Francesca Tarantino

Dr. Francesca Tarantino


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

4Years (2023-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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15 September 2023 in Journal of Personalized Medicine
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
NLNicola Maria Lucarelli
Nicola Maria Lucarelli
IVIlaria Villanova
Ilaria Villanova
Nicola MaggialettiNicola Maggialetti
Nicola Maggialetti
SGSara Greco
Sara Greco
FTFrancesca Tarantino
Francesca Tarantino
ASArnaldo Scardapane
Arnaldo Scardapane
Prostate cancer is one of the most common tumors among the male population. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), standardized by the PI-RADS version 2.1 scoring system, has a fundamental role in detecting prostate cancer and evaluating its aggressiveness. Diffusion-weighted imaging sequences and apparent diffusion coefficient values, in particular, are considered fundamental for the detection and characterization of lesions. In 2016 the International Society of Urological Pathology introduced a new anatomopathological 5-grade scoring system for prostate cancer. The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation between quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient values (ADC) derived from diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences and the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) and PI-RADS groups. Our retrospective study included 143 patients with 154 suspicious lesions, observed on prostate magnetic resonance imaging and compared with the histological results of the biopsy. We observed that ADC values can aid in discriminating between not clinically significant (ISUP 1) and clinically significant (ISUP 2-5) prostate cancers. In fact, ADC values were lower in ISUP 5 lesions than in negative lesions. We also found a correlation between ADC values and PI-RADS groups; we noted lower ADC values in the PI-RADS 5 and PI-RADS 4 groups than in the PI-RADS 3 group. In conclusion, quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient values can be useful to assess the aggressiveness of prostate cancer.