The Value of⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/MRI for Classifying Patients with PI-RADS 3 Lesions on Multiparametric MRI: A Prospective Single-Center Study

Abstract

Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) category 3 lesions remain a diagnostic challenge for detecting clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). This article evaluates the added value of ⁶⁸Ga-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen-11 (⁶⁸Ga-PSMA) PET/MRI in classifying PI-RADS 3 lesions to avoid unnecessary biopsies. <b>Methods:</b> Sixty biopsy-naïve men with PI-RADS 3 lesions on multiparametric MRI were prospectively enrolled between February 2020 and October 2022. In all, 56 participants underwent ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/MRI and prostate systematic biopsy. ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/MRI was independently evaluated and reported by the 5-level PRIMARY score developed within the PRIMARY trial. Receiver-operating-characteristic curve analysis was used to estimate the diagnostic performance. <b>Results:</b> csPCa was detected in 8 of 56 patients (14.3%). The proportion of patients with csPCa and a PRIMARY score of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 was 0% (0/12), 0% (0/13), 6.3% (1/16), 38.5% (5/13), and 100% (2/2), respectively. The estimated area under the curve of the PRIMARY score was 0.91 (95% CI, 0.817-0.999). For a PRIMARY score of 4-5 versus a PRIMARY score of 1-3, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 87.5%, 83.3%, 46.7%, and 97.5%, respectively. With a PRIMARY score of at least 4 to make a biopsy decision in men with PI-RADS 3 lesions, 40 of 48 patients (83.3%) could avoid unnecessary biopsies, at the expense of missing 1 of 8 (12.5%) csPCa cases. <b>Conclusion:</b> ⁶⁸Ga-PSMA PET/MRI has great potential to classify patients with PI-RADS 3 lesions and help avoid unnecessary biopsies.