App-based Therapy of Erectile Dysfunction Using a Digital Health Application (EDDIG Study): A Randomized, Single-blind, Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: While international guidelines advocate for a multifaceted approach to treating erectile dysfunction (ED) involving physical activities, psychological support, and education, structured programs are infrequent. To address this gap, an app-based therapy was developed, offering a systematic approach. This randomized, single-blind controlled trial aimed to assess the effectiveness of an app-based therapeutic in improving ED. METHODS: A total of 241 patients (49.74, standard deviation 12.73 yr) with ED (International Index of Erectile Function [IIEF]-5 <22) were randomized to the 12-wk app-based therapy (treatment group [TG], n = 122) or a waiting list for the app with continuation of their current management protocol (control group [CG], n = 119). Patients on long-term medication for ED were included, but subsequent exclusion occurred for those starting new medication. Coprimary endpoints were improvements from baseline to 12 wk in erectile function (IIEF-5), disease-related quality of life (QOL-Med-15), and patient activation (Patient Activation Measure [PAM-13]). KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS: Erectile function (IIEF-5) improved by 4.5 points in the TG versus 0.2 points in the CG (p < 0.0001, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.4-5.0) group. Quality of life (QOL-Med) improved by 20.5 points in the TG versus -0.0 points in the CG (p < 0.0001, 95% CI 19.2-26.0) group. Patient activation (PAM-13) improved by 11.2 points in the TG versus 0.6 points in the CG (p < 0.0001, 95% CI 9.1-13.6) group. Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor intake had no influence on all observed treatment effects. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: App-based therapy of patients with ED provided a significant, clinically meaningful improvement. Quality of life and patient activation were also enhanced significantly. This program has the potential to change clinical practice in the treatment of ED. PATIENT SUMMARY: A therapy app improved sexual function and overall well-being for men experiencing erectile dysfunction, leading to better quality of life.

Transplant nephrectomy: indication, surgical approach and complications-experiences from a single transplantation center.

PURPOSE: Management of a failed kidney allograft, and the question whether it should be removed is a challenging task for clinicians. The reported risks for transplant nephrectomy (TN) vary, and there is no clear recommendation on indications or surgical approach that should be used. This study gives an overview of indications, compares surgical techniques, and identifies risk factors for higher morbidity. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was conducted on all transplant nephrectomies performed between 2005 and 2020 at Charité Hospital Berlin, Department of Urology. Patient demographics, laboratory parameters, graft survival data, indication for TN, and surgical complications were extracted from medical reports. RESULTS: A total of 195 TN were performed, with graft intolerance syndrome being the most common indication in 52 patients (26.7%), acute rejection in 36 (18.5%), acute infection in 30 (15.4%), and other reasons to stop immunosuppression in 26 patients (13.3%). Rare indications were vascular complications in 16 (8.2%) and malignancies in the allograft in six (3.1%) cases. Extracapsular surgical approach was significantly more often used in cases of vascular complications and earlier allograft removal, but there was no difference in complication rates between extra- and intracapsular approach. Acute infection was identified as an independent risk factor for a complication grade IIIb or higher according to Clavien-Dindo classification, with a HR of 12.3 (CI 2.2-67.7; p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Transplant nephrectomy should only be performed when there is a good indication, and non-elective surgery should be avoided, when possible, as it increases morbidity.

