Purpose: HistoScanning™ (HS) is an ultrasound-based tissue characterization technique with encouraging results in the detection of prostate cancer (PCa). The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of total tumor volume measured by HS (TVHS) in patients with PCa.
Methods: In 148 patients with proven PCa, TVHS was measured prior to radical prostatectomy and compared with the total tumor volume in the final pathological report (TVP) using the rank-based spearman correlation test. Correlation was performed after stratification of the results by d'Amico risk categories, prostate volume, experience of HS examiner, distance of the ultrasound probe to the prostate (≤3.5 and >3.5 mm) and quality of initial HS. In addition, a re-analysis of HS data was performed by a single examiner and the TVHS from the unmodified HS data was acquired.
Results: TVP was approximately twofold higher compared to TVHS. Overall, there was no significant correlation (r s = -0.0083, p = 0.9) for the TVP and the TVHS. After adjusting for d'Amico risk categories, prostate volume, experience of examiner, distance of the ultrasound probe to the prostate and quality of initial HS, no significant correlation was found. After re-analyzing of all HS data by 1 examiner, the correlation remained not significant (r s = 0.039, p = 0.6).
Conclusions: TVHS and TVP did not correlate in this cohort of patients. We cannot recommend the use of HS at least for imaging of the total tumor volume at this time. The controversial findings for prostate HS should initiate more studies to clarify these discrepancies.