MR imaging and sonography of early prostatic cancer: pathologic and imaging features that influence identification and diagnosis.

The purpose of this study was to correlate findings at MR imaging and transrectal sonography with histopathologic findings after surgery in patients with prostatic cancer, to identify the pathologic characteristics of prostatic cancer that improved detection with MR imaging and transrectal sonography, and to identify the imaging characteristics that correlated with detection of true cancers.Data from MR imaging in 320 patients and from transrectal sonography in 343 patients who were enrolled in the Radiological Diagnostic Oncology Group multiinstitutional study of imaging in prostatic cancer were correlated with results of radical prostatectomy. Only cancers 5 mm or greater in at least one dimension were evaluated pathologically. The locations of lesions and the linear dimensions and volumes of individual lesions and the prostate gland were evaluated pathologically and with imaging studies. The appearance of lesion margins on images and the degree of differentiation of lesions seen on pathologic examinati...