Reduction of false positives using zone-specific prostate-specific antigen density for prostate MRI-based biopsy decision strategies.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and test zone-specific prostate-specific antigen density (sPSAD) combined with PI-RADS to guide prostate biopsy decision strategies (BDS). METHODS: This retrospective study included consecutive patients, who underwent prostate MRI and biopsy (01/2012-10/2018). The whole gland and transition zone (TZ) were segmented at MRI using a retrained deep learning system (DLS; nnU-Net) to calculate PSAD and sPSAD, respectively. Additionally, sPSAD and PI-RADS were combined in a BDS, and diagnostic performances to detect Grade Group ≥ 2 (GG ≥ 2) prostate cancer were compared. Patient-based cancer detection using sPSAD was assessed by bootstrapping with 1000 repetitions and reported as area under the curve (AUC). Clinical utility of the BDS was tested in the hold-out test set using decision curve analysis. Statistics included nonparametric DeLong test for AUCs and Fisher-Yates test for remaining performance metrics. RESULTS: A total of 1604 patients aged 67 (interquartile range, 61-73) with 48% GG ≥ 2 prevalence (774/1604) were evaluated. By employing DLS-based prostate and TZ volumes (DICE coefficients of 0.89 (95% confidence interval, 0.80-0.97) and 0.84 (0.70-0.99)), GG ≥ 2 detection using PSAD was inferior to sPSAD (AUC, 0.71 (0.68-0.74)/0.73 (0.70-0.76); p < 0.001). Combining PI-RADS with sPSAD, GG ≥ 2 detection specificity doubled from 18% (10-20%) to 43% (30-44%; p < 0.001) with similar sensitivity (93% (89-96%)/97% (94-99%); p = 0.052), when biopsies were taken in PI-RADS 4-5 and 3 only if sPSAD was ≥ 0.42 ng/mL/cc as compared to all PI-RADS 3-5 cases. Additionally, using the sPSAD-based BDS, false positives were reduced by 25% (123 (104-142)/165 (146-185); p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Using sPSAD to guide biopsy decisions in PI-RADS 3 lesions can reduce false positives at MRI while maintaining high sensitivity for GG ≥ 2 cancers. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Transition zone-specific prostate-specific antigen density can improve the accuracy of prostate cancer detection compared to MRI assessments alone, by lowering false-positive cases without significantly missing men with ISUP GG ≥ 2 cancers. KEY POINTS: • Prostate biopsy decision strategies using PI-RADS at MRI are limited by a substantial proportion of false positives, not yielding grade group ≥ 2 prostate cancer. • PI-RADS combined with transition zone (TZ)-specific prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) decreased the number of unproductive biopsies by 25% compared to PI-RADS only. • TZ-specific PSAD also improved the specificity of MRI-directed biopsies by 9% compared to the whole gland PSAD, while showing identical sensitivity.

[Quality of life and outcome after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP)]. / Lebensqualität und Outcome nach Holmiumlaserenukleation der Prostata (HoLEP).

BACKGROUND: Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP) was established 20 years ago as an alternative to Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TUR-P) based on improved morbidity in patients with benign prostate syndrome (BPS). HoLEP can be applied independently to almost all sizes of prostate glands and is recommended in national and international guidelines. Although the HoLEP procedure has a good reputation, many patients still prefer conservative treatment due to fears of side-effects such as pain and urinary incontinence. The aim of this study was to identify patients' feelings, fears and perception of their HoLEP treatment based on Patient-reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) via questionnaires. MATERIAL UND METHODS: During the time period from June to December 2020, 152 consecutive patients were treated by HoLEP due to BPS and were interviewed based on questionnaires right after their surgical treatment and 3 months later concerning their satisfaction as well as micturition and continence. Based on a written informed consent, 112 patients were included in the study, and a complete 3-month follow-up was available for 88 patients. RESULTS: The mean volume of enucleated prostate tissue was 62.1 [g] and the mean prostate volume estimated pre-operatively (trans-rectal ultrasound) was 83.1 [cm3]. Overall patient-reported satisfaction with the hospital stay including surgical treatment was 94.6%; after 3 months it was 91.8%. Concerning micturition, 76.5% of the patients reported satisfaction after surgery and 80.4% were satisfied after 3 months. Urinary incontinence was reported in 8.3% initially and in 9.1% after 3 months. Positive answers to questions concerning the quality of life index [L] were obtained in 62.1% initially and their number increased to 85.7% after 3 months. The share of negative answers decreased from 11.7% after surgery to 3.4% within the 3-month follow-up. DISCUSSION: HoLEP is a well-established treatment of BPS with lower side-effects compared with TUR-P according to the literature. To address doubts and misgivings, it is important to perform surveys on subjective patient satisfaction after the surgical procedure and over time. The high patient satisfaction could help future patients and the urologists treating them to establish the indication for HoLEP treatment earlier in order to avoid severe LUTS or catheterization.

Follow-up of men with a PI-RADS 4/5 lesion after negative MRI/Ultrasound fusion biopsy.

