Insignificant Prostate Cancer Research Articles

Multiparametric MRI and 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT for the Detection of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer.

Background Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) is effective for detecting prostate cancer (PCa); however, there is a high rate of equivocal Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) 3 lesions and false-positive findings. Purpose To investigate whether fluorine 18 (18F) prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) 1007 PET/CT after mpMRI can help detect localized clinically significant PCa (csPCa), particularly for equivocal PI-RADS 3 lesions. Materials and Methods This prospective study included participants with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels referred for prostate mpMRI between September 2020 and February 2022. 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT was performed within 30 days of mpMRI and before biopsy. PI-RADS category and level of suspicion (LOS) were assessed. PI-RADS 3 or higher lesions at mpMRI and/or LOS 3 or higher lesions at 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT underwent targeted biopsies. PI-RADS 2 or lower and LOS 2 or lower lesions were considered nonsuspicious and were monitored during a 1-year follow-up by means of PSA testing. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed, with histologic examination serving as the reference standard. International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade 2 or higher was considered csPCa. Results Seventy-five participants (median age, 67 years [range, 52-77 years]) were assessed, with PI-RADS 1 or 2, PI-RADS 3, and PI-RADS 4 or 5 groups each including 25 participants. A total of 102 lesions were identified, of which 80 were PI-RADS 3 or higher and/or LOS 3 or higher and therefore underwent targeted biopsy. The per-participant sensitivity for the detection of csPCa was 95% and 91% for mpMRI and 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT, respectively, with respective specificities of 45% and 62%. 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT was used to correctly differentiate 17 of 26 PI-RADS 3 lesions (65%), with a negative and positive predictive value of 93% and 27%, respectively, for ruling out or detecting csPCa. One additional significant and one insignificant PCa lesion (PI-RADS 1 or 2) were found at 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT that otherwise would have remained undetected. Two participants had ISUP 2 tumors without PSMA uptake that were missed at PET/CT. Conclusion 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT showed good sensitivity and moderate specificity for the detection of csPCa and ruled this out in 93% of participants with PI-RADS 3 lesions. Clinical trial registration no. NCT04487847 © RSNA, 2024 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Turkbey in this issue.

Contemporary Diagnosis of Very Low-risk Prostate Cancer in a Multihospital Health Care System

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) very low risk (VLR) category for prostate cancer (PCa) represents clinically insignificant disease, and detection of VLR PCa contributes to overdiagnosis. Greater use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and biomarkers before patient selection for prostate biopsy (PBx) reduces unnecessary biopsies and may reduce the diagnosis of clinically insignificant PCa. We tested a hypothesis that the proportion of VLR diagnoses has decreased with greater use of MRI-informed PBx using data from our 11-hospital system. From 2018 to 2023, 351/3197 (11%) men diagnosed with PCa met the NCCN VLR criteria. The proportion of VLR diagnoses did not change from 2018 to 2023 (p = 0.8) despite an increase in the use of MRI-informed PBx (from 49% to 82%; p < 0.001). Of patients who underwent combined systematic and targeted PBx and were diagnosed with VLR disease, cancer was found in systematic PBx regions in 79% of cases and in targeted PBx regions in 31% of cases. When performing both systematic and targeted PBx, prebiopsy MRI-based risk calculators could limit VLR diagnosis by 41% using a risk threshold of >5% for Gleason grade group ≥3 PCa to recommend biopsy; the reduction would be 77% if performing targeted PBx only. These findings suggest that VLR disease continues to account for a significant minority of PCa diagnoses and could be limited by targeted PBx and risk stratification calculators. Patient summaryWe looked at recent trends for the diagnosis of very low-risk (VLR) prostate cancer. We found that VLR cancer still seems to be frequently diagnosed despite the use of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans before biopsy. The use of risk calculators to identify men who could avoid biopsy and/or biopsy only for lesions that are visible on MRI could reduce the overdiagnosis of VLR prostate cancer.

