlation was found between the ADC values and t-PSA,f-PSA,(γ=-0.353,P＜0.01;γ=-O.401.P＜0.01).There were no significant associations between the ADC values and F/T(γ=-0.123,P＞0.05). Conclusions The ADC values in cancerous regions were negatively correlated with t-PSA,f-PSA. Measurement of ADCs,combined with serum PSA,might be useful to accurate location and preoperative assessment of tumor.

Objective: To investigate epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and thymidylate synthase (TS) expression in primary liver cancer, and analyze its clinicopathological features and prognostic significance. Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed using EnVision method to detect EGFR and TS expression in 41 cases of liver cancer. Correlation coefficient between EGFR and TS was calculated by Spearman method. Fisher's exact probability method or χ² test was used to analyze the clinicopathological features of EGFR and TS. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival rate of patients in conjunction with the log-rank test.COX proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the prognostic factors of patients. ROC curve was used to analyze the predictive accuracy of EGFR and TS for prognosis. Results: The positive rates of EGFR and TS in liver cancer tissues were 34.15% and 39.02%, respectively. There was a positive correlation between EGFR and TS expressions, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). EGFR was associated with tumor size and tissue differentiation (P < 0.05) in HCC patients, whereas TS was associated with tissue differentiation (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in prognostic effect of EGFR on survival rate (P > 0.05). TS prognostic effect on survival rate was statistically significant (P < 0.05). HR of EGFR was 0.210 with 95% CI, 0.052-0.852, P = 0.029; indicating that the risk of death in patients with negative EGFR was 0.210 times higher than that in patients with positive EGFR. HR of TS was 2.496, with 95% CI, 1.325-4.701, P = 0.005, indicating that the risk of death increased by 2.496 times with the same level of EGFR. The area under the EGFR curve was 0.553 and its approximate reference confidence interval was 95% (0.355, 0.751), indicating that EGFR was a risk factor for death and the area under the TS curve was 0.695, and its approximate reference confidence interval was 95% (0.513, 0.878), indicating that TS was a risk factor for death. Conclusion EGFR and TS were equally expressed in primary liver cancer, and EGFR and TS expressions were positively correlated. EGFR and TS had an effect on the degree of tissue differentiation in patients with liver cancer. EGFR and TS were risk factors for prognosis, and TS may assist EGFR.