Magnetic resonance imaging/Ultrasound (MRI/US) fusion targeted biopsy (TB) in combination with a systematic biopsy (SB) improves cancer detection but limited data is available how to manage patients with a Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) ≥ 4 lesion and a negative biopsy. We evaluate the real-world management and the rate of clinically significant Prostate Cancer (csPCa) during follow-up. 1546 patients with a multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) and a PI-RADS ≥ 3 who underwent SB and TB between January 2012 and May 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. 222 men with a PI-RADS ≥ 4 and a negative biopsy were included until 2019. For 177/222 (80%) complete follow-up data was obtained. 66/84 (78%) had an initial PI-RADS 4 and 18 (22%) a PI-RADS 5 lesion. 48% (84/177) received a repeat mpMRI; in the follow-up mpMRI, 39/84 (46%) lesions were downgraded to PI-RADS 2 and 11 (13%) to PI-RADS 3; three cases were upgraded and 28 lesions remained consistent. 18% (32/177) men underwent repeated TB and csPCa was detected in 44% (14/32). Our study presents real world data on the management of men with a negative TB biopsy. Men with a positive mpMRI and lesions with high suspicion (PI-RADS4/5) and a negative targeted biopsy should be critically reviewed and considered for repeat biopsy or strict surveillance. The optimal clinical risk assessment remains to be further evaluated.

Kidney Perfusion in Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) Correlates with Renal Function in Living Kidney Donors.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a widely used diagnostic tool for analyzing perfusion and characterizing lesions in several organs. However, to date, it has not been sufficiently investigated whether there is an association between CEUS findings and kidney function. This study aimed at identifying the potential relationship between kidney function and the renal perfusion status determined by CEUS in living kidney donors. A total of 30 living kidney donors examined between April 2018 and March 2020 were included in the study. All patients underwent various diagnostic procedures for evaluation of renal function. CEUS was performed in all 30 donors one day before nephrectomy. Kidney perfusion was quantified using a postprocessing tool (VueBox, Bracco Imaging). Various perfusion parameters were subsequently analyzed and compared with the results of the other methods used to evaluate kidney function. Of all parameters, mean signal intensity (MeanLin) had the strongest correlation, showing significant correlations with eGFR (CG) (r = -0.345; p = 0.007) and total kidney volume (r = -0.409; p = 0.001). While there was no significant correlation between any perfusion parameter and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), we detected a significant correlation between MeanLin and DTPA (r = -0.502; p = 0.005) in the subgroup of normal-weight donors. The results indicate that signal intensity in CEUS is associated with kidney function in normal-weight individuals. Body mass index (BMI) may be a potential confounder of signal intensity in CEUS. Thus, more research is needed to confirm these results in larger study populations.

Prediction of prostate cancer grade using fractal analysis of perfusion MRI: retrospective proof-of-principle study.

OBJECTIVES: Multiparametric MRI has high diagnostic accuracy for detecting prostate cancer, but non-invasive prediction of tumor grade remains challenging. Characterizing tumor perfusion by exploiting the fractal nature of vascular anatomy might elucidate the aggressive potential of a tumor. This study introduces the concept of fractal analysis for characterizing prostate cancer perfusion and reports about its usefulness for non-invasive prediction of tumor grade. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the openly available PROSTATEx dataset with 112 cancer foci in 99 patients. In all patients, histological grading groups specified by the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) were obtained from in-bore MRI-guided biopsy. Fractal analysis of dynamic contrast-enhanced perfusion MRI sequences was performed, yielding fractal dimension (FD) as quantitative descriptor. Two-class and multiclass diagnostic accuracy was analyzed using area under the curve (AUC) receiver operating characteristic analysis, and optimal FD cutoffs were established. Additionally, we compared fractal analysis to conventional apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements. RESULTS: Fractal analysis of perfusion allowed accurate differentiation of non-significant (group 1) and clinically significant (groups 2-5) cancer with a sensitivity of 91% (confidence interval [CI]: 83-96%) and a specificity of 86% (CI: 73-94%). FD correlated linearly with ISUP groups (r2 = 0.874, p < 0.001). Significant groupwise differences were obtained between low, intermediate, and high ISUP group 1-4 (p ≤ 0.001) but not group 5 tumors. Fractal analysis of perfusion was significantly more reliable than ADC in predicting non-significant and clinically significant cancer (AUCFD = 0.97 versus AUCADC = 0.77, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Fractal analysis of perfusion MRI accurately predicts prostate cancer grading in low-, intermediate-, and high-, but not highest-grade, tumors. KEY POINTS: • In 112 prostate carcinomas, fractal analysis of MR perfusion imaging accurately differentiated low-, intermediate-, and high-grade cancer (ISUP grade groups 1-4). • Fractal analysis detected clinically significant prostate cancer with a sensitivity of 91% (83-96%) and a specificity of 86% (73-94%). • Fractal dimension of perfusion at the tumor margin may provide an imaging biomarker to predict prostate cancer grading.

