MRI of pelvic endometriosis: evaluation of the mr#Enzian classification and the importance of adenomyosis subtypes.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the utility of the #Enzian classification in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for endometriosis assessment, focusing on inter-reader agreement, diagnostic accuracy, and the correlation of adenomyosis with deep endometriosis (DE). METHODS: This IRB- approved retrospective single-center study included 412 women who underwent MRI evaluation for endometriosis between February 2017 and June 2022. Two experienced radiologists independently analyzed MRI images using the #Enzian classification and assessed the type of adenomyosis, if any. The surgical #Enzian classification served as the gold standard for evaluating preoperative MRI results of 45 patients. Statistical analysis was performed to assess inter-reader agreement and diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: Inter-reader agreement was substantial to excellent (Cohen's kappa 0.75-0.96) for most compartments except peritoneal involvement (0.39). The preoperative MRI showed mostly substantial to excellent accuracy (0.84-0.98), sensitivity (0.62-1.00), specificity (0.87-1.00), positive (0.58-1.00) and negative predictive values (0.86-1.00) for most compartments, except for peritoneal lesions (0.36, 0.17, 1.00, 1.00, 0.26 respectively). A trend with a higher prevalence of concordant DE in women with MR features of external adenomyosis compared to those with internal adenomyosis was visible (p = 0.067). CONCLUSIONS: The mr#Enzian showed mostly high inter-reader agreement and good diagnostic accuracy for various endometriosis compartments. MRI's role is particularly significant in the context of the current paradigm shift towards medical endometriosis treatment. The inclusion of information about the type of adenomyosis in the mr#Enzian classification could enhance diagnostic accuracy and inform treatment planning.

MRI-based monitoring of prostate cancer after HIFU: Inter-reader agreement and diagnostic performance of the PI-FAB score.

PURPOSE: To investigate inter-reader agreement, and diagnostic performance of the Prostate Imaging after Focal Ablation (PI-FAB) score applied to multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) in patients who underwent focal high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy for localized prostate cancer. METHODS: In this retrospective, IRB-approved, single-center study, 73 men, who underwent focal HIFU treatment and received follow-up mpMRIs with subsequent prostate biopsies, were included. The PI-FAB score was applied to follow-up MRIs at 6, 12, and 36 months post-HIFU by two radiologists with different experience levels. Inter-reader agreement was assessed using Gwet's AC1, and the diagnostic performance of the PI-FAB score was assessed in relation to histopathologic results of subsequent prostate biopsies for each reader. RESULTS: PI-FAB scores showed substantial to almost perfect inter-reader agreement (AC1: 0.80-0.95) and demonstrated high specificity (Reader 1: 90-98 %, Reader 2: 87-98 %) and NPVs (Reader 1: 91-100 %, Reader 2: 88-97 %) in ruling out residual or recurrent in-field prostate cancer post-HIFU. Sensitivity (Reader 1: ≥43 %, Reader 2: ≥14 %) and PPVs (Reader 1: ≥33 %, Reader 2: ≥14 %) were mostly relatively lower, with notable disparities between the two readers, indicating the potential influence of radiologist experience. CONCLUSIONS: The PI-FAB score provides a consistent and reliable tool for post-HIFU monitoring of prostate cancer using mpMRI. It demonstrates substantial to almost perfect inter-reader agreement and is particularly effective in excluding in-field residual or recurrent prostate cancer post-HIFU treatment. Its application can potentially enhance post-treatment patient care, emphasizing its value as a non-invasive MRI-based monitoring approach after focal ablative therapy of the prostate.

BioPrev-C - development and validation of a contemporary prostate cancer risk calculator.

