Comparison of Cancer Detection Rates Between TRUS-Guided Biopsy and MRI-Targeted Biopsy According to PSA Level in Biopsy-Naive Patients: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Background: The purpose of the study was to compare cancer detection rates between 12-core transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS-Bx) and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI)-guided target prostate biopsy (MRI-TBx) according to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level in biopsy-naive patients.

Patients and methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 2009 biopsy-naive patients with suspected prostate cancer (PSA ≤20 ng/mL). Patients underwent TRUS-Bx (n = 1786) or MRI-guided target prostate biopsy (MRI-TBx; n = 223) from September 2013 to March 2017 and were stratified according to each of 4 PSA cutoffs. MRI-TBx was performed on lesions with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) scores of 3 to 5 on mpMRI. Clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) was defined as Gleason ≥7. Propensity score matching was performed using the prebiopsy variables, which included age, PSA, prostate volume, and PSA density.

Results: Propensity score matching resulted in 222 patients in each group. There were significant differences between the TRUS-Bx and MRI-TBx groups in the overall detection rates of prostate cancer (41.4% vs. 55.4%; P = .003) and csPCa (30.1% vs. 42.8%; P = .005). However, across PSA cutoffs, MRI-TBx detected more prostate cancer than TRUS-Bx at PSA levels of 2.5 to <4 (29.5% vs. 56.6%; P < .001). The csPCa detection rates of TRUS-Bx and MRI-TBx did not differ significantly within the PSA cutoffs. There was a significantly higher detection rate of prostate cancer and csPCa in lesions with PI-RADS scores 4 and 5 than in those with a score of 3.

Conclusion: Prebiopsy mpMRI and subsequent targeted biopsy had a higher detection rate than TRUS-Bx in patients with prostate cancer and csPCa.