Accuracy of fractal analysis and PI-RADS assessment of prostate magnetic resonance imaging for prediction of cancer grade groups: a clinical validation study.

OBJECTIVES: Multiparametric MRI with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) assessment is sensitive but not specific for detecting clinically significant prostate cancer. This study validates the diagnostic accuracy of the recently suggested fractal dimension (FD) of perfusion for detecting clinically significant cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Routine clinical MR imaging data, acquired at 3 T without an endorectal coil including dynamic contrast-enhanced sequences, of 72 prostate cancer foci in 64 patients were analyzed. In-bore MRI-guided biopsy with International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grading served as reference standard. Previously established FD cutoffs for predicting tumor grade were compared to measurements of the apparent diffusion coefficient (25th percentile, ADC25) and PI-RADS assessment with and without inclusion of the FD as separate criterion. RESULTS: Fractal analysis allowed prediction of ISUP grade groups 1 to 4 but not 5, with high agreement to the reference standard (κFD = 0.88 [CI: 0.79-0.98]). Integrating fractal analysis into PI-RADS allowed a strong improvement in specificity and overall accuracy while maintaining high sensitivity for significant cancer detection (ISUP > 1; PI-RADS alone: sensitivity = 96%, specificity = 20%, area under the receiver operating curve [AUC] = 0.65; versus PI-RADS with fractal analysis: sensitivity = 95%, specificity = 88%, AUC = 0.92, p < 0.001). ADC25 only differentiated low-grade group 1 from pooled higher-grade groups 2-5 (κADC = 0.36 [CI: 0.12-0.59]). Importantly, fractal analysis was significantly more reliable than ADC25 in predicting non-significant and clinically significant cancer (AUCFD = 0.96 versus AUCADC = 0.75, p < 0.001). Diagnostic accuracy was not significantly affected by zone location. CONCLUSIONS: Fractal analysis is accurate in noninvasively predicting tumor grades in prostate cancer and adds independent information when implemented into PI-RADS assessment. This opens the opportunity to individually adjust biopsy priority and method in individual patients. KEY POINTS: • Fractal analysis of perfusion is accurate in noninvasively predicting tumor grades in prostate cancer using dynamic contrast-enhanced sequences (κFD = 0.88). • Including the fractal dimension into PI-RADS as a separate criterion improved specificity (from 20 to 88%) and overall accuracy (AUC from 0.86 to 0.96) while maintaining high sensitivity (96% versus 95%) for predicting clinically significant cancer. • Fractal analysis was significantly more reliable than ADC25 in predicting clinically significant cancer (AUCFD = 0.96 versus AUCADC = 0.75).

Perioperative and oncologic outcome in patients treated for renal cell carcinoma with an extended inferior vena cava tumour thrombus level II-IV.

PURPOSE: Surgical treatment of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and an extended tumour thrombus (TT) in the inferior vena cava (IVC) is challenging and often requires a multidisciplinary approach. The aim of this study was to analyse results in the real-world management of RCC patients with an extended IVC TT (level II-IV according to the Mayo classification of macroscopic venous invasion in RCC) in terms of pre-, peri- and postoperative outcome, complications and oncologic outcome. METHODS: We investigated 61 patients with evidence of RCC and an extended TT in the IVC undergoing radical nephrectomy and tumour thrombectomy at our tertiary referral centre. Patients and operative characteristics were recorded and complications were analysed using the Clavien-Dindo classification. Follow-up data were retrieved by contacting the treating outpatient urologists, general practitioners and patients. RESULTS: The TT level was II in 36, III in 8 and IV in 17 patients. Complications grade IIIb and higher according to the Clavien-Dindo classification occurred in n = 3 (8.4 %), n = 2 (25.0 %) and n = 5 (29.5 %) patients with level II, III and IV TT, respectively. The overall survival of patients with TT level II, III and IV at 24 months (60 months) was 66.9 % (41.6 %), 83.3 % (83.3 %) and 64.1 % (51.3 %). Presence of primary metastatic disease was the only significant independent predictor for OS.  CONCLUSIONS: Radical nephrectomy with tumour thrombectomy appears to be a feasible and effective treatment option in the management of patients with RCC and an extended IVC TT.

