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Updated: Jun 3, 2026
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A Cognitive Fusion-guided Prostate Biopsy Using Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Transrectal Ultrasound
Published on: March 21, 2025
Delineation of the postprostatectomy prostate bed using computed tomography: interobserver variability following the
Piet Ost1, Gert De Meerleer, Tom Vercauteren
1Department of Radiotherapy, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. piet.ost@ugent.be
Summary
CT scans show moderate agreement for prostate bed delineation after radical prostatectomy. This indicates variability in outlining the prostate bed (PB) and seminal vesicles (SV) per EORTC guidelines.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Oncology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Accurate delineation of the prostate bed (PB) post-radical prostatectomy is crucial for radiotherapy planning.
- Current guidelines from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) propose specific methods for this delineation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the interobserver agreement in prostate bed delineation using computed tomography (CT) alone.
- To assess adherence to EORTC guidelines for postoperative prostate bed contouring.
Main Methods:
- Six observers delineated the postoperative prostate bed (PB) and seminal vesicle (SV) regions on CT scans of 10 patients.
- Agreement was quantified using volume overlap and generalized kappa statistics.
- Variability was assessed by calculating standard deviations of outer margin positions.
Main Results:
- Mean agreement volume was low for both PB (5.0 ml) and SV (0.9 ml).
- Mean kappa values indicated moderate agreement for PB (0.49) and SV (0.42).
- Outer margin variability for the PB ranged from 4.6 to 7.0 mm.
Conclusions:
- Delineation of the postprostatectomy prostate bed using CT, following EORTC guidelines, results in only moderate observer agreement.
- There is significant variability in contouring, potentially impacting treatment consistency.
