Transverse prostate maximum sectional area can predict clinically significant prostate cancer in PI-RADS 3 lesions at multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND: To evaluate multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) parameters, such as TransPA (transverse prostate maximum sectional area), TransCGA (transverse central gland sectional area), TransPZA (transverse peripheral zone sectional area), and TransPAI (TransPZA/TransCGA ratio) in predicting prostate cancer (PCa) in prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) 3 lesions. METHODS: Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and the best cut-off, were calculated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to evaluate the capability to predict PCa. RESULTS: Out of 120 PI-RADS 3 lesions, 54 (45.0%) were PCa with 34 (28.3%) csPCas. Median TransPA, TransCGA, TransPZA and TransPAI were 15.4cm(2), 9.1cm(2), 5.5cm(2) and 0.57, respectively. At multivariate analysis, location in the transition zone (OR=7.92, 95% CI: 2.70-23.29, P<0.001) and TransPA (OR=0.83, 95% CI: 0.76-0.92, P<0.001) were independent predictors of PCa. The TransPA (OR=0.90, 95% CI: 0.082-0.99, P=0.022) was an independent predictor of csPCa. The best cut-off of TransPA for csPCa was 18 (Sensitivity 88.2%, Specificity 37.2%, PPV 35.7%, NPV 88.9%). The discrimination (AUC) of the multivariate model was 0.627 (95% CI: 0.519-0.734, P<0.031). CONCLUSIONS: In PI-RADS 3 lesions, the TransPA could be useful in selecting patients requiring biopsy.