A novel biopsy scheme for prostate cancer: targeted and regional systematic biopsy

PurposeTo explore a novel biopsy scheme for prostate cancer (PCa), and test the detection rate and pathological agreement of standard systematic (SB) + targeted (TB) biopsy and novel biopsy scheme.MethodsPositive needles were collected from 194 patients who underwent SB + TB (STB) followed by radical prostatectomy (RP). Our novel biopsy scheme, targeted and regional systematic biopsy (TrSB) was defined as TB + regional SB (4 SB-needles closest to the TB-needles). The McNemar test was utilized to compare the detection rate performance for clinical significant PCa (csPCa) and clinical insignificant PCa (ciPCa). Moreover, the accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were investigated. The agreement between the different biopsy schemes grade group (GG) and RP GG were assessed. The concordance between the biopsy and the RP GG was evaluated using weighted κ coefficient analyses.ResultsIn this study, the overall detection rate for csPCa was 83.5% (162 of 194) when SB and TB were combined. TrSB showed better NPV than TB (97.0% vs. 74.4%). Comparing to STB, the TB-detection rate of csPCa had a significant difference (p < 0.01), while TrSB showed no significant difference (p > 0.999). For ciPCa, the overall detection rate was 16.5% (32 of 194). TrSB showed better PPV (96.6% vs. 83.3%) and NPV (97.6% vs. 92.9%) than TB. Comparing to STB, the detection rate of both schemes showed no significant difference (p = 0.077 and p = 0.375). All three schemes GG showed poor agreement with RP GG (TB: 43.3%, TrSB: 46.4%, STB: 45.9%). Using weighted κ, all three schemes showed no difference (TB: 0.48, TrSB: 0.51, STB: 0.51). In our subgroup analysis (PI-RADS = 4/5, n = 154), all three schemes almost showed no difference (Weighted κ: TB-0.50, TrSB-0.51, STB-0.50).ConclusionOur novel biopsy scheme TrSB (TB + 4 closest SB needles) may reduce 8 cores of biopsy compared with STB (standard SB + TB), which also showed better csPCa detection rate than TB only, but the same as STB. The pathological agreement between three different biopsy schemes (TB/TrSB/STB) GG and RP GG showed no difference.

Prostate cancer detection and complications of MRI-targeted prostate biopsy using cognitive registration, software-assisted image fusion or in-bore guidance: a systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies.

Three primary strategies for MRI-targeted biopsies (TB) are available: Cognitive TB (COG-TB), MRI-US Fusion TB (FUS-TB), and In Bore TB (IB-TB). Despite nearly a decade of practice, a consensus on the preferred approach is lacking, with previous studies showing comparable PCa detection rates among the three methods. We conducted a search of PubMed, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases from 2014 to 2023, to identify studies comparing at least two of the three methods and reporting clinically significant PCa (csPCa) detection rates. The primary and secondary outcomes were to compare the csPCa and insignificant prostate cancer (iPCa, ISUP GG 1) detection rates between TB techniques. The tertiary outcome was to compare the complication rate between TB techniques. Detection rates were pooled using random-effect models. Planned sensitivity analyses included subgroup analysis according to the definition of csPCa and positive MRI, previous biopsy status, biopsy route, prostate volume, and lesion characteristics. A total of twenty studies, involving 4928 patients, were included in the quantitative synthesis. The meta-analysis unveiled comparable csPCa detection rates among COG-TB (0.37), FUS-TB (0.39), and IB-TB (0.47). iPCa detection rate was also similar between TB techniques (COG-TB: 0.12, FUS-TB: 0.17, IB-TB: 0.18). All preplanned sensitivity analyses were conducted and did not show any statistically significant difference in the detection of csPCa between TB methods. Complication rates, however, were infrequently reported, and when available, no statistically significant differences were observed among the techniques. This unique study, exclusively focusing on comparative research, indicates no significant differences in csPCa and iPCa detection rates between COG-TB, FUS-TB, and IB-TB. Decisions between these techniques may extend beyond diagnostic accuracy, considering factors such as resource availability and operator preferences. Well-designed prospective studies are warranted to refine our understanding of the optimal approach for TB in diverse clinical scenarios.

