Different Methods for Prostate Biopsy and Biopsy Protocols

Prostate carcinoma is one of the most common"nmalignancies among men. Increasing mortality rates due"nto prostate carcinoma have been observed worldwide."nThis disease usually progresses imperceptibly, for this"nreason; screening programs aimed at early detection"nhave been developed. The prostate specific antigen"n(PSA) test is among the best screening tools available"nin medicine today because it is recognized as the best"nmarker for its early detection."nIn case of abnormal rise in PSA, the patient usually"nrefers for prostate biopsy under the guide of trans"nrectal ultrasonography (TRUS). Different methods are"nrecognized for prostate biopsy that may be divided"ninto two main categories namely, systematic biopsy"nand targeted biopsy."nIn systematic biopsy we divide the prostate gland"nrandomly to different sections and obtain biopsy"nspecimens from each section.The protocol of systematic biopsy is different among"ndifferent institutions. The number of biopsy specimens"ncould be started from less than 6 to more than 20"nbiopsies in some institutions. Increasing the number"nof biopsy specimens increases the detection rate for"nprostate cancer increasing the complications such"nas post biopsy prostatitis and septicemia, which are"nthe most important, as well. In scheduling a biopsy"nprotocol with high number of biopsies it is preferred"nto hospitalize the patient and prescribe intravenous"nantibiotics."nTargeted biopsy of the prostate means obtaining biopsy"nspecimens from a pathologic lesion that is suspicious"nfor prostate cancer. Different modalities could be"nused for detecting prostate cancer within the prostate"ngland. Transrectal ultrasonography, ultrasonography"nwith the use of ultrasound contrast agents, MRI of the"nprostate with the use of endorectal coil, dynamic MR"nstudy with contrast agent, diffusion weighted imaging"nof the prostate and MR spectroscopy all could help"nin the detection of a suspicious tumoral mass in the"nprostate and may be used as a target for biopsy."nThe first biopsy attempt in a patient with elevated"nserum PSA is usually a systematic biopsy. Since"nthe trans rectal ultrasonography is used for guiding"nthe biopsy, evaluating the prostate parenchyma for"ndetecting suspicious regions before performing the"nbiopsy is useful and in case of a suspicious mass,"ntargeted biopsy from that lesion could be added to"nthe systematic biopsy which for sure increases the"nsensitivity to detect prostate cancer."nIn patients who have elevated serum levels of PSA and"ndespite previous negative TRUS guided biopsy, are"nhighly suspiciou