Magnetic resonance imaging anatomy of the prostate and periprostatic area: a guide for radiotherapists

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers superb soft tissue contrast on T2-weighted images and allows direct multiplanar image acquisition. It can show the internal prostatic anatomy, prostatic margins, and the extent of prostatic tumors in much more detail than computed tomography (CT) images. The present article reviews some key prostatic and periprostatic radiologic landmarks that can be helpful for the radiotherapist using T2-weighted MRI as an adjunct to CT in treatment planning for prostate cancer.