The impact of the relationship between lesion diameter and total core length on the detection rate of clinically significant prostate cancer for PI-RADS 3 lesions

BackgroundThe aim of our study was to determine the effect of total core length (TCL) for prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) 3 lesions to facilitate clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) detection based on the lesion diameter.Materials and methodsA total of 149 patients with at least 1 lesion with a PI-RADS 3 were evaluated retrospectively. The lesions with diameters of < 1 cm were categorized as small lesions and lesions of ≥ 1 cm were categorized as large lesions. The lengths of biopsy cores from PI-RADS 3 lesions were summed for each lesion separately, and TCL was calculated. The relationship between TCL and csPCa was analyzed separately for the small and large groups with multiple logistic regression analyses.ResultsA total of 208 lesions were detected by multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MpMRI) in 149 males included in the study. The mean TCL was 44.68 mm (26–92) and the mean lesion diameter was 10.73 mm (4–27) in PIRADS 3 lesions. For small diameter lesions (< 1 cm), the odds of finding clinically insignificant prostate cancer (ciPCa) increase by 1.67 times if TCL increases by one unit. Hence, increasing TCL for small lesions only increases the odds of ciPCa detection. For large diameter lesions (≥ 1 cm), if TCL increases by one unit, the odds of finding ciPCa increase 1.13 times and the odds of finding csPCa increases1.16 times. Accordingly, large lesions are more likely to have both csPCa and ciPCa as TCL increases.ConclusionsOur study showed that for PI-RADS 3 lesions, both more csPCa and more ciPCa were detected as TCL increased. However, in lesions with a size of < 1 cm, only ciPCa was detected more frequently as TCL increased. In conclusion, taking more and longer biopsy cores in PI-RADS 3 lesions below 1 cm does not contribute to the detection of csPCa.

Combined MRI-TRUS fusion targeted and systematic biopsy versus systematic biopsy alone for the detection of prostate cancer: protocol for a prospective single-centre trial

IntroductionThe classic way of diagnosing prostate cancer (PCa) is by conducting the 12-core systematic biopsy (SB). However, it has a low detection rate for clinically significant PCa (csPCa) and can...

3.0-T MR-guided transgluteal in-bore-targeted prostate biopsy under local anesthesia in patients without rectal access: a single-institute experience and review of literature

PurposeTo describe the technique and evaluate the performance of MRI-guided transgluteal in-bore-targeted biopsy of the prostate gland under local anesthesia in patients without rectal access.MethodsTen men (mean age, 69 (range 57–86) years) without rectal access underwent 13 MRI-guided transgluteal in-bore-targeted biopsy of the prostate gland under local anesthesia. All patients underwent mp-MRI at our institute prior to biopsy. Three patients had prior US-guided transperineal biopsy which was unsuccessful in one, negative in one, and yielded GG1 (GS6) PCa in one. Procedure time, complications, histopathology result, and subsequent management were recorded.ResultsMedian interval between rectal surgery and presentation with elevated PSA was 12.5 years (interquartile range (IQR) 25–75, 8–36.5 years). Mean PSA was 11.9 (range, 4.8 -59.0) ng/ml and PSA density was 0.49 (0.05 -3.2) ng/ml/ml. Distribution of PI-RADS v2.0/2.1 scores of the targeted lesions were PI-RADS 5–3; PI-RADS 4–6; and PI-RADS 3–1. Mean lesion size was 1.5 cm (range, 1.0–3.6 cm). Median interval between MRI and biopsy was 5.5 months (IQR 25–75, 1.5–9 months). Mean procedure time was 47.4 min (range, 29–80 min) and the number of cores varied between 3 and 5. Of the 13 biopsies, 4 yielded clinically significant prostate cancer (csPca), with a Gleason score ≥ 7, 1 yielded insignificant prostate cancer (Gleason score = 6), 7 yielded benign prostatic tissue, and one was technically unsuccessful. 3/13 biopsies were repeat biopsies which detected csPCa in 2 out of the 3 patients. None of the patients had biopsy-related complication. Biopsy result changed management to radiation therapy with ADT in 2 patients with the rest on active surveillance.ConclusionMRI-guided transgluteal in-bore-targeted biopsy of the prostate gland under local anesthesia is feasible in patients without rectal access.

Risk of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer after a Nonsuspicious Prostate MRI-A Comparison with the General Population.

