Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of T2-Weighted Imaging Signal Variations in Prostate MRI Following Different Abstinence Periods: A Study in Young Healthy Men

Wenjun Ma,1,* Baoming Ren,1,* Yanjun Gao,2 Weixian Bai2 1Department of Urology, XI’an No.3 hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, 710018, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Medical Imaging, XI’an No.3 hospital, The Affiliat...

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Main Authors: Ma W, Ren B, Gao Y, Bai W
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare
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Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/qualitative-and-quantitative-assessment-of-t2-weighted-imaging-signal--peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JMDH
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author Ma W
Ren B
Gao Y
Bai W
author_facet Ma W
Ren B
Gao Y
Bai W
author_sort Ma W
collection DOAJ
description Wenjun Ma,1,* Baoming Ren,1,* Yanjun Gao,2 Weixian Bai2 1Department of Urology, XI’an No.3 hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, 710018, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Medical Imaging, XI’an No.3 hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, 710018, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Weixian Bai, Department of Medical Imaging, Xi’an No.3 hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, No. 10 East Section, Fengcheng 3rd Road, Weiyang District, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, 710018, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 17749010935, Email bai_weixianbwx@126.comObjective: This study evaluates the impact of an abstinence period on the image quality of high-field prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Methods: Male patients who underwent prostate MRI at Xi’an No.3 hospital between November 2021 and November 2022 were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether they had ejaculated within three days prior to the MRI examination. Two radiologists assessed the boundary sharpness of the peripheral zone (PZ) and central gland (CG) using a double-blind 3-Point Likert scale. Regions of interest (ROIs) were marked bilaterally on the PZ and CG in sagittal T2-weighted images (T2WI). The signal intensity (SI) of the ROIs was measured, and the signal intensity ratio (SIR) was subsequently calculated. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test and independent samples t-test were employed to compare differences between the two groups.Results: A total of 50 young male patients participated in the study, with 20 patients having an abstinence period of more than 3 days and 30 patients having an abstinence period of 3 days or less. Qualitative analysis revealed that the prostate structures were more easily identifiable in the abstinence group compared to the ejaculation group (P ≤ 0.05). Quantitative analysis showed that the SIR of the PZ and CG was lower in the ejaculation group than in the abstinence group (P ≤ 0.05 for both), with a particularly significant difference observed in the peripheral zone.Conclusion: To obtain more accurate results in prostate MRI examinations, it is recommended that patients abstain from sexual activity for at least 3 days prior to the examination.Keywords: image quality, MRI, prostate, T2-weighted imaging
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spelling doaj-art-2f5bb21bad454b04add8aafbcf1e0a9b2025-08-20T03:29:52ZengDove Medical PressJournal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare1178-23902025-06-01Volume 18Issue 134033409103852Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of T2-Weighted Imaging Signal Variations in Prostate MRI Following Different Abstinence Periods: A Study in Young Healthy MenMa W0Ren B1Gao Y2Bai W3Department of UrologyDepartment of UrologyDepartment of Medical ImagingDepartment of Medical ImagingWenjun Ma,1,* Baoming Ren,1,* Yanjun Gao,2 Weixian Bai2 1Department of Urology, XI’an No.3 hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, 710018, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Medical Imaging, XI’an No.3 hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, 710018, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Weixian Bai, Department of Medical Imaging, Xi’an No.3 hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, No. 10 East Section, Fengcheng 3rd Road, Weiyang District, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, 710018, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 17749010935, Email bai_weixianbwx@126.comObjective: This study evaluates the impact of an abstinence period on the image quality of high-field prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Methods: Male patients who underwent prostate MRI at Xi’an No.3 hospital between November 2021 and November 2022 were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups based on whether they had ejaculated within three days prior to the MRI examination. Two radiologists assessed the boundary sharpness of the peripheral zone (PZ) and central gland (CG) using a double-blind 3-Point Likert scale. Regions of interest (ROIs) were marked bilaterally on the PZ and CG in sagittal T2-weighted images (T2WI). The signal intensity (SI) of the ROIs was measured, and the signal intensity ratio (SIR) was subsequently calculated. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test and independent samples t-test were employed to compare differences between the two groups.Results: A total of 50 young male patients participated in the study, with 20 patients having an abstinence period of more than 3 days and 30 patients having an abstinence period of 3 days or less. Qualitative analysis revealed that the prostate structures were more easily identifiable in the abstinence group compared to the ejaculation group (P ≤ 0.05). Quantitative analysis showed that the SIR of the PZ and CG was lower in the ejaculation group than in the abstinence group (P ≤ 0.05 for both), with a particularly significant difference observed in the peripheral zone.Conclusion: To obtain more accurate results in prostate MRI examinations, it is recommended that patients abstain from sexual activity for at least 3 days prior to the examination.Keywords: image quality, MRI, prostate, T2-weighted imaginghttps://www.dovepress.com/qualitative-and-quantitative-assessment-of-t2-weighted-imaging-signal--peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JMDHimage qualityMRIprostateT2-weighted imaging
spellingShingle Ma W
Ren B
Gao Y
Bai W
Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of T2-Weighted Imaging Signal Variations in Prostate MRI Following Different Abstinence Periods: A Study in Young Healthy Men
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare
image quality
MRI
prostate
T2-weighted imaging
title Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of T2-Weighted Imaging Signal Variations in Prostate MRI Following Different Abstinence Periods: A Study in Young Healthy Men
title_full Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of T2-Weighted Imaging Signal Variations in Prostate MRI Following Different Abstinence Periods: A Study in Young Healthy Men
title_fullStr Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of T2-Weighted Imaging Signal Variations in Prostate MRI Following Different Abstinence Periods: A Study in Young Healthy Men
title_full_unstemmed Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of T2-Weighted Imaging Signal Variations in Prostate MRI Following Different Abstinence Periods: A Study in Young Healthy Men
title_short Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of T2-Weighted Imaging Signal Variations in Prostate MRI Following Different Abstinence Periods: A Study in Young Healthy Men
title_sort qualitative and quantitative assessment of t2 weighted imaging signal variations in prostate mri following different abstinence periods a study in young healthy men
topic image quality
MRI
prostate
T2-weighted imaging
url https://www.dovepress.com/qualitative-and-quantitative-assessment-of-t2-weighted-imaging-signal--peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-JMDH
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