# Development of Methods for a Simplified and Reliable Prostate Cancer MRI Exam

> **NIH NIH R01** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2022 · $457,554

## Abstract

Abstract
Non-invasive, multi-parametric characterization of prostate cancer (PC), with magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) methods, is an active area of research with great potential for providing improved diagnosis and
treatment monitoring. The PI-RADSv2 assessment system that was established by an international team
of experts recognizes the value of quantitative images in PC diagnosis, but relies largely on qualitative
evaluation of weighted images. Although this grading approach achieves reasonably good separation be-
tween normal and abnormal prostate tissue, it does not achieve adequate separation between indolent
and aggressive disease, with the risk that more unnecessary and costly surgery is performed with poten-
tially dire consequences on patient quality of life. High-value protocols, without need for an invasive and
costly endo-rectal radio-frequency coil are being investigated. This comes at the cost of extended scan
time and reduced image quality in terms of spatial resolution, signal-to-noise ratio and signal bias, which
negatively impacts sensitivity and specificity of multi-parametric MRI. With the pronounced increase of
multi-parametric MRI exams, there is also the desire to integrate the support by the most recent revolution
in diagnostic imaging, i.e., machine learning. It becomes increasingly clear, that in order to avoid having to
train neural networks for each specific system and protocol, reproducible and thus preferably quantitative
imaging protocols are essential. To overcome these limitations, we propose both pulse sequence develop-
ment, investigation of ADC validity and reproducibility and novel post-processing strategies. The overall
objective is to demonstrate the added value of lesion characterization with quantitative values and at the
same time understand and minimize the influence of protocol choices and scan hardware, hence improve
overall reproducibility. Specific Aim 1 will focus on the development of a low distortion MR imaging
sequence for rapid concurrent quantification of T2 and diffusion signal decay. Specific Aim 2 will examine
ADC variations that result from changes in diffusion time over a range that is typical with present day
clinical MR systems. Specific Aim 3 introduces advanced handling of low noise diffusion data, which will
be indispensable for achieving high accuracy and precision with non-invasive and economic external coils.
Specific Aim 4 introduces a novel ADC computation approach that fully captures the complex diffusion
signal decays in tissues and at the same time is largely protocol and system independent. Moreover, re-
sulting images and quantitative maps processed according this approach, exhibit considerably lower noise,
which can be traded for higher spatial resolution or shorter scan duration. In combination, the consis-
tently quantitative nature of the data and its ubiquitous validity and comparability will greatly facilitate
the establishment of recommendations for disease-related thresholds....

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10412925
- **Project number:** 5R01CA241817-03
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Stephan E Maier
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $457,554
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-06-01 → 2025-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10412925

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10412925, Development of Methods for a Simplified and Reliable Prostate Cancer MRI Exam (5R01CA241817-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10412925. Licensed CC0.

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