Valore diagnostico del prelievo periferico laterale nella biopsia prostatica transperineale

Aim. We report our experience on the usefulness of a lateral peripheral section in ultrasound-guided transperineal prostatic biopsy for early diagnosis of prostate cancer (Cp). Materials and methods. From 1/4/2000 to 1/4/2001 we carried out 301 echo-guided transperineal prostate biopsies: at least one lateral peripheral biopsy was performed per lobe in addition to the usual prostate mapping (1 peripheral, 1 paramedian and 1 or 2 transitional area biopsies for each lobe). Results. Of these 301 biopsies, 137 were positive for Cp (45.5%). In 97/137 exams (71%) at least one of the two lateral peripheral specimens was positive, while diagnosis was made solely thanks to the lateral peripheral biopsy in just 7/137 cases (5%). Conclusions. In our experience, the lateral peripheral section during transperineal prostate biopsy is of little use. Its omission causes a slight reduction in diagnosis of 2.3%. The incompatibility of this result with those for transrectal biopsy may be explained by the different angle of incidence in the two techniques of the biopsy needle in relation to the peripheral area.