Background
The value of dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) sequences in prostate MRI compared with noncontrast MRI is controversial.
Purpose
To evaluate the population net benefit of risk stratification using DCE‐MRI for detection of high‐grade prostate cancer (HGPCA), with or without high spatiotemporal resolution DCE imaging.
Study Type
Decision curve analysis.
Population
Previously published patient studies on MRI for HGPCA detection, one using DCE with golden‐angle radial sparse parallel (GRASP) images and the other using standard DCE‐MRI.
Field Strength/Sequence
GRASP or standard DCE‐MRI at 3 T.
Assessment
Each study reported the proportion of lesions with HGPCA in each Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI‐RADS v2) category (1–5), before and after reclassification of peripheral zone lesions from PI‐RADS 3–4 based on contrast‐enhanced images. This additional risk stratifying information was translated to population net benefit, when biopsy was hypothetically performed for: all lesions, no lesions, PI‐RADS ≥3 (using NC‐MRI), and PI‐RADS ≥4 on DCE.
Statistical Tests
Decision curve analysis was performed for both GRASP and standard DCE‐MRI data, translating the avoidance of unnecessary biopsies and detection of HGPCA to population net benefit. We standardized net benefit values for HGPCA prevalence and graphically summarized the comparative net benefit of biopsy strategies.
Results
For a clinically relevant range of risk thresholds for HGPCA (>11%), GRASP DCE‐MRI with biopsy of PI‐RADS ≥4 lesions provided the highest net benefit, while biopsy of PI‐RADS ≥3 lesions provided highest net benefit at low personal risk thresholds (2–11%). In the same range of risk thresholds using standard DCE‐MRI, the optimal strategy was biopsy for all lesions (0–15% risk threshold) or PI‐RADS ≥3 on NC‐MRI (16–33% risk threshold).
Data Conclusion
GRASP DCE‐MRI may potentially enable biopsy of PI‐RADS ≥4 lesions, providing relatively preserved detection of HGPCA and avoidance of unnecessary biopsies compared with biopsy of all PI‐RADS ≥3 lesions.
J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;49:1400–1408.