Usefulness of cognitive targeting in multiparametric MRI-guided biopsy to diagnose the dominant lesion in prostate...

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of cognitive targeting in multiparametric MRI-guided biopsy to obtain samples of the dominant nodule in prostate cancer.

We performed cognitive-targeted biopsy after multiparametric MRI in 53 patients with progressive elevation of PSA. All patients provided written informed consent. Biopsies were done via a transperineal route under ultrasound guidance. The first three samples were obtained by cognitive targeting, with the target lesion determined by multiparametric MRI according to the PI-RADS (prostate imaging, reporting, and data system) criteria. Then 9 cylinders were obtained from the remaining segments of the prostate (systematic biopsies). The pathologist evaluated the 12 cylinders without knowing which ones were obtained by cognitive targeting. In patients with multifocal lesions, we defined the dominant lesion as the one with the highest Gleason score and tumor volume; in patients with unifocal lesions, we defined the dominant lesion as the lesion identified.

We diagnosed 29 prostate tumors. In 89.7% (26/29), the dominant nodule was diagnosed by the cognitive-targeted biopsy. If only cognitive-targeted biopsy had been done, the dominant nodule would not have been diagnosed in two (3.8%, 2/53) patients and only one (1.8%, 1/53) patient, in whom no sample was obtained from the lesion with the highest Gleason score, would have been understaged. The rate of positivity of cognitive-targeted biopsy was 50.9% (27/53) in the entire group of patients and 46.3% (19/41) in the group of patients with previous negative biopsies. No significant immediate or late complications were observed.

Cognitive targeting is safe and efficacious for detecting the dominant lesion in prostate cancer.