Objectives: To develop a novel biopsy prostate cancer (PCa) prevention calculator (BioPrev-C) using data from a prospective cohort all undergoing mpMRI targeted and transperineal template saturation biopsy. Materials and methods: Data of all men who underwent prostate biopsy in our academic tertiary care center between 11/2016 and 10/2019 was prospectively collected. We developed a clinical prediction model for the detection of high-grade PCa (Gleason score ≥7) based on a multivariable logistic regression model incorporating age, PSA, prostate volume, digital rectal examination, family history, previous negative biopsy, 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor use and MRI PI-RADS score. BioPrev-C performance was externally validated in another prospective Swiss cohort and compared with two other PCa risk-calculators (SWOP-RC and PBCG-RC). Results: Of 391 men in the development cohort, 157 (40.2%) were diagnosed with high-grade PCa. Validation of the BioPrev C revealed good discrimination with an area under the curve for high-grade PCa of 0.88 (95% Confidence Interval 0.82-0.93), which was higher compared to the other two risk calculators (0.71 for PBCG and 0.84 for SWOP). The BioPrev-C revealed good calibration in the low-risk range (0 - 0.25) and moderate overestimation in the intermediate risk range (0.25 - 0.75). The PBCG-RC showed good calibration and the SWOP-RC constant underestimation of high-grade PCa over the whole prediction range. Decision curve analyses revealed a clinical net benefit for the BioPrev-C at a clinical meaningful threshold probability range (≥4%), whereas PBCG and SWOP calculators only showed clinical net benefit above a 30% threshold probability. Conclusion: BiopPrev-C is a novel contemporary risk calculator for the prediction of high-grade PCa. External validation of the BioPrev-C revealed relevant clinical benefit, which was superior compared to other well-known risk calculators. The BioPrev-C has the potential to significantly and safely reduce the number of men who should undergo a prostate biopsy.

Risk factors for prostate cancer in men with false-negative mpMRI: A retrospective single center cohort study of image quality scores and clinical parameters.

PURPOSE: To identify predictors of prostate cancer (PCa) and clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) in men with prior false-negative multiparametric MRI (mpMRI), focusing on image quality scoring systems and clinical parameters. METHODS: In this IRB-approved retrospective single-center study, patients with a negative mpMRI (PI-RADS score ≤2) and subsequent prostate biopsies were included. Histopathological results served as reference standard. Welch's t-Test was conducted to identify significant differences in image quality scores (PI-QUAL and PSHS) between patients with and without PCa/csPCA. In addition, clinical parameters (age, BMI, PSA density) and image quality scores (PI-QUAL and PSHS) were examined as potential predictors of PCa/csPCa detection after a false-negative mpMRI in uni- and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Among 96 patients with negative mpMRI results, 44.8 % had PCa and 16.7 % had csPCa upon biopsy with histopathological confirmation. PI-QUAL scores were significantly lower in patients with PCa (p = 0.03) and csPCa (p = 0.005). PSHS scores were lower in patients with csPCa, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.1). Higher age (p = 0.035) and a lower PI-QUAL score (p < 0.004) were predictors of subsequent csPCa detection upon biopsy, however, a lower PI-QUAL score was the only independent predictor of missed csPCa in false-negative mpMRIs. CONCLUSIONS: Lower image quality scores were associated with missed PCa/csPCa in patients with false-negative mpMRIs, with PI-QUAL being an independent predictor of failed csPCa detection. This highlights the importance of image quality for prostate MRI and advocats the inclusion of its measurement into the standardized report.

