Comparative Usefulness of High-frequency Doppler Ultrasonography, Serum PSA Density, and Free to Total Serum PSA Ratio in the Prediction of Prostate Cancer

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we tried to assess whether power Doppler ultrasonography (PDU) evaluation along with transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) has an additional benefit in the diagnosis of prostate cancer in patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels of 4-10 ng/mL, when combined with the other methods proposed for this range of PSA. Materials and Methods: Fifty-six patients with PSA values of 4-10 ng/mL were included in the study. Digital rectal examinations, evaluation of total and free PSA, and PDU assessments were done simultaneously with TRUS and eight-core systematic prostate biopsies. Along with the latter, additional biopsies were taken from the suspicious areas detected on PDU. The free/total PSA ratios, PSA density values, TRUS, PDU findings, and biopsy results of 56 patients were recorded and evaluated. Results: Specificity and positive predictive values in detecting prostate cancer in patients with PSA range of 4-10 ng/mL, calculated using the criteria of free/total PSA values <15\%, PSA density values >15\%, and PDU findings, were 94.87\% and 75\%, respectively. These values were significantly higher than those of 89.75\% and 69.73\%, respectively, defined for the criteria of free/total PSA values <15\% and PSA density values >15\%. Conclusion: The results of this study highlighted that PDU may be useful to detect prostate cancer, and decrease the number of unnecessary biopsy recommendations in patients with PSA values of 4-10 ng/mL, when used in combination with free/total PSA ratio and PSA density.