Objective• To describe a protocol for transperineal sector biopsies (TPSB) of the prostate and present the clinical experience of this technique in a UK population. Patients and Methods• A retrospective review of a single-centre experience of TPSB approach was undertaken that preferentially, but not exclusively, targeted the peripheral zone of the prostate with 24-38 cores using a 'sector plan' . Procedures were carried out under general anaesthetic in most patients.• Between January 2007 and August 2011, 634 consecutive patients underwent TPSB for the following indications: prior negative transrectal biopsy (TRB; 174 men); primary biopsy in men at risk of sepsis (153); further evaluation after low-risk disease diagnosed based on a 12-core TRB (307). Results• Prostate cancer was found in 36% of men after a negative TRB; 17% of these had disease solely in anterior sectors.• As a primary diagnostic strategy, prostate cancer was diagnosed in 54% of men (median PSA level was 7.4 ng/mL).• Of men with Gleason 3+3 disease on TRB, 29%were upgraded and went on to have radical treatment.• Postoperative urinary retention occurred in 11 (1.7%) men, two secondary to clots. Per-urethral bleeding requiring hospital stay occurred in two men. There were no cases of urosepsis. Conclusions• TPSB of the prostate has a role in defining disease previously missed or under-diagnosed by TRB. The procedure has low morbidity.

Clearance rates of >90% can be achieved for stones up to 20 mm with flexible ureterorenoscopy and holmium laser lithotripsy, but with larger stones, the stone-free rates reduce significantly. Therefore, 20 mm should be regarded as the upper limit of stone size that can be cleared in a single procedure. Stone density and location do not influence outcome.

ObjectivesTo determine the sensitivity and specificity of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) for significant prostate cancer with transperineal sector biopsy (TPSB) as the reference standard. Patients and MethodsThe study included consecutive patients who presented for TPSB between July 2012 and November 2013 after mpMRI (T2-and diffusion-weighted images, 1.5 Tesla scanner, 8-channel body coil). A specialist uro-radiologist, blinded to clinical details, assigned qualitative prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) scores on a Likert-type scale, denoting the likelihood of significant prostate cancer as follows: 1, highly unlikely; 3, equivocal; and 5, highly likely. TPSBs sampled 24-40 cores (depending on prostate size) per patient. Significant prostate cancer was defined as the presence of Gleason pattern 4 or cancer core length ≥6 mm. ResultsA total of 201 patients were included in the analysis. Indications were: a previous negative transrectal biopsy with continued suspicion of prostate cancer (n = 103); primary biopsy (n = 83); and active surveillance (n = 15). Patients' mean (±SD) age, prostate-specific antigen and prostate volumes were 65 (±7) years, 12.8 (±12.4) ng/mL and 62 (±36) mL, respectively. Overall, biopsies were benign, clinically insignificant and clinically significant in 124 (62%), 20 (10%) and 57 (28%) patients, respectively. Two of 88 men with a PI-RADS score of 1 or 2 had significant prostate cancer, giving a sensitivity of 97% (95% confidence interval [CI] 87-99) and a specificity of 60% (95% CI 51-68) at this threshold. Receiver-operator curve analysis gave an area under the curve of 0.89 (95% CI 0.82-0.92). The negative predictive value of a PI-RADS score of ≤2 for clinically significant prostate cancer was 97.7% ConclusionWe found that PI-RADS scoring performs well as a predictor for biopsy outcome and could be used in the decision-making process for prostate biopsy.