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To investigate whether the use of transaxial and coronal MR imaging improves the ability to localize the apex of the prostate and the anterior part of the rectum compared to the use of transaxial CT alone, and whether the incorporation of MR could improve the coverage of the prostate by the radiotherapy field and change the volume of rectum irradiated.

Ten consecutive patients with localized prostate carcinoma underwent a CT and an axial and coronal MR scan in treatment position. The CT and MR images were mathematically aligned, and three observers were asked to contour independently the prostate and the rectum on CT and on MR. The interobserver variability of the prostatic apex location and of the delineation of the anterior rectal wall were assessed for each image modality. A dosimetry study was performed to evaluate the dose to the rectum when MR was used in …