We compare the risk of clinically significant (csPCa; ISUP Grade Group ≥ 2) and insignificant prostate cancer (isPCa; ISUP Grade Group 1) in men with a nonsuspicious prostate MRI (nMRI; PI-RADS ≤ 2) with the general population, and assess the value of PSA density (PSAD) in stratification. In this retrospective population-based cohort study we identified 1,682 50-79-year-old men, who underwent nMRI at HUS (2016-2019). We compared their age-standardized incidence rates (IR) of csPCa and the odds of isPCa to a local age- and sex-matched general population (n = 230,458) during a six-year follow-up. Comparisons were performed by calculating incidence rate ratios (IRR) and ORs with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We repeated the comparison for the 920 men with nMRI and PSAD < 0.15 ng/mL/cm3. Compared with the general population, the IR of csPCa was significantly higher after nMRI [1,852 vs. 552 per 100,000 person-years; IRR 3.4 (95% CI, 2.8-4.1)]. However, the IR was substantially lower if PSAD was low [778 per 100,000 person-years; IRR 1.4 (95% CI, 0.9-2.0)]. ORs for isPCa were 2.4 (95% CI, 1.7-3.5) for all men with nMRI and 5.0 (95% CI, 2.8-9.1) if PSAD was low. Compared with the general population, the risk of csPCa is not negligible after nMRI. However, men with nMRI and PSAD <0.15 ng/mL/cm3 have worse harm-benefit balance than men in the general population. Prostate biopsies for men with nMRI should be reserved for cases indicated by additional risk stratification. See related In the Spotlight, p. 641.

Added value of randomised biopsy to multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-targeted biopsy of the prostate in a contemporary cohort.

To assess the added value of concurrent systematic randomised ultrasonography-guided biopsy (SBx) to multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI)-targeted biopsy and the additional rate of overdiagnosis of clinically insignificant prostate cancer (ciPCa) by SBx in a large contemporary, real-world cohort. A total of 1552 patients with positive mpMRI and consecutive mpMRI-targeted biopsy and SBx were enrolled. Added value and the rate of overdiagnosis by SBx was evaluated. added value of SBx, defined as detection rate of clinically significant PCa (csPCa; International Society of Urological Pathology [ISUP] Grade ≥2) by SBx, while mpMRI-targeted biopsy was negative or showed ciPCa (ISUP Grade 1). rate of overdiagnosis by SBx, defined as detection of ciPCa in patients with negative mpMRI-targeted biopsy and PSA level of <10 ng/mL. Detection rate of csPCa by mpMRI-targeted biopsy and/or SBx was 753/1552 (49%). Added value of SBx was 145/944 (15%). Rate of overdiagnosis by SBx was 146/656 (22%). Added value of SBx did not change when comparing patients with previous prostate biopsy and biopsy naïve patients. In multivariable analysis, a Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) 4 index lesion (odds ratio [OR] 3.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.66-6.78; P = 0.001), a PI-RADS 5 index lesion (OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.39-6.46; P = 0.006) and age (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03-1.08; P < 0.001) were independently associated with added value of SBx. In our real-world analysis, we saw a significant impact on added value and added rate of overdiagnosis by SBx. Subgroup analysis showed no significant decrease of added value in any evaluated risk group. Therefore, we do not endorse omitting concurrent SBx to mpMRI-guided biopsy of the prostate.

Convoluted Neural Network for Detection of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer on 68Ga PSMA PET/CT Delayed Imaging by Analyzing Radiomic Features.

To assess the utility of convoluted neural network (CNN) in differentiating clinically significant and insignificant prostate cancer in patients with 68Ga PSMA PET/CT-targeted prostate biopsy-proven prostate cancer. In this retrospective study, 142 patients with clinical suspicion of prostate cancer were evaluated who underwent 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT imaging followed by 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT-targeted prostate biopsy from the PSMA-avid prostate lesion. Twenty patients with no PSMA-avid lesions were excluded. Local Image Features Extraction (LifeX) software was used to extract radiomic features (RF) from delayed 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT images of 122 patients. LifeX failed to extract radiomic features in 24 patients, and the remaining 98 were evaluated. RFs were fed to an in-built CNN of the software for computation and results were achieved. Patients with Gleason Score ≥ 7 on histopathology were labeled clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). The diagnostic values of radiomic features were evaluated. The csPCa was revealed in 69/98 (70.4%) patients, and insignificant PCa was noticed in 29/98 (29.6%) patients. The software extracted 124 RF from the delayed 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT images. The accuracy of the CNN was 80.7% to differentiate clinically significant and clinically insignificant prostate cancer, with an error percentage (E %) of 19.3%. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive, and negative predictive values were 90.3%, 57.7%, 83.6%, and 71.4%, respectively, to detect csPCa. CNN is a feasible pre-biopsy screening tool for identifying clinically significant prostate cancer and can be used as an adjunct in the initial diagnosis and early treatment planning. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13139-023-00832-3.

