A scoring diagnostic system based on biparametric ultrasound features for prostate cancer risk assessment

Xiu Liu; Hang Zhou; Xinzhi Xu; Ying Li; Ruixia Hong; Kaifeng Huang; Hao Shi; Fang Li

doi:10.21037/qims-22-1354

A scoring diagnostic system based on biparametric ultrasound features for prostate cancer risk assessment

Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2023 Jun 1;13(6):3703-3715. doi: 10.21037/qims-22-1354. Epub 2023 Apr 11.

Authors

Xiu Liu^#^{1

2}, Hang Zhou^#^{2

3}, Xinzhi Xu^{2

3}, Ying Li^{2

3}, Ruixia Hong^{2

3}, Kaifeng Huang^{2

3}, Hao Shi², Fang Li^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China.
² Department of Ultrasound, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China.
³ Chongqing Key Laboratory for Intelligent Oncology in Breast Cancer (iCQBC), Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Ultrasound has advantages in prostate cancer (PCa) detection and biopsy guidance but lacks a comprehensive quantitative evaluation model with multiparametric features. We aimed to construct a biparametric ultrasound (BU) scoring system for PCa risk assessment and to provide an option for clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) detection.

Methods: From January 2015 to December 2020, 392 consecutive patients at Chongqing University Cancer Hospital who underwent BU (grayscale, Doppler flow imaging, and contrast-enhanced ultrasound) and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) before biopsy were retrospectively enrolled in the training set to construct the scoring system. From January 2021 to May 2022, 166 consecutive patients at Chongqing University Cancer Hospital were retrospectively enrolled in the validation set. The ultrasound system was compared with mpMRI, and the gold standard was a biopsy. The primary outcome was the detection of csPCa in any area with a Gleason score (GS) ≥3+4, and the secondary outcome was defined as a GS ≥4+3 and/or maximum cancer core length (MCCL) ≥6 mm.

Results: Malignant association features in the nonenhanced biparametric ultrasound (NEBU) scoring system included echogenicity, capsule, and gland asymmetrical vascularity. In the biparametric ultrasound scoring system (BUS), the feature of contrast agent arrival time was added. In the training set, the area under the curves (AUCs) of the NEBU scoring system, BUS, and mpMRI were 0.86 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.82-0.90], 0.86 (95% CI: 0.82-0.90), and 0.86 (95% CI: 0.83-0.90), respectively (P>0.05). Similar results were also observed in the validation set, in which the areas under the curves were 0.89 (95% CI: 0.84-0.94), 0.90 (95% CI: 0.85-0.95), and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.82-0.94), respectively (P>0.05).

Conclusions: We constructed a BUS that showed efficacy and value for csPCa diagnosis as compared with mpMRI. However, in limited circumstances, the NEBU scoring system may also be an option.

Keywords: Imaging; biparametric ultrasound (BU); biparametric ultrasound scoring system (BUS); multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI); prostate cancer (PCa).