Comparison of PHI and PHI Density for Prostate Cancer Detection in a Large Retrospective Caucasian Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Beyond prostate-specific antigen (PSA), other biomarkers for prostate cancer (PCa) detection are available and need to be evaluated for clinical routine. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the Prostate Health Index (PHI) density (PHID) in comparison with PHI in a large Caucasian group >1,000 men. METHODS: PHID values were used from available patient data with PSA, free PSA, and [-2]pro-PSA and prostate volume from 3 former surveys from 2002 to 2014. Those 1,446 patients from a single-center cohort included 701 men with PCa and 745 with no PCa. All patients received initial or repeat biopsies. The diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves comparing area under the ROC curves (AUCs), precision-recall approach, and decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: PHID medians differed almost 2-fold between PCa (1.12) and no PCa (0.62) in comparison to PHI (48.6 vs. 33; p always <0.0001). However, PHID and PHI were equal regarding the AUC (0.737 vs. 0.749; p = 0.226), and the curves of the precision-recall analysis also overlapped in the sensitivity range between 70 and 100%. DCA had a maximum net benefit of only ∼5% for PHID versus PHI between 45 and 55% threshold probability. Contrary, in the 689 men with a prostate volume ≤40 cm3, PHI (AUC 0.732) showed a significant larger AUC than PHID (AUC 0.69, p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: Based on DCA, PHID had only a small advantage in comparison with PHI alone, while ROC analysis and precision-recall analysis showed similar results. In smaller prostates, PHI even outperformed PHID. The increment for PHID in this large Caucasian cohort is too small to justify a routine clinical use.

Outcomes of Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation in the Eurotransplant Senior Program with A Focus on Recipients ≥75 Years.

To evaluate the outcomes of kidney transplantations (KTs) in the Eurotransplant Senior Program (ESP) with a focus on the very old, defined as recipients ≥75 years. This retrospective clinical study included 85 patients, who under the ESP protocol underwent deceased donor kidney transplantation from January 2010 to July 2018 at the Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin in Germany. Recipients were divided in three age groups, i.e., Group 65-69, Group 70-74, Group ≥75, and compared. Prognostic risk factors for short and long-term outcomes of kidney transplantations were investigated. Graft survival at 1 and 5 years were respectively 90.7% and 68.0% for group 65-69, 88.9% and 76.2% for Group 70-74, and 100% and 71.4% for Group ≥75. Patient survival at 1 and 5 years were respectively 92.9% and 68.0% for Group 65-69, 85.7% and 61.5% for Group 70-74 and 100% and 62.5% for Group ≥75. Serum creatinine did not significantly differ between the three groups, with the exception of serum creatinine at 1 year. Increased recipient age and prolonged time on dialysis correlated with increased occurrence of postoperative complication. An increase in BMI, pretransplant diabetes mellitus and prolonged time on dialysis correlated with the occurrence of delayed graft function (DGF). History of smoking was identified as an independent risk factor for events of rejection. Increased human leukocyte antigen mismatches (HLA-MM) and prolonged cold ischemia time (CIT) correlated with higher rates of intensive care unit (ICU) treatment. This study supports kidney transplantations for the very old. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients ≥75 years of age who underwent kidney transplantation experienced comparable results to their younger counterparts. A comprehensive evaluation of ESRD patients with consideration of prognostic risk factor is the most suitable mean of identifying adequate kidney transplant candidates.

Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis and Recurrence in Living Donor Recipients.

PURPOSE: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a common cause for end-stage renal disease that can recur in the graft after kidney transplantation. The incidence of FSGS recurrence is reported in up to 47% of patients, predisposing those to possible poorer transplantation outcomes. Hence, we examined the incidence of FSGS recurrence and the effect on graft outcome in our patient cohort of living donor kidney transplantations (LDKT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed 194 adult patients who received a LDKT between 2011 and 2017 of which 22 (11%) had FSGS as underlying disease. Demographic data and clinical outcomes, especially regarding recurrence of FSGS, were evaluated. RESULTS: FSGS recurrence was identified in three (14%) patients within three months after transplantation, of whom two patients (9%) lost their graft. There was no significant difference in graft survival comparing FSGS to other reasons for end-stage renal disease. CONCLUSION: Incidence of FSGS recurrence in the present patient cohort was within the range reported in the literature and comparatively low. Our data support LDKT as a treatment option in patients with end-stage renal disease due to FSGS.