Early detection of clinically significant prostate cancer: protocol summary and statistical analysis plan for the ProScreen randomised trial

IntroductionEvidence on the effectiveness of prostate cancer screening based on prostate-specific antigen is inconclusive and suggests a questionable balance between benefits and harms due to overdiagnosis, and complications from biopsies...

Does Total Biopsy Core Length In Prostate Fusion Biopsy Affect The Diagnosis Of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer?

Objective: The aim of our study was to determine the optimal total core length for multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MpMRI)-guided prostate fusion biopsy (PFB) that would standardize clinical practice and maximize the detection rate of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPC) while reducing procedural complications, overdiagnosis, and cost. Materials and Methods: A total of 212 patients with at least 1 lesion with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System score of ≥3 were evaluated retrospectively. Biopsy core lengths from the lesions were summed, and total core lengths (TCL) were calculated. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted for PIRADS 3, 4, and 5 lesions and the effects of TCL on the detection of csPC were analyzed separately. Results: A total of 365 lesions were detected by MPMRI in 212 men included in the study. The mean TCL was 43.66 ± 12.91 mm in PIRADS 3 lesions, 47.71 ± 11.78 mm in PIRADS 4 lesions, and 60.36 ± 14.64 mm in PIRADS 5 lesions. As TCL increased, the probability of detecting both csPC (1.26-fold per unit increase in TCL) and clinically insignificant prostate cancer (cIPC)(1.25-fold per unit increase in TCL) increased for PIRADS 3 lesions at a statistically significant level,while for PIRADS 4 lesions, only the probability of detecting csPC (1.13-fold for each unit increase in TCL) increased. Conclusion: This study has shown that the frequency of PCa detection rises with increasing TCL. For PI-RADS 3, both csPC and cIPC rise with increasing TCL, whereas for PI-RADS 4 only the frequency of csPC rises.

Risk stratification of prostate cancer with MRI and prostate-specific antigen density-based tool for personalized decision making.

MRI is now established for initial prostate cancer diagnosis; however, there is no standardized pathway to avoid unnecessary biopsy in low-risk patients. Our study aimed to test previously proposed MRI-focussed and risk-adapted biopsy decision models on a real-world dataset. Single-centre retrospective study performed on 2055 biopsy naïve patients undergoing MRI. Diagnostic pathways included "biopsy all", "MRI-focussed" and two risk-based MRI-directed pathways. Risk thresholds were based on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) density as low (<0.10 ng mL-2), intermediate (0.10-0.15 ng mL-2), high (0.15-0.20 ng mL-2), or very high-risk (>0.20 ng mL-2). The outcome measures included rates of biopsy avoidance, detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa), missed csPCa, and overdiagnosis of insignificant prostate cancer (iPCa). Overall cancer rate was 39.9% (819/2055), with csPCa (Grade-Group ≥2) detection of 30.3% (623/2055). In men with a negative MRI (Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System, PI-RADS 1-2), the risk of cancer was 1.2%, 2.6%, 9.0%, and 12.9% in the low, intermediate, high, and very high groups, respectively; for PI-RADS score 3 lesions, the rates were 10.5%, 14.3%, 25.0%, and 33.3%, respectively. MRI-guided pathway and risk-based pathway with a low threshold missed only 1.6% csPCa with a biopsy-avoidance rate of 54.4%, and the risk-based pathway with a higher threshold avoided 62.9% (1292/2055) of biopsies with 2.9% (61/2055) missed csPCa detection. Decision curve analysis found that the "risk-based low threshold" pathway has the highest net benefit for probability thresholds between 3.6% and 13.9%. Combined MRI and PSA-density risk-based pathways can be a helpful decision-making tool enabling high csPCa detection rates with the benefit of biopsy avoidance and reduced iPCa detection. This real-world dataset from a large UK-based cohort confirms that combining MRI scoring with PSA density for risk stratification enables safe biopsy avoidance and limits the over-diagnosis of insignificant cancers.

