[Results of endorectal MRI in local staging of prostatic cancer. Correlation with specimens from prostatectomy. Apropos of 47 cases].

Endorectal surface coil magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used in the local staging of prostate cancer in 47 patients. We used an 1.5 Tesla General Electric magnet. Fast spin echo sequences were acquired in all cases. All pathological specimen were reviewed by one pathologist. Pathological study showed that 19 patients had a locally confined cancer of the prostate (pT2), and 28 had an extraglandular extension (pT3). MRI correctly predicted a pT3 tumor in 15 of 28 cases, and a pT2 tumor in 18 of 19 patients. MRI was 70% accurate in the differenciation of stage pT2 from stage pT3 cancer. One case was overestimated and 13 cases were underestimated. The latter 13 patients had microscopic extracapsular invasion only.