Atherosclerosis of the iliac arteries for the prediction of erectile dysfunction and epistaxis in men undergoing abdominal CT scan.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association between erectile dysfunction (ED) as well as epistaxis (ES) in relation to the extent of iliac atherosclerosis. METHODS: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, all consecutive male patients treated at our institution from 01/2016 to 12/2020 undergoing abdominal CT scan were evaluated. Patients (n = 1272) were invited by mail to participate in the study in returning two questionnaires for the evaluation of ED (IIEF-5) and ES. Patients who returned filled-in questionnaires within a 3-month deadline were included in the study. The extent of atherosclerosis in the common iliac artery (CIA) and the internal iliac artery (IIA) was assessed by calcium scoring on unenhanced CT. Stratification of results was performed according to reported IIEF-5 scores and consequential ED groups. RESULTS: In total, 437 patients (34.4% of contacted) met the inclusion criteria. Forty-two patients did not fulfill predefined age requirements (< 75 years) and 120 patients had to be excluded as calcium scoring on nonenhanced CT was not feasible. Finally, 275 patients were included in the analysis and stratified into groups of "no-mild" (n = 146) and "moderate-severe" (n = 129) ED. The calcium score (r=-0.28, p < 0.001) and the number of atherosclerotic lesions (r=-0.32, p < 0.001) in the CIA + IIA showed a significant negative correlation to the IIEF-5 score, respectively. Patients differed significantly in CIA + IIA calcium score (difference: 167.4, p < 0.001) and number of atherosclerotic lesions (difference: 5.00, p < 0.001) when belonging to the "no-mild" vs. "moderate-severe" ED group, respectively. A multivariable regression model, after adjusting for relevant baseline characteristics, showed that the number of atherosclerotic CIA + IIA lesions was an independent predictor of ED (OR = 1.05, p = 0.036), whereas CIA + IIA calcium score was not (OR = 1.00031, p = 0.20). No relevant correlation was found between ES episodes and IIEF-5 scores (r=-0.069, p = 0.25), CIA + IIA calcium score (r=-0.10, p = 0.87) or number of atherosclerotic CIA + IIA lesions (r=-0.032, p = 0.60), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The number of atherosclerotic lesions in the iliac arteries on nonenhanced abdominal CT scans is associated with the severity of ED. This may be used to identify subclinical cardiovascular disease and to quantify the risk for cardiovascular hazards in the future. TRIAL REGISTRATION: BASEC-Nr. 2020 - 01637.

[Radiological imaging following pelvic prolapse surgery]. / Bildgebung des postoperativen Beckenbodens.

CLINICAL/METHODICAL ISSUE: Pelvic organ prolapse is a common condition in women, for which both conservative and surgical interventions are available. Knowledge of the different surgical procedures and the materials used is essential for adequate radiological diagnosis after prolapse surgery in order to differentiate potential complications from normal postoperative changes. STANDARD RADIOLOGICAL METHODS: In the immediate postoperative period, computed tomography (CT) is often the modality of choice for evaluating acute complications such as bleeding or organ injuries. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides excellent soft tissue contrast and is therefore generally preferred for assessing subacute and chronic complications. METHODICAL INNOVATIONS: Innovative techniques such as dynamic MRI protocols can improve the radiological assessment after prolapse surgery by enabling the evaluation of organ mobility. PERFORMANCE: Radiological standard procedures such as computed tomography (CT) and MRI provide detailed and reliable information about the postoperative site and potential complications following prolapse surgery. ACHIEVEMENTS: Radiological imaging plays an important role in the evaluation of patients after prolapse surgery, particularly when complications are suspected. Accurate radiological diagnosis can guide further appropriate therapeutic measures.

Prediction of pelvic lymph node metastases and PSMA PET positive pelvic lymph nodes with multiparametric MRI and clinical information in primary staging of prostate cancer.

Purpose: To compare the accuracy of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI), 68Ga-PSMA PET and the Briganti 2019 nomogram in the prediction of metastatic pelvic lymph nodes (PLN) in prostate cancer, to assess the accuracy of mpMRI and the Briganti nomogram in prediction of PET positive PLN and to investigate the added value of quantitative mpMRI parameters to the Briganti nomogram. Method: This retrospective IRB-approved study included 41 patients with prostate cancer undergoing mpMRI and 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT or MR prior to prostatectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection. A board-certified radiologist assessed the index lesion on diffusion-weighted (Apparent Diffusion Coefficient, ADC; mean/volume), T2-weighted (capsular contact length, lesion volume/maximal diameters) and contrast-enhanced (iAUC, kep, Ktrans, ve) sequences. The probability for metastatic pelvic lymph nodes was calculated using the Briganti 2019 nomogram. PET examinations were evaluated by two board-certified nuclear medicine physicians. Results: The Briganti 2019 nomogram performed superiorly (AUC: 0.89) compared to quantitative mpMRI parameters (AUCs: 0.47-0.73) and 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET (AUC: 0.82) in the prediction of PLN metastases and superiorly (AUC: 0.77) in the prediction of PSMA PET positive PLN compared to MRI parameters (AUCs: 0.49-0.73). The addition of mean ADC and ADC volume from mpMRI improved the Briganti model by a fraction of new information of 0.21. Conclusions: The Briganti 2019 nomogram performed superiorly in the prediction of metastatic and PSMA PET positive PLN, but the addition of parameters from mpMRI can further improve its accuracy. The combined model could be used to stratify patients requiring ePLND or PSMA PET.