Evaluation of the Reliability and the Performance of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Radiomics in the Presence of Randomly Generated Irrelevant Features for Prostate Cancer

Radiomics has the potential to aid prostate cancer (PC) diagnoses and prediction by analyzing and modeling quantitative features extracted from clinical imaging. However, its reliability has been a concern, possibly due to its high-dimensional nature. This study aims to quantitatively investigate the impact of randomly generated irrelevant features on MRI radiomics feature selection, modeling, and performance by progressively adding randomly generated features. Two multiparametric-MRI radiomics PC datasets were used (dataset 1 (n = 260), dataset 2 (n = 100)). The endpoint was to differentiate pathology-confirmed clinically significant (Gleason score (GS) ≥ 7) from insignificant (GS &lt; 7) PC. Random features were generated at 12 levels with a 10% increment from 0% to 100% and an additional 5%. Three feature selection algorithms and two classifiers were used to build the models. The area under the curve and accuracy were used to evaluate the model’s performance. Feature importance was calculated to assess features’ contributions to the models. The metrics of each model were compared using an ANOVA test with a Bonferroni correction. A slight tendency to select more random features with the increasing number of random features introduced to the datasets was observed. However, the performance of the radiomics-built models was not significantly affected, which was partially due to the higher contribution of radiomics features toward the models compared to the random features. These reliability effects also vary among datasets. In conclusion, while the inclusion of additional random features may still slightly impact the performance of the feature selection, it may not have a substantial impact on the MRI radiomics model performance.

Significant Prostate Cancer in Patients with PI-RADS Category 3 Lesions: A Single-Center, Retrospective Cohort Study.

The Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) category 3 is the most ambiguous lesion with a variable clinically significant prostate cancer (CsPCa) detection rate. Prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) has been investigated as an adjunctive factor to improve the diagnostic efficiency of PI-RADS categories. This study aimed to investigate the utility of PSAD as an adjunctive factor in predicting CsPCA risk in patients with PI-RADS 3 lesions. The patients with an initial PI-RADS 3 category lesion (n=142) scheduled for systematic and magnetic resonance imaging-guided prostate biopsy between 2018 and 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. Demographic and clinical variables, including PSAD, were collected. The rate of CsPCa was the primary outcome. The impact of PSAD on the CsPCa detection rate was the secondary outcome. The median age was 62 years. The rate of CsPCa was 8.5% (n=12). The patients with CsPCa have significantly lower prostate volüme and higher PSAD levels than those without CsPCa (p=0.016 and p=0.012). The cut-off values of PSAD in predicting CsPCa in all PI-RADS 3 patients and patients with CsPCa and clinically insignificant prostate cancer (n=26) were ≥0.181 ng/ml2. The sensitivity and specificity values for PSAD ≥0.181 ng/ml2 were of 75% (95% CI: 42.8%-94.5%) and 81.5% (95% CI: 73.4%-88.0%) in predicting CsPCa among PI-RADS 3 category. Conclusion: PSAD values higher than 0.181 ng/ml2 can be used as an adjunctive clinical parameter in predicting CsPCa in patients with PI-RADS 3 lesions and differentiating CsPCa from clinically insignificant prostate cancer cases.

Relationship between Eccentricity and Volume Determined by Spectral Algorithms Applied to Spatially Registered Bi-Parametric MRI and Prostate Tumor Aggressiveness: A Pilot Study.

(1) Background: Non-invasive prostate cancer assessments using multi-parametric MRI are essential to the reliable detection of lesions and proper management of patients. While current guidelines call for the administration of Gadolinium-containing intravenous contrast injections, eliminating such injections would simplify scanning and reduce patient risk and costs. However, augmented image analysis is necessary to extract important diagnostic information from MRIs. Purpose: This study aims to extend previous work on the signal to clutter ratio and test whether prostate tumor eccentricity and volume are indicators of tumor aggressiveness using bi-parametric (BP)-MRI. (2) Methods: This study retrospectively processed 42 consecutive prostate cancer patients from the PI-CAI data collection. BP-MRIs (apparent diffusion coefficient, high b-value, and T2 images) were resized, translated, cropped, and stitched to form spatially registered BP-MRIs. The International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade was used to judge cases of prostate cancer as either clinically significant prostate cancer (CsPCa) (ISUP ≥ 2) or clinically insignificant prostate cancer (CiPCa) (ISUP < 2). The Adaptive Cosine Estimator (ACE) algorithm was applied to the BP-MRIs, followed by thresholding, and then eccentricity and volume computations, from the labeled and blobbed detection maps. Then, univariate and multivariate linear regression fittings of eccentricity and volume were applied to the ISUP grade. The fits were quantitatively evaluated by computing correlation coefficients (R) and p-values. Area under the curve (AUC) and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve scores were used to assess the logistic fitting to CsPCa/CiPCa. (3) Results: Modest correlation coefficients (R) (>0.35) and AUC scores (0.70) for the linear and/or logistic fits from the processed prostate tumor eccentricity and volume computations for the spatially registered BP-MRIs exceeded fits using the parameters of prostate serum antigen, prostate volume, and patient age (R~0.17). (4) Conclusions: This is the first study that applied spectral approaches to BP-MRIs to generate tumor eccentricity and volume metrics to assess tumor aggressiveness. This study found significant values of R and AUC (albeit below those from multi-parametric MRI) to fit and relate the metrics to the ISUP grade and CsPCA/CiPCA, respectively.

