Contrast-enhanced ultrasound targeted versus conventional ultrasound guided systematic prostate biopsy for the accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Conventional transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) guided prostate biopsy is the standard method for accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa). However, the limitations of this technique in terms of missed diagnosis cannot be ignored. Based on previous studies, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) may be able to more distinctly detect malignant lesions with increased microvessels. Therefore, to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency and clinical application prospects of CEUS-guided prostate biopsy for patients with suspected PCa, we performed a meta-analysis comparing CEUS-targeted with TRUS-guided systematic biopsy. METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and CNKI was performed up to March, 2022 for the relevant published studies. After data extraction and quality assessment, meta-analysis was performed using the RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: The results showed that the overall sensitivity was higher for CEUS targeted biopsy than systematic biopsy (P = .03), so was the accuracy (P = .03). However, significant heterogeneity and inconsistent results from certain subgroup analyses challenged the validity of the results. Meanwhile, CEUS yielded a much higher sensitivity in patients with prostate specific antigen (PSA) level of 4 to 10 ng/mL (P = .007). On the other hand, the positive rate of each core (P < .001) and the detection rate of clinically significant PCa (P = .006) were significantly improved using CEUS. CONCLUSION: CEUS showed the advantage of a higher detection rate of clinically significant PCa, which might provide more specific indications for subsequent treatment. More feasible, real-time data are required to confirm our findings.

[Effects of sowing times on the spike differentiation of different wheat varieties under the climate of warm winter].

Spike differentiation processes and freezing damage of three wheat varieties were studied by sowing in different stages. The results showed that under the condition of weather changing warm, the time of entering each stage of spike differentiation of wheat of strong spring variety was earlier than that of wheat of spring variety and semi-winter variety. Sowing times had more effects on durative time of the elongation stage, single-prism stage and two-prism stage of the spike differentiation. Under sowing early, the stronger the springness of wheat was, the quicker it developed, the higher spike differentiation phases it reached before winter, and the more serious freezing damage it suffered in wintering. According to this, the semi-winter varieties of wheat should be adopted first and arranged in pairs with spring varieties in wheat production, and the sowing times should not be too early as the weather becoming warm.