MRI för icke-invasiv detektion och diagnosticering av prostatacancer

In Sweden, the most common cancer in men is prostate cancer, and a workhorse of the diagnostic workup is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). While MRI is routinely used to image prostate cancers, it provides limited information about the pathology.

Therefore, improvements are warranted to support personalized diagnostics, image-guided biopsy, assessing treatment options, and follow-up.In this project, we develop MRI-based biomarkers intended for prostate cancer diagnosis, and we perform an initial evaluation of the value and interpretation of these biomarkers in a clinical pilot study.

We hypothesize that our approach will facilitate improved prostate cancer detection, localization, and diagnosis.For this project, we have gathered a multi-disciplinary team of physicists and clinicians.

Our first goal is to develop a mathematical model that links prostate tissue microstructure to the signal measured by MRI (years 1-2).

To enable short exam times with unprecedented sensitivity and specificity, we create a specialized MRI methodology for so-called multidimensional correlation measurements (years 1-2). We will also develop software for rapid estimation of biomarkers (year 2-3).

Finally, we perform a clinical pilot study to compare candidate biomarkers to routine MRI, and to link the biomarkers to quantitative histology (years 3-4). If successful, we will apply for further funding for continued biomarker validation in larger patient groups.