Establishing a New Treatment Strategy for Metastatic Prostate Cancer Using Whole-Body MRI

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K18595
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56030:Urology-related
• Research Institution: Hirosaki University (2020-2023); Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University (2019)
• Principal Investigator: Iwamura Hiromichi 弘前大学, 医学研究科, 客員研究員 (80792332)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 定量化ソフトウェア / 赤色髄 / 全身MRI / 前立腺癌 / 骨転移

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Whole-body MRI can accurately diagnose lesions in metastatic prostate cancer without radiation exposure. However, its widespread adoption has been hindered by the lack of established quantification software. Additionally, existing quantification software has the problem of misdiagnosing hematopoietically active bone marrow as bone metastases. This study not only identified the issues with existing quantification software but also succeeded in developing new software that automatically excludes hematopoietically active bone marrow areas. Furthermore, it was revealed that this new software can predict the prognosis and treatment efficacy of metastatic prostate cancer more accurately compared to existing software.

Free Research Field

泌尿器腫瘍学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

全身MRIは被曝がなく、CTや骨シンチグラフィーと比較して診断精度は高く、コストは同等もしくは低い。本研究で開発したソフトウェアにより、全身MRIが転移性前立腺癌診療の画像診断モダリズムとして一般化することで、患者さんに最適な治療を選択でき、同時に増え続ける社会保障費を抑制する効果もあると考えられる。