32 channel phased array bodycoil

mpMRI of the prostate was typically performed on the same day as the planning CT at 1 week prior to the beginning of RT. MRI examinations were performed using a 3 Tesla (38%) or 1.5 Tesla MRI (59%) scanner (Verio, Avanto and Symphony: Siemens Healthcare, Forchheim, Germany), and the signals were acquired using a 32-channel-phased-array-bodycoil (Siemens Healthcare, Forchheim, Germany). Morphological imaging included T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE) sequences in axial and sagittal planes, as well as precontrast T1-weighted TSE sequences in coronal planes covering the prostate and the seminal vesicles. DWIs were acquired using single-shot spin-echo-echo planar imaging with different b-values. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) was acquired using 3D T1-weighted spoiled gradient echo sequence and contrast agent was injected using a motorized power injector. The DCE-MRI datasets were transferred to a dedicated radiological workstation (Multimodality Workplace: Siemens Healthcare, Forchheim, Germany) and analyzed by a board-certified radiologist. Three patients (2.5%) underwent an equivalent MRI study in other institutions prior to RT.

T2 weighted MRI (T2w MRI) and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) were performed to assess structural changes and tissue cellularity, respectively, in a subset of patients with confirmed hepatic metastases. All MRI scans were acquired on a Siemens Skyra 3 Tesla MRI scanner (Siemens Healthineers, Malvern, PA, USA) equipped with a 32-channel phased-array body coil. The entire liver was included in the field of view (38 × 38 cm²). The MRI protocol consisted of a conventional axial fast spin echo T2 weighted imaging (FSE T2WI) sequence, followed by an axial spin echo echoplanar imaging (SE-EPI) DWI sequence with multiple b-values (0, 100, 200, 600, 800, 1000, 1200 s/mm²). Total tumor burden (reported in cm³) was calculated from the sequential T2w MRI and compared with the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values from DWI as an assessment of tumor cellularity and apoptosis in order to determine its function as a potential biomarker of early treatment response [17 (link),18 (link)]. DWI and T2w MRI were performed prior to treatment initiation, C1D7 (after single-agent lead-in), and C2D7 (after combination treatment) (Figure 1).