Transurethral injection of autologous muscle precursor cells for treatment of female stress urinary incontinence: a prospective phase I clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The purpose was to investigate the safety and feasibility of transurethral injections of autologous muscle precursor cells (MPCs) into the external urinary sphincter (EUS) to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in female patients. METHODS: Prospective and randomised phase I clinical trial. Standardised 1-h pad test, International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF), urodynamic study, and MRI of the pelvis were performed at baseline and 6 months after treatment. MPCs gained through open muscle biopsy were transported to a GMP facility for processing and cell expansion. The final product was injected into the EUS via a transurethral ultrasound-guided route. Primary outcomes were defined as any adverse events (AEs) during follow-up. Secondary outcomes were functional, questionnaire, and radiological results. RESULTS: Ten female patients with SUI grades I-II were included in the study and 9 received treatment. Out of 8 AEs, 3 (37.5%) were potentially related to treatment and treated conservatively: 1 urinary tract infection healed with antibiotics treatment, 1 dysuria and 1 discomfort at biopsy site. Functional urethral length under stress was 25 mm at baseline compared with 30 mm at 6 months' follow-up (p=0.009). ICIQ-UI-SF scores improved from 7 points at baseline to 4 points at follow-up (p=0.035). MRI of the pelvis revealed no evidence of tumour or necrosis, whereas the diameter of the EUS muscle increased from 1.8 mm at baseline to 1.9 mm at follow-up (p=0.009). CONCLUSION: Transurethral injections of autologous MPCs into the EUS for treatment of SUI in female patients can be regarded as safe and feasible. Only a minimal number of expected and easily treatable AEs were documented.

Index lesion contouring on prostate MRI for targeted MRI/US fusion biopsy - Evaluation of mismatch between radiologists and urologists.

PURPOSE: Mistargeting of focal lesions due to inaccurate segmentations can lead to false-negative findings on MRI-guided targeted biopsies. The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine inter-reader agreement of prostate index lesion segmentations from actual biopsy data between urologists and radiologists. METHOD: Consecutive patients undergoing transperineal MRI-targeted prostate biopsy for PI-RADS 3-5 lesions between January 2020 and December 2021 were included. Agreement between segmentations on T2w-images between urologists and radiologists was assessed with Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and 95 % Hausdorff distance (95 % HD). Differences in similarity scores were compared using Wilcoxon test. Differences depending on lesion features (size, zonal location, PI-RADS scores, lesion distinctness) were tested with Mann-Whitney U test. Correlation with prostate signal-intensity homogeneity score (PSHS) and lesion size was tested with Spearman's rank correlation. RESULTS: Ninety-three patients (mean age 64.9 ± 7.1y, median serum PSA 6.5 [4.33-10.00]) were included. Mean similarity scores were statistically significantly lower between urologists and radiologists compared to radiologists only (DSC 0.41 ± 0.24 vs. 0.59 ± 0.23, p < 0.01; 95 %HD 6.38 ± 5.45 mm vs. 4.47 ± 4.12 mm, p < 0.01). There was a moderate and strong positive correlation between DSC scores and lesion size for segmentations from urologists and radiologists (ρ = 0.331, p = 0.002) and radiologists only (ρ = 0.501, p < 0.001). Similarity scores were worse in lesions ≤ 10 mm while other lesion features did not significantly influence similarity scores. CONCLUSION: There is significant mismatch of prostate index lesion segmentations between urologists and radiologists. Segmentation agreement positively correlates with lesion size. PI-RADS scores, zonal location, lesion distinctness, and PSHS show no significant impact on segmentation agreement. These findings could underpin benefits of perilesional biopsies.

