Impact of 18-French Rectal Tube Placement on Image Quality of Multiparametric Prostate MRI.

Abstract

This study compared prostate multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) performed using an 18-French rectal tube in place throughout the examination after initial placement by a technologist (<i>n</i> = 97) with mpMRI performed without rectal tube placement (<i>n</i> = 99). Acquisition parameters were otherwise identical. Two radiologists scored subjective image quality and measured rectal diameter. For both readers, rectal tube placement was associated (<i>p</i> < .001) with improved ADC map quality, decreased DWI distortion, decreased rectal gas, and decreased rectal diameter. Findings support routine rectal tube placement for prostate mpMRI.