Dr. Jessie Lee - Exit Seminar: 'Monitoring Response of Prostate Cancer to Thermal Therapy by Multi-Agent Hyperpolarized C13 Magnetic Resonance Imaging'

Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed invasive cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death in men. Patients with localized low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer are forced to decide between the passive but psychologically burdensome active surveillance and the aggressive treatment options, such as surgery or radiation. Recently, ultrasound thermal therapy has become an alternative for such cases since it is minimally invasive and causes fewer side effects. Exposing targeted tissue to heat can cause immediate cell death or alter tissue metabolism and perfusion, making it more susceptible to adjuvant therapies such as radiation and chemotherapy. This presentation focuses on monitoring the response of prostate cancer to thermal ablation andhyperthermia using hyperpolarized 13C MRI, which allows for non-invasive assessment of both tissue metabolism and perfusion. Understanding the changes in metabolism and perfusion is crucial for determining the timing and dose of adjuvant therapies.