Table 2. Comparison of mean image quality scores for 3-T MRI in 41 patients using surface coils only (SC) or in combination with an endorectal coil (ERC) for two readers (A and B).
| Reader A |
Reader B |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC | ERC | SC | ERC | |
| Related to Localization | ||||
| (a) Discrimination between peripheral and transitional zone | 3.3 | 4.0*** | 3.9 | 4.7*** |
| (b) Visibility of the peripheral zone | 3.5 | 4.0** | 3.7 | 4.7*** |
| (c) Visibility of the transitional zone | 3.6 | 4.2*** | 3.2 | 4.4*** |
| (d) Visibility of lesion | 3.0 | 3.5* | 2.7 | 4.1*** |
| (e) Visualization of internal architecture of the central gland | 3.2 | 3.9* | 3.1 | 4.3*** |
| Related to Staging | ||||
| (f) Delineation of prostatic capsule | 4.4 | 4.1** | 4.0 | 4.7*** |
| (g) Visualization of neurovascular bundle | 4.4 | 4.0** | 3.9 | 4.8*** |
| (h) Visualization of rectoprostatic angle | 4.4 | 4.0** | 3.9 | 4.8*** |
| (i) Presence of minimal capsular penetration | 1.9 | 1.9ns | 2.8 | 4.4*** |
| Artifacts | ||||
| (j) Motion artifacts | 4.0 | 3.9ns | 4.6 | 4.8ns |
| (k) Other artifacts (aliasing, susceptibility) | 4.8 | 4.7ns | 4.6 | 4.8ns |
nsNot significant (p ≥ 0.05).
*Significant (p < 0.05).
**Significant (p < 0.01).
***Significant (p < 0.001).