Sub-differentiating equivocal PI-RADS-3 lesions in multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging of the prostate to improve cancer detection

Purpose To evaluate sub-differentiation of PI-RADS-3 prostate lesions using pre-defined T2- and diffusion-weighted (DWI) MRI criteria, to aid the biopsy decision process. Methods 143 patients with PIRADS-3 index lesions on MRI underwent targeted transperineal-MR/US fusion biopsy. Radiologists with 2 and 7-years experience performed blinded retrospective second-reads using set criteria and assigned biopsy recommendations. Inter-reader agreement, Gleason score (GS), positive (PPV) predictive values (±95% confidence intervals) were calculated and compared by Fisher’s exact test with Bonferroni-Hom correction. Results 43% (61/143) patients had GS 6-10 and 21% (30/143) GS ≥ 3 + 4 cancer. For peripheral zone lesions, significant differences in any cancer detection were found for shape (0.26 ± 0.13 geographical vs. 0.69 ± 0.23 rounded; p = 0.0055) and ADC (mild 0.21 ± 0.12 vs marked 0.81 ± 0.19; p = 0.0001). For transition zone, significantly increased cancer detection was shown for location (anterior 0.63 ± 0.15 vs. mid/posterior 0.31 ± 0.14; p = 0.0048), border (pseudo-capsule 0.32 ± 0.14 vs. ill-defined 0.61 ± 0.15; p = 0.0092), and ADC (mild 0.35 ± 0.12 vs marked restriction 0.68 ± 0.17; p = 0.0057). Biopsy recommendations had 62% inter-reader agreement (89/143). Experienced reader PPVs were significantly higher for any cancer with “biopsy-recommended” 0.61 ± 0.11 vs. “no biopsy” 0.21 ± 0.10 (p = 0.0001), and for GS 7-10 cancers: 0.32 ± 0.10 vs. 0.08 ± 0.07, respectively (p = 0.0003). Conclusion Identification of certain objective imaging criteria as well as a subjective biopsy recommendation from an experienced radiologist can help to increase the predictive value of equivocal prostate lesions and inform the decision making process of whether or not to biopsy.The authors acknowledge research support from Cancer Research UK, National Institute of Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cancer Research UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council Imaging Centre in Cambridge and Manchester and the Cambridge Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre

Developing Pulmonary Vasculopathy in Systemic Sclerosis, Detected with Non-Invasive Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing

BACKGROUND: Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) may develop exercise intolerance due to musculoskeletal involvement, restrictive lung disease, left ventricular dysfunction, or pulmonary vasculopathy (PV). The latter is particularly important since it may lead to lethal pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We hypothesized that abnormalities during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) in patients with SSc can identify PV leading to overt PAH. METHODS: Thirty SSc patients from the Harbor-UCLA Rheumatology clinic, not clinically suspected of having significant pulmonary vascular disease, were referred for this prospective study. Resting pulmonary function and exercise gas exchange were assessed, including peakVO2, anaerobic threshold (AT), heart rate-VO2 relationship (O2-pulse), exercise breathing reserve and parameters of ventilation-perfusion mismatching, as evidenced by elevated ventilatory equivalent for CO2 (VE/VCO2) and reduced end-tidal pCO2 (PETCO2) at the AT. RESULTS: Gas exchange patterns were abnormal in 16 pts with specific cardiopulmonary disease physiology: Eleven patients had findings consistent with PV, while five had findings consistent with left-ventricular dysfunction (LVD). Although both groups had low peak VO2 and AT, a higher VE/VCO2 at AT and decreasing PETCO2 during early exercise distinguished PV from LVD. CONCLUSIONS: Previously undiagnosed exercise impairments due to LVD or PV were common in our SSc patients. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing may help to differentiate and detect these disorders early in patients with SSc