Multi-reader evaluation of different image quality scoring systems in prostate MRI.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate different image quality scoring systems in the assessment of factors limiting diagnostic accuracy of prostate MRI. METHODS: This retrospective IRB-approved study included 281 patients undergoing prostate MRI prior to biopsy. Four readers (2 experienced, 2 novice) independently reviewed all MRI examinations (n = 295) and assigned scores for subjective image quality (1-5; 1:poor, 5:excellent), the PI-QUAL and the PSHS scoring system. The original PI-RADS scores were extracted from the report and transperineal template saturation biopsy served as histopathological reference. RESULTS: Inter-reader agreement was found to be good, with PSHS showing highest agreement (kappa: 0.65). The PSHS scoring system performed well assessing the influence of image quality on sensitivity of MR for clinically-significant cancer for the experienced readers using a PI-RADS score cut-off ≥ 3/≥4, as did the PI-QUAL scoring system with a PI-RADS cut-off ≥ 4. For the less experienced radiologist, this was true for PSHS (clinically-significant and all cancers) and PI-QUAL scores (clinically-significant cancers) for a PI-RADS score ≥ 3. PSHS scores were positively associated with the detection of clinically-significant cancer based on a PI-RADS cut-off ≥ 4, OR 1.86 (95 % CI 1.22-2.82), and had the highest Somers' D. CONCLUSIONS: The PSHS scoring system performed well in assessing the effect of image quality on detection rates, as did the PI-QUAL system. Since both systems focus on different aspects of image quality, their incorporation into prostate MRI reports could further enhance standardization and allow for a reliable assessment of image quality as a potential confounder in prostate MRI.

Evaluation of cancer outcome assessment using MRI: A review of deep-learning methods.

Accurate evaluation of tumor response to treatment is critical to allow personalized treatment regimens according to the predicted response and to support clinical trials investigating new therapeutic agents by providing them with an accurate response indicator. Recent advances in medical imaging, computer hardware, and machine-learning algorithms have resulted in the increased use of these tools in the field of medicine as a whole and specifically in cancer imaging for detection and characterization of malignant lesions, prognosis, and assessment of treatment response. Among the currently available imaging techniques, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays an important role in the evaluation of treatment assessment of many cancers, given its superior soft-tissue contrast and its ability to allow multiplanar imaging and functional evaluation. In recent years, deep learning (DL) has become an active area of research, paving the way for computer-assisted clinical and radiological decision support. DL can uncover associations between imaging features that cannot be visually identified by the naked eye and pertinent clinical outcomes. The aim of this review is to highlight the use of DL in the evaluation of tumor response assessed on MRI. In this review, we will first provide an overview of common DL architectures used in medical imaging research in general. Then, we will review the studies to date that have applied DL to magnetic resonance imaging for the task of treatment response assessment. Finally, we will discuss the challenges and opportunities of using DL within the clinical workflow.

68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/MRI versus multiparametric MRI in men referred for prostate biopsy: primary tumour localization and interreader agreement.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is recommended by the European Urology Association guidelines as the standard modality for imaging-guided biopsy. Recently positron emission tomography with prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA PET) has shown promising results as a tool for this purpose. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of positron emission tomography with prostate-specific membrane antigen/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) using the gallium-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (68Ga-PSMA-11) and multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) for pre-biopsy tumour localization and interreader agreement for visual and semiquantitative analysis. Semiquantitative parameters included apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and maximum lesion diameter for mpMRI and standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and PSMA-positive volume (PSMAvol) for PSMA PET/MRI. RESULTS: Sensitivity and specificity were 61.4% and 92.9% for mpMRI and 66.7% and 92.9% for PSMA PET/MRI for reader one, respectively. RPE was available in 23 patients and 41 of 47 quadrants with discrepant findings. Based on RPE results, the specificity for both imaging modalities increased to 98% and 99%, and the sensitivity improved to 63.9% and 72.1% for mpMRI and PSMA PET/MRI, respectively. Both modalities yielded a substantial interreader agreement for primary tumour localization (mpMRI kappa = 0.65 (0.52-0.79), PSMA PET/MRI kappa = 0.73 (0.61-0.84)). ICC for SUVmax, PSMAvol and lesion diameter were almost perfect (≥ 0.90) while for ADC it was only moderate (ICC = 0.54 (0.04-0.78)). ADC and lesion diameter did not correlate significantly with Gleason score (ρ = 0.26 and ρ = 0.16) while SUVmax and PSMAvol did (ρ = - 0.474 and ρ = - 0.468). CONCLUSIONS: PSMA PET/MRI has similar accuracy and reliability to mpMRI regarding primary prostate cancer (PCa) localization. In our cohort, semiquantitative parameters from PSMA PET/MRI correlated with tumour grade and were more reliable than the ones from mpMRI.

