Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the agreement in volumes of prostate tumors determined on multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) and histologic assessment, using detailed software-assisted co-registration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 37 patients who underwent 3T mpMRI (T2WI, DWI/ADC, DCE) were included. A radiologist traced the borders of suspicious lesions on T2WI and ADC and assigned a suspicion score (SS) from 2-5; a uro-pathologist traced borders of tumors on histopathologic photographs. Software was used to co-register MRI and 3D digital reconstructions of RP specimens and compute imaging and histopathologic volumes. Agreement in volumes between MRI and histology was assessed using Bland-Altman plots and stratified by tumor characteristics. RESULTS: Among 50 tumors, mean difference and 95% limits of agreement on MRI relative to histology were -32% (-128% to +65%) on T2WI and -47% (-143% to +49%) on ADC. For all tumor subsets, volume under-estimation was more marked on ADC maps (mean difference ranging from -57% to -16%) than T2WI (mean difference ranging from -45% to +2%). 95% limits of agreement were wide for all comparisons, with lower 95% limit ranging between -77% and -143% across assessments. Volume under-estimation was more marked for tumors with Gleason score >/=7 or MRI SS 4 or 5. CONCLUSION: Volume estimates of PCa using MRI tended to substantially under-estimate histopathologic volumes, with wide variability in extent of under-estimation across cases. These findings have implications for efforts to use MRI to guide risk assessment.

A 12-core systematic biopsy that incorporates apical and far-lateral cores in the template distribution allows maximal cancer detection and avoidance of a repeat biopsy while minimizing the detection of insignificant prostate cancers. Magnetic resonance imaging-guided prostate biopsy has an evolving role in both initial and repeat prostate biopsy strategies, potentially improving sampling efficiency, increasing the detection of clinically significant cancers, and reducing the detection of insignificant cancers. Hematuria, hematospermia, and rectal bleeding are common complications of prostate needle biopsy, but are generally self-limiting and well tolerated. All men should receive antimicrobial prophylaxis before biopsy.

PURPOSE: The authors describe their initial experience in implementing an integrated radiology reading room within a urologic oncology clinic, including the frequency and nature of clinician consultations and the perceived impact on patient management by clinicians. METHODS: A radiology reading room was established within an office-based urologic oncology clinic in proximity to the surgeon's work area. A radiologist was present in this reading room for a 3-hour shift each day. The frequency and nature of consultations during these shifts were recorded. Also, the clinic's staff completed a survey assessing perceptions of the impact of the integrated reading room on patient management. RESULTS: One hundred two consultations occurred during 57 included dates (average, 1.8 consultations per shift): 52% for review of external cases brought in by patients on discs, 43% for review of internal cases, and 5% for direct review by the radiologist of imaging with patients. The maximum number of consultations during a single shift was 8. All of the clinic's urologists indicated that >90% of consultations benefited patient care. The clinicians indicated tendencies to view consultations as affecting management in the majority of cases, to be more likely to seek consultation for outside imaging when the radiologist was on site, and to be less likely to repeat outside imaging when the radiologist was on site. CONCLUSIONS: The integrated reading room within the clinic has potential to improve the quality of care, for instance by facilitating increased review of outside imaging studies and thereby potentially reducing duplicate ordering and by enabling occasional direct image review with patients by radiologists.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: A variety of techniques have emerged for the optimization of prostate biopsy. In this review, we summarize and critically discuss the most recent developments regarding the optimal systematic biopsy and sampling labeling along with multiparametric MRI and magnetic resonance-targeted biopsies. RECENT FINDINGS: The use of 10-12-core-extended sampling protocols increases cancer detection rates compared with traditional sextant sampling and reduces the likelihood that patients will require a repeat biopsy, ultimately allowing more accurate risk stratification without increasing the likelihood of detecting insignificant cancers. As the number of cores increases above 12 cores, the increase in diagnostic yield becomes marginal. However, the limitations of this technique include undersampling, oversampling, and the need for repetitive biopsy. MRI and magnetic resonance-targeted biopsies have demonstrated superiority over systematic biopsies for the detection of clinically significant disease and representation of disease burden, while deploying fewer cores and may have applications in men undergoing initial or repeat biopsy and those with low-risk cancer on or considering active surveillance. SUMMARY: A 12-core systematic biopsy that incorporates apical and far-lateral cores in the template distribution allows maximal cancer detection, avoidance of a repeat biopsy while minimizing the detection of insignificant prostate cancers. MRI-guided prostate biopsy has an evolving role in both initial and repeat prostate biopsy strategies, as well as active surveillance, potentially improving sampling efficiency, increasing the detection of clinically significant cancers, and reducing the detection of insignificant cancers.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively compare perceived complexity and Bosniak cyst classification of cystic renal lesions between 1.5T and 3T MRI. METHODS: 33 cystic renal lesions in 26 patients that underwent contrast-enhanced MRI at both 1.5T and 3T within a 12 month span were included. Two radiologists (R1, R2) independently assessed lesions, unaware of field strength, in terms of number of septations, septal thickening, mural thickening, presence of mural nodule, and Bosniak cyst category. Scores were compared between field strengths for each lesion. RESULTS: R1 observed increases in septal number, septal thickening, mural thickening, and presence of mural nodule at 3T in 8, 7, 4, and 2 lesions, and at 1.5T in 3, 3, 2, and 0 lesions, respectively; R2 observed increases in septal number, septal thickening, mural thickening, and presence of mural nodule at 3T in 3, 4, 3, and 0 lesions, and at 1.5T in 2, 0, 0, and 0 lesions, respectively. R1 provided higher Bosniak category at 3T in 9 cases and at 1.5T in 4 cases; R2 provided higher Bosniak category at 3T in 4 cases and at 1.5T in 0 cases. Higher scores at 3T than 1.5T were associated with differences in advised clinical management in 7/9 cases for R1 and 4/4 cases for R2. CONCLUSION: There was an overall tendency for both readers to upgrade cyst complexity and Bosniak cyst category at 3T than 1.5T, which impacted advised management. Thus, we suggest that serial MRI evaluation of cystic renal lesions be performed at constant field strength.