Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) plays an important role in the diagnosis and stratification of prostate cancer. Traditional DWI apply the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) to reflect the diffusion of tissue water, which is a parameter calculated by a monoexponential model with 2b values. In recent years, the development of multiple b-value DWI facilitates the appearance of many new mathematical models. Different models have different features, but their value of applications in prostate cancer still need to be confirmed. This study was aiming to: (1) compare the parameters derived from monoexponential model, intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) model and stretched exponential model between prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia; (2) compare the difference of these parameters between low-grade (Gleason score ≤ 3+4) and high-grade (Gleason score ≥ 4+3) cancer; (3) find whether these parameters derived from new models are superior to ADC derived from traditional monoexponetial model.
This study compared the performance of different models of multiple b-value DWI in diagnosing prostate cancer.