Abbreviated MR Protocols in Prostate MRI.

Prostate MRI is an integral part of the clinical work-up in biopsy-naïve patients with suspected prostate cancer, and its use has been increasing steadily over the last years. To further its general availability and the number of men benefitting from it and to reduce the costs associated with MR, several approaches have been developed to shorten examination times, e.g., by focusing on sequences that provide the most useful information, employing new technological achievements, or improving the workflow in the MR suite. This review highlights these approaches; discusses their implications, advantages, and disadvantages; and serves as a starting point whenever an abbreviated prostate MRI protocol is being considered for implementation in clinical routine.

MRI Characteristics of Pediatric Renal Tumors: A SIOP-RTSG Radiology Panel Delphi Study.

BACKGROUND: The SIOP-Renal Tumor Study Group (RTSG) does not advocate invasive procedures to determine histology before the start of therapy. This may induce misdiagnosis-based treatment initiation, but only for a relatively small percentage of approximately 10% of non-Wilms tumors (non-WTs). MRI could be useful for reducing misdiagnosis, but there is no global consensus on differentiating characteristics. PURPOSE: To identify MRI characteristics that may be used for discrimination of newly diagnosed pediatric renal tumors. STUDY TYPE: Consensus process using a Delphi method. POPULATION: Not applicable. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: Abdominal MRI including T1- and T2-weighted imaging, contrast-enhanced MRI, and diffusion-weighted imaging at 1.5 or 3 T. ASSESSMENT: Twenty-three radiologists from the SIOP-RTSG radiology panel with ≥5 years of experience in MRI of pediatric renal tumors and/or who had assessed ≥50 MRI scans of pediatric renal tumors in the past 5 years identified potentially discriminatory characteristics in the first questionnaire. These characteristics were scored in the subsequent second round, consisting of 5-point Likert scales, ranking- and multiple choice questions. STATISTICAL TESTS: The cut-off value for consensus and agreement among the majority was ≥75% and ≥60%, respectively, with a median of ≥4 on the Likert scale. RESULTS: Consensus on specific characteristics mainly concerned the discrimination between WTs and non-WTs, and WTs and nephrogenic rest(s) (NR)/nephroblastomatosis. The presence of bilateral lesions (75.0%) and NR/nephroblastomatosis (65.0%) were MRI characteristics indicated as specific for the diagnosis of a WT, and 91.3% of the participants agreed that MRI is useful to distinguish NR/nephroblastomatosis from WT. Furthermore, all participants agreed that age influenced their prediction in the discrimination of pediatric renal tumors. DATA CONCLUSION: Although the discrimination of pediatric renal tumors based on MRI remains challenging, this study identified some specific characteristics for tumor subtypes, based on the shared opinion of experts. These results may guide future validation studies and innovative efforts. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Technical Efficacy Stage: 3.

The timing of initial imaging in testicular cancer: impact on radiological findings and clinical decision making.

