Prostate Cancer Diagnosis with Micro-ultrasound: What We Know now and New Horizons

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common non-cutaneous cancer diagnosed in males. Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (mpMRI) with targeted biopsy can detect PCa and is currently the recommended initial test in men at risk for PCa. Micro-Ultrasound (MicroUS) is a novel high-resolution 29-MHz ultrasound with ∼three times greater resolution of conventional transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) resolution. Preliminary data suggest improved accuracy of ultrasound for targeted prostate biopsy. A growing body of evidence has become available supporting MicroUS as a potentially time and cost saving modality for PCa detection, with early results suggesting comparable accuracy to mpMRI. Additionally, microUS allows real-time visualization for accurate targeted biopsy. It is not yet clear whether MicroUS should be used on its own or in combination with mpMRI for prostate cancer detection. The ongoing OPTIMUM randomized controlled trial will help to establish the role of MicroUS in the diagnostic algorithm for the detection of clinically significant (cs)-PCa. Early data also indicate this imaging modality may have a role in local staging (eg, extracapsular extension prediction) and active surveillance of PCa. MicroUS has also the potential to add value to biparametric (bp) MRI, and may represent a promising tool for guidance of focal therapy in the near future.