Advancements in Prostate Luminal Water Imaging: Radial Turbo Spin-Echo Acquisition and Spatial Regularization

Motivation: Non-invasive and efficient diagnostic methods for prostate cancer are urgently needed to enhance patient experience and improve diagnostic accuracy. Goal(s): To develop and validate a novel radial turbo spin-echo (rTSE) sequence for luminal water imaging (LWI) that reduces MRI scan times while maintaining image quality. Approach: Employed a radial k-space trajectory for the rTSE sequence, optimized on volunteers, followed by paired comparison with the MESE sequence. Implemented spatial regularization to stabilize the T2 decay curve fitting. Results: The rTSE sequence halved scan times without compromising image quality or diagnostic precision. Spatial regularization significantly improved the homogeneity and smoothness of LWF, demonstrating better outcomes. Impact: The rTSE sequence enhances prostate MRI by cutting scan times and discomfort without losing diagnostic accuracy. Spatial regularization refines tissue analysis for earlier cancer detection and reduces noise for clearer luminal water fraction maps.