Prospective evaluation of 3-T MRI performed before initial transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy in patients with high prostate-specific antigen and no previous biopsy.

Objective: The purpose of our study was to prospectively evaluate whether MRI before an initial transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy contributed to detection of prostate cancer in patients with high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level and no previous biopsy.

Subjects And Methods: Men with an abnormal digital rectal examination or high PSA level were enrolled in this prospective randomized study. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups; the MRI group underwent 3-T MRI and then a transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy with knowledge of the cancer location. The non-MRI group did not undergo MRI before transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy. The cancer detection rate and positive core rate were obtained to compare the MRI and non-MRI groups.

Results: The MRI and non-MRI groups contained 44 and 41 patients, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to age, PSA, and prostate volume. The MRI group (13/44, 29.5%) had a significantly higher cancer detection rate than the non-MRI group (4/41, 9.8%) (p = 0.03). The MRI group (52/527, 9.9%) had a significantly higher positive core rate than the non-MRI group (11/432, 2.5%) (p = 0.00). Regarding cancer detection rate and positive core rate, odds ratios were 3.9 (95% CI, 1.1-13.1) and 4.2 (95% CI, 2.2-8.1), respectively.

Conclusion: In patients with PSA level and no previous biopsy, 3-T MRI that is performed before transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy may contribute to the detection of prostate cancer.