Prostagram magnetic resonance imaging in a screening population: Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System or Likert?

To compare biopsy recommendation rates and accuracy of the Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System, version 2 (PI-RADSv2) with the Likert scale for detection of clinically significant and insignificant prostate cancer in men screened within the Imperial Prostate 1 Prostate Cancer Screening Trial Using Imaging (IP1-PROSTAGRAM). Men aged 50-69 years were screened with Prostagram MRI. Scans were prospectively reported using both PI-RADSv2 (excluding dynamic contrast-enhanced sequence score) and 5-point Likert scores by expert uro-radiologists. Systematic and targeted transperineal biopsy was recommended if the scan was scored ≥ 3, based on either reporting system. The proportion of patients recommended for biopsy and detection rates for Grade Groups (GGs) 1 and ≥ 2 were compared. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to compare performance. A total of 406 men underwent Prostagram MRI. The median (interquartile range) age and prostate-specific antigen level were 57 (53-61) years and 0.91 (0.56-1.74) ng/mL, respectively. At MRI score ≥ 3, more patients were recommended for biopsy based on Likert criteria (94/406; 23%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 19.2%-27.6%) compared to PI-RADSv2 (72/406; 18%, 95% CI 14.2%-21.9%; P = 0.03). For MRI scores ≥ 4, PI-RADSv2 and Likert scales led to 43/406 (11%, 95% CI 7.9%-14.1%) and 35/406 (9%, 95% CI 6.2%-11.9%) men recommended for biopsy (P = 0.40). For GG ≥ 2 detection, PIRADSv2 and Likert detected 22% (95% CI 11.4%-30.8%, 14/72) and 16% (95% CI 9.5%-25.3%, 15/94), respectively (P = 0.56). For GG1 cancers detection these were 11% (95% CI 4.3%-19.6%, seven of 72) vs 11% (95% CI 4.7%-17.8%, nine of 94; P = 1.00). The accuracy of PI-RADSv2 and Likert scale was similar (area under the ROC curve 0.64 vs 0.65, P = 0.95). In reporting non-contrast-enhanced Prostagram MRI in a screening population, the PI-RADSv2 and Likert scoring systems were equally accurate; however, Likert scale use led to more men undergoing biopsy without a subsequent increase in significant cancer detection rates. To improve reporting of Prostagram MRI, either the PI-RADSv2 or a modified Likert scale or a standalone scoring system should be developed.

Outcomes of a Diagnostic Pathway for Prostate Cancer Based on Biparametric MRI and MRI-Targeted Biopsy Only in a Large Teaching Hospital.

Diagnostic pathways for prostate cancer (PCa) balance detection rates and burden. MRI impacts biopsy indication and strategy. A prospectively collected cohort database (N = 496) of men referred for elevated PSA and/or abnormal DRE was analyzed. All underwent biparametric MRI (3 Tesla scanner) and ERSPC prostate risk-calculator. Indication for biopsy was PIRADS ≥ 3 or risk-calculator ≥ 20%. Both targeted (cognitive-fusion) and systematic cores were combined. A hypothetical full-MRI-based pathway was retrospectively studied, omitting systematic biopsies in: (1) PIRADS 1-2 but risk-calculator ≥ 20%, (2) PIRADS ≥ 3, receiving targeted biopsy-cores only. Significant PCa (GG ≥ 2) was detected in 120 (24%) men. Omission of systematic cores in cases with PIRADS 1-2 but risk-calculator ≥ 20%, would result in 34% less biopsy indication, not-detecting 7% significant tumors. Omission of systematic cores in PIRADS ≥ 3, only performing targeted biopsies, would result in a decrease of 75% cores per procedure, not detecting 9% significant tumors. Diagnosis of insignificant PCa dropped by 52%. PCa undetected by targeted cores only, were ipsilateral to MRI-index lesions in 67%. A biparametric MRI-guided PCa diagnostic pathway would have missed one out of six cases with significant PCa, but would have considerably reduced the number of biopsy procedures, cores, and insignificant PCa. Further refinement or follow-up may identify initially undetected cases. Center-specific data on the performance of the diagnostic pathway is required.

