Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nature of ultrasound characteristics during mpMRI/TRUS cognitive fusion targeted biopsy (cTB).
Methods: From 2023 to 2024, data from 502 lesions in 426 men who underwent targeted combined systematic biopsy were analyzed. All lesions had a Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) score of ≥ 3. The primary endpoint was the detection rate of prostate cancer (PCa) according to the PI-RADS score/ultrasound characteristics, categorized as benign or invisible (Bi), hypoechoic only (Ho), and hypoechoic with microcalcification (Hm), assessed through cross-stratification. The secondary endpoints included the distribution of ultrasound characteristics across PI-RADS scores, prostate zones, and histological types. Finally, associations between ultrasound characteristics and clinically significant PCa (csPCa) were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis (MVA).
Results: Among lesions, 233 (46%) were Bi, 210 (42%) Ho, and 59 (12%) Hm. First, Bi lesions had a 64% (103/161) non-cancer rate in PI-RADS 3, while Ho + Hm lesions showed the highest csPCa rate in PI-RADS 5 at 82% (102/124). Additionally, Ho + Hm lesions were predominantly observed in PI-RADS 5 (92% [114/124]) and in the peripheral zone (64% [179/278]). Notably, Hm lesions had a significantly higher percentage of cribriform morphology than Ho lesions (32% vs. 14%, P = 0.001). Finally, MVA confirmed Ho ([Ref Bi] OR 4.95, P < 0.001) and Hm ([Ref Bi] OR 27.7, P < 0.001) as independent predictors of csPCa.
Conclusion: In cTB, the identification of Ho and Hm lesions on TRUS enhances the diagnostic yield of csPCa by facilitating more precise localization compared to Bi lesions.
Clinical trial registration: No. 2023-272-002, July 14, 2023.
Keywords: Hypoechoic lesion; Prostate cancer; Targeted biopsy; Transrectal ultrasound.
© 2024. The Author(s).