Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American men yet there are no satisfactory imaging methods for localizing prostate cancer within the gland. An imaging method that successfully localized prostate cancers could be useful for diagnosis, directing therapy and monitoring for recurrence. We have developed a multidisciplinary team of urologists, radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, MR engineers and physicists to develop advanced methods of prostate imaging with MRI at 3Tesla. Patients are scanned with an endorectal coil and high resolution T2 weighted MRI, MR spectroscopy and dynamic contrast enhanced MRI are performed. The results are synthesized to a multiparametric image that is then compared with the biopsy or anatomic specimen. This material, in turn is investigated by the laboratory of Dr. Michael Emmert-Buck to identify potential novel cell surface markers. These markers may be used in the future to develop the next generation of prostate cancer targeted imaging. A unique aspect of this research is that spatial integrity of the cancer with respect to the rest of the gland is maintained so that the cell surface marker data is spatially correlated with MRI. Additionally, we participate in MR guided biopsies of the prostate. In the MIP laboratory we are developing the next generation of molecularly targeted imaging agents based on the findings of Dr. Emmert Buck. Human xenograft tumor models are used to test the efficacy of targed probes (e.g. 111In labeled PSMA antibody, Cy5.5 labeled PSMA aptamer among others).