Use of TDI during MRI/US fusion-guided biopsy for suspected prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) uses the Doppler principle to quantify the movement of biological tissues. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contribution of TDI parameters derived during magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound (MRI/US) fusion-guided biopsy for prostate cancer (PCa) discrimination. METHODS: From March 2016 to Dec. 2018, 75 men with suspected PCa prospectively underwent fusion-guided prostate biopsy. TDI overlaid on predefined target lesion were compared to the confirmed contralateral tumor-free area of the prostate gland (using Image J). Diagnostic value of TDI parameters was assessed using histopathology as standard of reference. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were diagnosed with PCa (49.3%), among them 27 with clinically significant PCa (Gleason score >  3 + 3 = 6 (ISUP 1). The LES/REF ratio was lower in confirmed PCa patients compared to patients without PCa (0.42, IQR, 0.22-0.59 vs. 0.52, IQR, 0.40-0.72, p = 0.017). TDI parameters allowed differentiation of low-risk from high-to-intermediate-risk PCa (ISUP 2 versus ISUP 3) based on lower pixel counts within the target ROI (1340, IQR 596-2430 vs. 2687, IQR 2453-3216, p = 0.004), lower pixel percentage (16.4 IQR 11.4-29.5 vs. 27.3, IQR 22.1-39.5; p = 0.005), and lower LES/REF ratios (0.29, IQR 0.19-0.51 vs. 0.52, IQR 0.47-0.74, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: TDI of prostate lesions prelocated by MRI discriminates between cancerous and noncancerous lesions and further seems to enable characterization of PCa aggressiveness. This widely available US technique may improve confidence in target lesion localization for tissue sampling.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of multiple imaging modalities in diagnosis and follow-up of intermediate complex cystic renal lesions.

OBJECTIVES: To compare health-economic aspects of multiple imaging modalities used to monitor renal cysts, the present study evaluates costs and outcomes of patients with Bosniak IIF and III renal cysts detected and followed-up by either contrast-enhanced computed tomography (ceCT), contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (ceMRI), or contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A simulation using Markov models was implemented and performed with 10 cycles of 1 year each. Proportionate cohorts were allocated to Markov models by a decision tree processing specific incidences of malignancy and levels of diagnostic performance. Costs of imaging and surgical treatment were investigated using internal data of a European university hospital. Multivariate probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed to confirm results considering input value uncertainties. Patient outcomes were measured in quality-adjusted life years (QALY), and costs as averages per patient including costs of imaging and surgical treatment. RESULTS: Compared to the 'gold standard' of ceCT, ceMRI was more effective but also more expensive, with a resulting incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) >€70 000 (Euro) per QALY gained. CEUS was dominant compared to ceCT in both Bosniak IIF and III renal cysts in terms of QALYs and costs. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis confirmed these results in the majority of iterations. CONCLUSION: Both ceMRI and CEUS can be used as alternatives to ceCT in the diagnosis and follow-up of intermediately complex cystic renal lesions without compromising effectiveness, while CEUS is clearly cost-effective. The economic results apply to a large university hospital and must be adapted for smaller hospitals.

PHI density prospectively improves prostate cancer detection.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the Prostate Health Index (PHI) density (PHID) in direct comparison with PHI in a prospective large cohort. METHODS: PHID values were calculated from prostate-specific antigen (PSA), free PSA and [- 2]proPSA and prostate volume. The 1057 patients included 552 men with prostate cancer (PCa) and 505 with no evidence of malignancy (NEM). In detail, 562 patients were biopsied at the Charité Hospital Berlin and 495 patients at the Sana Hospital Offenbach. All patients received systematic or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/ultrasound fusion-guided biopsies. The diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves comparing areas under the ROC-curves (AUC). The decision curve analysis (DCA) was performed with the MATLAB Neural Network Toolbox. RESULTS: PHID provided a significant larger AUC than PHI (0.835 vs. 0.801; p = 0.0013) in our prospective cohort of 1057 men from 2 centers. The DCA had a maximum net benefit of ~ 5% for PHID vs. PHI between 35 and 65% threshold probability. In those 698 men within the WHO-calibrated PSA grey-zone up to 8 ng/ml, PHID was also significantly better than PHI (AUC 0.819 vs. 0.789; p = 0.0219). But PHID was not different from PHI in the detection of significant PCa. CONCLUSIONS: Based on ROC analysis and DCA, PHID had an advantage in comparison with PHI alone to detect any PCa but PHI and PHID performed equal in detecting significant PCa.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) reliably rules out neoplasm in developmental renal pseudotumor.

