Table 1.

Typical MR features of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer	Typical MR features
Peripheral zone PCa	A low T2 signal intensity mass; diffusion restriction (most important), often correlating with Gleason score; early contrast wash-in and wash-out, and elevated choline peaks
Transitional zone PCa	At T2 weighted imaging (most important), an area with homogeneous low signal intensity, ill-defined margins, lenticular shape, absence of a capsule and invasion of the anterior fibromuscular stroma; diffusion restriction with ill-defined margins; asymmetric rapid contrast wash-in and wash-out, and elevated choline peaks
Recurrent PCa post radiation	A mass-like nodule or a crescentic subcapsular focus of low T2 signal intensity; diffusion restriction; early enhancement with rapid wash-out (very important), and elevated choline levels and absence of citrate peaks
Recurrent PCa post prostatectomy	A slightly higher signal intensity mass than that of adjacent musculature at T2 weighted imaging; probably lack of diffusion restriction; rapid contrast wash-in and wash-out of the mass (most important)

PCa, prostate cancer.