BACKGROUND: In testicular cancer determination of clinical stage and recommendation of therapeutic strategy after inguinal orchiectomy are based on primary imaging by CT-scan of the chest and CT- or MRI-abdomen. It has not been investigated so far whether the imaging should be performed before or after primary testicular surgery. Staging before surgery means exposing all patients to CT radiation irrespective of ensured histologic malignancy while postoperative staging could pose a risk in biased clinical decision making by increased presence of unspecific lymph node enlargement caused by postsurgical effects. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between the timing of initial staging and occurrence of unspecific lymph node enlargement and adjuvant therapies after inguinal orchiectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated clinical and radiological data from 236 patients who had undergone inguinal orchiectomy for testicular cancer at our department. Statistical analysis was performed to determine whether the occurrence of unspecific lymph node enlargement or the rate of adjuvant therapies were influenced by timing of initial staging (preoperative vs. postoperative). RESULTS: The postoperative imaging cohort showed significant more inguinal, pelvic and retroperitoneal unspecific lymph node enlargement than the preoperative imaging cohort. Simultaneous occurrence of inguinal or pelvic lymph node enlargement together with retroperitoneal enlargements could only be found in the postoperative imaging cohort. No difference regarding adjuvant therapies could be found. CONCLUSIONS: Timing of imaging affects the detection rate of unspecific lymph node enlargements but does not show a significant effect on the rate of adjuvant therapies.

Primary staging in patients with intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer: Multiparametric MRI and 68Ga-PSMA-PET/MRI - What is the value of quantitative data from multiparametric MRI alone or in conjunction with clinical information?

PURPOSE: Comparing mpMRI and 68Ga-PSMA-PET/MRI in primary staging of PCa and investigating the value of quantitative mpMRI-measurements for prediction of extracapsular extension and N-metastases. METHODS: Patients with PCa undergoing 68Ga-PSMA-PET/MRI and mpMRI during January 2016 to February 2019 were retrospectively included. Two readers each on 68Ga-PSMA-PET/MRI or mpMRI rated extraprostatic extension (≥T3) and regional lymph-node-metastasis (N1) on a Likert-scale. A fifth reader measured tumor volume, maximum diameter, and capsular contact length on mpMRI. Probability of lymph-node-metastasis was additionally calculated using the 2018 Briganti model. Interobserver-agreement was assessed by squared Cohen's kappa, and diagnostic accuracy was determined using radical prostatectomy (n = 35/49) as reference standard. RESULTS: 49 patients (median age 66 years [IQR: 61-72 years]) were evaluated. Interobserver-agreement for mpMRI and 68Ga-PSMA-PET/MRI was: ≥T3: κ = 0.58/0.47; N1: κ = 0.55/0.92. Diagnostic accuracy for mpMRI vs 68Ga-PSMA-PET/MRI readers for ≥ T3 was AUC: 0.72, 0.62 vs 0.71, 0.72 (p > 0.38) and for N1 was AUC: 0.39, 0.55 vs 0.72, 0.78 (p < 0.01). Quantitative parameters delivered diagnostic accuracies of: AUC: 0.70-0.72 for ≥ T3. The 2018 Briganti model achieved an AUC of 0.89 for N1. CONCLUSIONS: Interreader-agreement regarding ≥ T3 was similar for mpMRI and 68Ga-PSMA-PET/MRI while for N1 it was higher for 68Ga-PSMA-PET/MRI. Diagnostic accuracy was comparable for ≥ T3 while for N1 it was higher in 68Ga-PSMA-PET/MRI and the 2018 Briganti model. Combining clinical data and quantitative data from mpMRI in the 2018 Briganti model yielded the highest AUC for prediction of lymph node metastasis and may aid in selecting patients who will benefit from 68Ga-PSMA-PET/MRI for primary staging.

