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Updated: Jul 14, 2025

Use of MRI-ultrasound Fusion to Achieve Targeted Prostate Biopsy
Published on: April 9, 2019
Prostate Biopsies Can Be Omitted in Most Patients with a Positive Stockholm3 Test and Negative Prostate Magnetic
Cathrine Alvær Vinje1, Maria Nyre Vigmostad2, Svein R Kjosavik3
1Department of Urology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Background:
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) combined with the Stockholm3 test can be used to inform biopsy decision-making in patients with a suspicion of prostate cancer.
Objective:
To determine the consequence of omitting biopsies in men with a positive Stockholm3 test and a negative MRI.
Design, Setting, And Participants:
In a real-life setting, 438 men with a positive Stockholm3 test and a negative MRI underwent systematic biopsies from 2017 to 2020.
Outcome Measurements And Statistical Analysis:
The Stockholm3 test result is a percentage risk score with or without a prostate volume cutoff. The main outcomes were the number of clinically significant (Gleason grade group [GG] ≥2) and nonsignificant (GG 1) prostate cancers.
Results And Limitations:
Median prostate-specific antigen was 4.5 ng/ml (interquartile range 2.8-6.4 ng/ml) and the median age was 69 yr. Systematic biopsies detected grade group (GG) ≥2 disease in 48 men (11%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 8.4-14.2%) and GG 1 disease in 94 men (21.5%, 95% CI 17.9-25.6%). Of 256 patients without a volume cutoff in the test report, GG ≥2 was detected in 37 men (14.5%, 95% CI 10.7-19.3%). Omitting biopsies in patients with a volume cutoff would miss 11 GG ≥2 cases (6%, 95% CI 3.4-10.5%), reduce the number of GG 1 cases detected by 37 (39.4%, 95% CI 30.1-49.5%), and avoid a total of 182 biopsies (41.6%, 95% CI 37.0-46.2%). Limitations include the lack of follow-up data.
Conclusions:
Systematic biopsies can be omitted in patients with a positive Stockholm3 test and a negative MRI when there is a volume cutoff in the test report. With no volume cutoff, biopsies can be considered with shared decision-making.
Patient Summary:
When investigated on suspicion of prostate cancer with a positive Stockholm3 test and a negative MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), prostate biopsies are only necessary for a subgroup of patients. This can spare some men from undergoing biopsies and reduce the detection of clinically insignificant cancers.
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