Prostate MRI Exam - Benefits and Risks

Prostate MRI is a noninvasive imaging technique and does not involve exposure to ionizing radiation.
MRI images of the soft-tissue structures of the body including the prostate and other pelvic structures are clearer and more detailed than with other imaging methods. This detail makes MRI a valuable tool in early diagnosis and evaluation of the extent of tumors, such as prostate cancer.
Prostate MRI has proven valuable in diagnosing a broad range of conditions, including prostate cancer, and benign conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia and infection.
MRI enables the discovery of abnormalities obscured by bone with than other imaging methods.
The contrast material used in MRI exams is less likely to produce an allergic reaction than the iodine-based contrast materials used for conventional CT imaging.

A prostate MRI exam poses almost no risk to the average patient.
There is a very slight risk of an allergic reaction if contrast material is injected. Such reactions usually are mild and easily controlled by medication.
Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis is currently a recognized, but rare, complication of MRI exams believed to be caused by the injection of high doses of gadolinium contrast material in patients with very poor kidney function.