The added value of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) for the detection, localization, and staging of primary prostate cancer has been extensively reported in original studies and meta-analyses. More recently, DW-MRI and related techniques have been used to noninvasively assess prostate cancer aggressiveness and estimate its biological behavior. The present article aims to summarize the potential applications of DW-MRI for noninvasive optimization of pretherapeutic risk assessment, patient management decisions, and evaluation of treatment response.
Keywords: Diffusion-weighted imaging; Magnetic resonance imaging; Prognostic biomarker; Prostate cancer; Risk-assessment; Treatment response.