Improving workflow in prostate MRI: AI-based decision-making on biparametric or multiparametric MRI.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate an artificial intelligence algorithm to decide on the necessity of dynamic contrast-enhanced sequences (DCE) in prostate MRI. METHODS: This study was approved by the institutional review board and requirement for study-specific informed consent was waived. A convolutional neural network (CNN) was developed on 300 prostate MRI examinations. Consensus of two expert readers on the necessity of DCE acted as reference standard. The CNN was validated in a separate cohort of 100 prostate MRI examinations from the same vendor and 31 examinations from a different vendor. Sensitivity/specificity were calculated using ROC curve analysis and results were compared to decisions made by a radiology technician. RESULTS: The CNN reached a sensitivity of 94.4% and specificity of 68.8% (AUC: 0.88) for the necessity of DCE, correctly assigning 44%/34% of patients to a biparametric/multiparametric protocol. In 2% of all patients, the CNN incorrectly decided on omitting DCE. With a technician reaching a sensitivity of 63.9% and specificity of 89.1%, the use of the CNN would allow for an increase in sensitivity of 30.5%. The CNN achieved an AUC of 0.73 in a set of examinations from a different vendor. CONCLUSIONS: The CNN would have correctly assigned 78% of patients to a biparametric or multiparametric protocol, with only 2% of all patients requiring re-examination to add DCE sequences. Integrating this CNN in clinical routine could render the requirement for on-table monitoring obsolete by performing contrast-enhanced MRI only when needed.

[Dignity of Small Renal Masses: Implications for Diagnostics and Therapy]. / Dignität kleiner Nierentumoren: Implikationen zur Abklärung und Therapie.

Dignity of Small Renal Masses: Implications for Diagnostics and Therapy Abstract. The ubiquitous availability of radiological imaging has increased the diagnosis of renal incidentalomas with a diameter ≤4 cm. If malignancy is suspected, these are often treated surgically without prior biopsy. However, several studies demonstrate a relevant proportion of benign tumors, equating to a degree of overtreatment. There are no Swiss data available. Renal tumors resected in our center between 2006 and 2014 (n = 404) were retrospectively examined for size on cross-sectional imaging and their respective histology, identifying 221 (54.7 %) small renal masses with a diameter ≤4 cm. Of these, 62 (28 %) were benign and three (1.4 %) were of unclear or low malignant potential. Among the remaining 156 malignancies, 116 (74.4 %) were classified as prognostically favorable, allowing for active surveillance, if the patient's clinical context allows.

Value of bowel preparation techniques for prostate MRI: a preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: Bowel preparation before multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) of the prostate is performed widely, despite contradictory or no evidence for efficacy. PURPOSE: To investigate the value of hyoscine N-butylbromide (HBB), microenema (ME) and 'dietary restrictions' (DR) for artifact reduction and image quality (IQ) in mpMRI of the prostate. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. POPULATION: Between 10/2018 and 02/2020 treatment-naïve men (median age, 64.9; range 39.8-87.3) who underwent mpMRI of the prostate were included. The total patient sample comprised of n = 180 patients, who received either HBB, ME, were instructed to adhere to DR, or received a combination of those measures prior to the MR scan. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: T2-weighted imaging (T2w), diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) scanned on two 3T systems. ASSESSMENT: A radiologist specialized in urogenital imaging (R1) and a senior radiology resident (R2) visually assessed IQ parameters on transversal T2w, DWI and ADC maps on a 5-point Likert-like scale. STATISTICAL TESTS: Group comparison between IQ parameters was performed on reader level using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Binary univariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess independent predictors of IQ. Interrater agreement was assessed using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: 'DWI geometric distortion' was significantly more pronounced in the HBB+/ME-/DR- (R1, 3.6 and R2, 4.0) as compared to the HBB-/ME+/DR- (R1, 4.2 and R2, 4.6) and HBB+/ME+/DR- (R1, 4.3 and R2, 4.7) cohort, respectively. Parameters 'DWI IQ' and 'Whole MRI IQ' were rated similarly by both readers. ME was a significant independent predictor of 'good IQ' for the whole MRI for R1 [b = 1.09, OR 2.98 (95% CI 1.29, 6.87)] and R2 [b = 1.01, OR 2.73 (95% CI 1.24, 6.04)], respectively. DATA CONCLUSION: ME seems to significantly improve image quality of DWI and the whole mpMRI image set of the prostate. HBB and DR did not have any benefit.