Prostate Ca: MRI predictions – DocCheck

If the urethra is longer, men have an increased risk of complications after radiation therapy for prostate cancer. You can find out here how a simple MRI can help.

A study from Corewell Health suggests that men who have longer Pars prostatic urethra They have a higher risk after radiotherapy Prostate cancer Suffering from moderate and often chronic side effects when urinating. Until now, researchers have struggled to identify risk factors that could indicate who might experience these types of side effects beforehand. This can now change with a simple MRI scan and a new measurement method to determine the length of the urethra.

Every centimeter matters

the resultswhich appears in the Journal of Commerce Academic radiology Published research shows that for every centimeter of increase in urethral length in MRI scans of 361 men, the likelihood of patients developing problems such as increased frequency of urination increased by about 60%. Patients with a urethral length of more than 4.6 cm were approximately twice as likely to have these symptoms.

The doctor said: “We assume that this area is more exposed to the doses of radiation that patients are exposed to, which leads to direct inflammation.” Kiran Nandalur, lead study investigator and radiologist at Corewell Health. “While chronic and moderate urinary tract side effects were more problematic in about 28% of participants after three years, the good news is that less than 3% of men experienced severe urinary tract side effects.”

Better risk assessment thanks to MRI

According to Nandalur, there are very few known risk factors for side effects after radiation, and in his study, factors such as the type of radiation or underlying medical conditions were not predictive of symptoms. This highlights how difficult it is to assess risk factors and highlights the need for innovative approaches such as the use of MRI technology in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments for prostate cancer and is generally considered very safe. While radiotherapy is well tolerated by most patients, those men who experience more severe side effects often have their quality of life affected for some time. “Our new MRI scale can help patients determine their risk of developing these symptoms in advance and help them make better, more informed decisions about treatment that improves their quality of life,” Nandalur says. “Doctors may also look for ways to better protect the urethral area from radiation and possibly reduce side effects,” he adds.

This article is based on one press release From Corwell Health. We have the study for you here And link it in the text.

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