Contemporary Approach to Prostate Imaging and Data Reporting System Score 3 Lesions

Abstract

The aim of this article is to review the technical and clinical considerations encountered with PI-RADS 3 lesions, which are equivocal for clinically significant Prostate Cancer (csPCa) with detection rates ranging between 10% and 35%. The number of PI-RADS 3 lesions reported vary according to several factors including MRI quality and radiologist training/expertise among the most influential. PI-RADS v.2.1 updated definitions for scores 2 and 3 in the PZ and scores 1 and 2 in the TZ is reviewed. The role of DWI role is highlighted in the assessment of the TZ with the possibility of upgrading score 2 lesions to score 3 based on DWI score. Given the increased utilization for prostate MRI, biparametric MRI can be considered as an alternative for low-risk patients where there is a need to rule out csPCa acknowledging this technique may increase the number of indeterminate cases going for biopsies. Management of patients with equivocal lesions at mpMRI and factors influencing biopsy decision process remain as an unmet need and additional studies using molecular/imaging markers as well as artificial intelligence tools are needed to further address their role in proper patient selection for biopsy.

Keywords: MR guided biopsy; PI-RADS 3; PSAD; Prostate cancer; mpMRI.