John Kurhanewicz

Research Interests

Development and implementation of MRI and MRS techniques.

Research Summary

The current focus of our research is the development and implementation of high resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Spectroscopy (MRS) techniques that would aid in defining the presence, spatial extent, and aggressiveness (grade) of human prostate cancer and provide an early means of determining therapeutic success. The metabolic data provided by MRSI not only expands the diagnostic assessment of the prostate beyond the anatomic information provided by MRI, but also improves our understanding of the biochemistry of healthy prostate and the changes that occur with cancer. We currently have the largest patient data base on normal and abnormal prostate metabolism (2,500 studies) prior to and after various therapies in the world. The data acquired thus far supports the hypothesis that the anatomic and metabolic data provided by MRI/MRSI will improve the selection and planning of prostate cancer therapy. Furthermore, MRI/MRSI will probably have its greatest impact on the assessment of the efficacy of prostate cancer therapy since the assessment of the prostate after therapy by other techniques is very difficult. On-going Federally funded studies include the use of MRI/MRSI to guide prostate biopsies for improved cancer detection, the assessment of MRI/MRSI for improved cancer staging and individualized therapeutic selection and planning, the use of MRI/MRSI for the non-invasive follow-up of prostate cancer therapy, and the improved ex vivo characterization of prostate tissues aimed at linking changes in morphology and metabolism to primary molecular and genetic events.

Selected Publications

Kurhanewicz, J., Vigneron, D, Hricak, H., Carroll, P., Narayan, P., Nelson, S. "Three-Dimensional H-1 MR Spectroscopic Imaging of the In Situ Human Prostate with High (0.24-0.1 CM(3)) Spatial Resolution.", Radiology, 198:795-805, 1996.

Kurhanewicz, J., Hedvig Hricak, Daniel B. Vigneron, Sarah Nelson, Farhad Parivar, Katsuto Shinohara, and Peter R. Carroll, "Prostate Cancer: Metabolic Response to Cryosurgery as Detected with 3D H-1 MR Spectroscopic Imaging, Radiology, 200: 489-496, 1996.

Yu KK, Scheidler, J, Hricak, H, Vigneron DB, Zaloudek CJ, Males, RG, Nelson SJ, Carroll PR, Kurhanewicz
Prostate cancer: prediction of extracasular extension with endorectal MR imaging and three-dimensional proton MR
spectroscopic imaging. Radiology 1999; 213:481-488.

Scheidler J, Hricak H, Vigneron DB, Yu KK, Sokolov DL, Huang LR, Zaloudek CJ, Nelson SJ, Carroll PR,
Kurhanewicz J. Prostate cancer: localization with three-dimensional proton MR spectroscopic imaging
clinicopathologic study. Radiology 1999; 213:473-480.

Wefer, A.E., Hricak, H., Vigneron, D.B., Coakley, F.V., Lu.Y., Wefer, J., Muller-Lisse, U., Carroll, P.R., Kurhanewicz, J. "Sextant localization of prostate cancer: Comparison of sextant biopsy, magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging with step-section histology" Journal of Urology, 2000; 164(2) 400-4044. Kurhanewicz, J., Vigneron, D. B.,

Males, R. G., Yu, K., Hricak, H.,"The Prostate: Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy: Present and Future. In Radiologic Clinics of North America, "The Prostate Gland: Clinically Relevant approach to Imaging." (Editors, Hricak, H. and Carroll, P.R.), W.B. Saunders Co. pp. 115-138, 2000.