BACKGROUND: Renal pseudotumors appear as benign cortical hypertrophies and are typically assessed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging to rule out malignancy. PURPOSE: To investigate whether contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) can rule out renal neoplasm and thus potentially reduce cross-sectional imaging and further follow-up in these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients with presumption of developmental renal pseudotumor on CEUS between June 2011 and July 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were examined with a standardized renal US protocol including B-mode, color-coded duplex sonography (CCDS), and CEUS by an experienced radiologist (EFSUMB level 3). Images were retrospectively interpreted in consensus by two highly experienced radiologists. Histopathological reports, cross-sectional imaging findings, and clinical course (treatment response, long-term imaging follow-up) were defined as standard of reference. RESULTS: CEUS correctly identified 8/9 neoplastic lesions and missed one oncocytoma within the 32 included patients. Irregular vessel structure (88.9% vs. 13.0%, P = 0.007) and hyperenhancement (66.6% vs. 17.4%, P = 0.031) on CEUS were more common in neoplasm compared to developmental pseudotumors reaching statistical significance. Compared with the standard of reference, CEUS had 89% sensitivity (95% confidence interval [CI] 57-98), 96% specificity (95% CI 80-99), a positive predictive value of 89% (95% CI 57-98), and a negative predictive value of 96% (95% CI 79-99) for ruling out renal malignancy in developmental pseudotumors. CONCLUSION: CEUS is a safe and fast method to rule out neoplasm in the diagnostic work-up of renal pseudotumors. In conjunction with B-mode and CCDS, CEUS has the potential to reduce further (invasive) diagnostic procedures.

The discriminative ability of Prostate Health Index to detect prostate cancer is enhanced in combination with miR-222-3p.

BACKGROUND: There is an urgent need for better prostate cancer (PCa) biomarkers due to the low specificity of prostate specific antigen (PSA). OBJECTIVE: Prostate Health Index (PHI) is an advanced PSA-based test for early detection of PCa. The present study aim was to investigate the potential improvement of diagnostic accuracy of PHI by its combination with suitable discriminative microRNAs (miRNAs). METHODS: A two-phase study was performed. In a discovery phase, a panel of 177 miRNAs was measured in ten men with biopsy proven PCa and ten men with histologically no evidence of malignancy (NEM). These results were validated in a second phase including 25 patients in each group. The patients of all groups were matched regarding their PSA values and PHI were measured. RESULTS: Based on data in the discovery phase, four elevated miRNAs were selected as potential miRNA candidates for further validation. A combination of miR-222-3p as the best discriminative miRNA with PHI extended the diagnostic accuracy of PHI from an AUC value of 0.690 to 0.787 and resulted in a sensitivity of 72.0% and a specificity of 84.0%. CONCLUSION: Circulating microRNAs show useful diagnostic potential in combination with common used biomarkers to enhance their diagnostic power.

Early Continence and Extravasation After Open Retropubic Radical Prostatectomy - Interrupted vs Continuous Suturing for Vesicourethral Anastomosis.

PURPOSE: To compare running suture (RS) and interrupted suture (IS) of vesicourethral anastomosis (VUA) during open retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP) on early urinary continence and extravasation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Single center analysis of 211 patients who underwent RRP performed by a single surgeon during 2008 to 2017 was retrospectively analyzed. For VUA, we used the standard interrupted suture technique (n=100) with a 3-0 PDS suture. The RS (n=111) was performed with 12-bite suture using 3-0 PDS. The primary endpoints were extravasation and early continence. Demographic and peri-operative data were collected and analyzed using Pearson's chi-square, t-Test and Mann-Whitney U-test. A binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to explore predictors that affected early continence after catheter removal. RESULTS: The rates of early urinary incontinence (UI) were 7.7% vs 42.2% (p<0.001). The duration of catheterization and hospitalization was significantly shorter in the interrupted group (4 days vs 5 days, p<0.001 and 5 days vs 6 days, p<0.001). The groups did not differ significantly in body mass index or prostate volume. There were older patients and higher PSA levels in the group with RS technique. No significant difference was found in the postoperative extravasation rates between both groups (13.5% vs 12%, p=0.742). CONCLUSION: Running vesicourethral anastomosis increased the rate of early urinary incontinence. Both anastomosis techniques provided a similar rate of postoperative urine extravasation. VUA should only be one of the many criteria that must be considered for the preservation of urinary continence of patients after RRP.