Validation of Epstein criteria and development of a nomogram for active surveillance in a contemporary Chinese population.

To evaluate the Epstein criteria for insignificant prostate cancer (CaP) prediction in a contemporary Chinese population, and to develop a risk model with combined clinical and systematic biopsy and targeted biopsy parameters for active surveillance. A total of 249 CaP patients with biopsy Gleason score (GS) of 6 were included. One hundred and one patients were eligible for insignificant CaP on final pathology (GS ≤6 and organ-confined). Diagnostic tests were used to validate the ability of the 2 Epstein criteria. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of insignificant CaP for the development of predictive models. Receiver operating characteristics analysis was used to select the best model, followed by risk nomogram construction and internal validation. There were 47 patients met EC1 and 61 met EC2, with pathological upgrading rates of 36% and 41%, respectively, and 70% (71/101) and 64% (65/101) were missed, with areas under the curve of 0.591 and 0.594, respectively. Four prediction models were developed using regression analysis, and model 2 incorporating age, prostate-specific antigen density, maximum percentage of core involvement at systematic biopsy, and percentage of positive cores at targeted biopsy showed the best diagnostic value (area under the curve = 0.731, sensitivity 62.4%, specificity 77.0%) and was used to construct the nomogram. Calibration curves and decision curve analysis demonstrated favorable calibration (mean absolute error 0.048) and clinical benefits of the novel nomogram. The Epstein criteria need to be revised by incorporating targeted biopsy parameters to improve diagnostic performance, and a novel nomogram was developed with better prediction of insignificant CaP.

Yield of second-round MRI targeted ultrasound-guided fusion prostate biopsy after initial first-round targeted biopsy.

We aimed to determine the yield of second-round magnetic resonance imaging-ultrasound (MRI-US) fusion biopsy and factors that may predict eventual clinically significant (CS) prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis. From 2013 to 2021, 85 men underwent second-round MRI-US fusion biopsy of 92 lesions (47.8% [44/92] peripheral zone and 52.2% [48/92] transition zone). Patient age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), PSA density (PSAD), size/location of lesions, ADC value, Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS), and PRECISE scores were recorded and compared to histopathological diagnosis (International Society of Urological Pathology [ISUP] grade-group 1 PCa, CS PCa=ISUP grade group ≥2 PCa) using logistic regression. Mean patient age, PSA, and PSAD were 64±7 years, 8.5±7.0 ng/ml, and 0.17±0.11, respectively. Results from first-round targeted biopsy were 63% (58/92) negative and 37% (34/92) clinically insignificant (grade group 1) PCa. Overall, second-round targeted biopsy identified 25% (23/92) CS PCa (grade group 2, n=19; grade group 3, n=4). Considering only lesions with initial negative targeted-biopsy results (n=58), 21% (12/58; grade group 2, n=8; grade group 3, n=4) CS PCa and 13 grade group 1 PCa were diagnosed at second-round biopsy. There was no difference in PSA (p=0.564), size (p=0.595), location (p=0.293), or PI-RADS score (p=0.342) of lesions by eventual CS PCa diagnosis. PSAD (0.2±1.4 vs. 0.16±0.10, p=0.167), ADC (0.748±0.199 vs. 0.833±0.257, p=0.151), and PRECISE score (p<0.01) showed a trend towards association or association with eventual CS PCa diagnosis. Repeat second-round targeted MRI-US fusion biopsy yielded CS PCa diagnosis in the targeted biopsy specimen in approximately 20% of patients in our study. PRECISE score may be a useful marker to help predict which patients require second-round biopsy.