Evaluation of Bowel Preparation in Reducing Artifact of Prostate DWI at 3T MR System

Purpose To evaluate the effects of bowel preparation on rectal content and susceptibility artifact of prostate DWI sequence at 3T system. Materials and Methods A total of 30 patients with bowel preparation and 30 patients without bowel preparation undertook prostate DWI examinations using 3T MR scanner from October 2010 to March 2011, and all the images were blindly evaluated by two experienced radiologists. Results The air-predominant rectal content appeared about 56.7%, and fluid-predominant content appeared 43.5% for no bowel preparation group; the air-predominant rectal content appeared 13.3%, and fluid-predominant rectal content appeared 86.7% for bowel preparation group. There was significantly difference between the two groups (χ2=12.381 or 17.778,P=0.00). The susceptibility artifact of the prostate and seminal vesicles appeared 3.85% for those with fluid- predominant rectal content, while 82.75% for those with air- predominant rectal content(χ2=40.286 or 35.582,P=0.000). Conclusion The bowl preparation can greatly reduce the air within the rectum, thus reducing the susceptibility artifact and improving the image quality of prostate DWI scan. The bowel preparation can not be neglected before prostate DWI scanning at 3T system.