Prostate cancer can significantly shorten the lifetime of a patient, even if he is diagnosed at an early stage. The development of minimally-invasive focal therapies such as photodynamic therapy to reduce the number of neoplastic cells while sparing delicate structures is extremely advantageous for treating prostate cancer. This study investigates the effect of photodynamic therapy performed in prostate tissue samples in vitro, using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging and histopathological analysis. Prostate tissue samples were treated with oxygenated solutions of Rose Bengal (RB) or protoporphyrin IX disodium salt (PpIX), illuminated with visible light, and then analyzed for changes in morphology by microscopy and by measurement of spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxation times at 1.5 Tesla. In the treated prostate tissue samples, histopathological images revealed chromatin condensation and swelling of the stroma, and in some cases, thrombotic necrosis and swelling of the stroma accompanied by pyknotic nuclei occurred. Several samples had protein fragments in the stroma. Magnetic resonance imaging of the treated prostate tissue samples revealed differences in the spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxation times prior to and post photodynamic action.
Keywords: ex vivo; magnetic resonance imaging; photodynamic therapy; prostate cancer.