Prediction of Significant Prostate Cancer at Prostate Biopsy and Per Core Detection Rate of Targeted and Systematic Biopsies Using Real-Time Shear Wave Elastography

INTRODUCTION: Prostate cancer (PCa) detection is accompanied by overdiagnosis and mischaracterization of PCa. Therefore, new imaging modalities like shear wave elastography (SWE) are required.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate per-core detection rates (DRs) of targeted biopsies and systematic biopsies and to test if SWE findings can predict presence of clinically significant PCa (csPCa) at biopsy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Overall, 95 patients scheduled for prostate biopsy in our center underwent SWE. SWE findings were classified into suspicious or normal. Targeted biopsies were taken in up to 3 SWE-suspicious areas. csPCa was defined as the presence of Gleason pattern ≥4, level of prostate-specific antigen ≥10 ng/ml or >2 positive cores.

RESULTS: Overall DR for csPCa in our study cohort was 40%. Per-core DR for exclusively SWE-targeted cores versus systematic samples cores was 10.5 vs. 8.6% (p = 0.3). In the logistic regression models, individuals with suspicious SWE findings are at 6.4-fold higher risk of harboring csPCa (p = 0.03). Gain in predictive accuracy was 2.3% (0.82 vs. 0.84, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: Presence of suspicious SWE findings is an independent predictor of csPCa. Therefore, SWE may be helpful in selecting patients for biopsy. Nonetheless, per-core DR for SWE-targeted cores was not statistically significant higher than DR of systematic sampled cores. Therefore, additional systematic biopsy is mandatory.