Augmenting prostate magnetic resonance imaging reporting to incorporate diagnostic recommendations based upon clinical risk calculators.

Abstract

Risk calculators have offered a viable tool for clinicians to stratify patients at risk of prostate cancer (PCa) and to mitigate the low sensitivity and specificity of screening prostate specific antigen (PSA). While initially based on clinical and demographic data, incorporation of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the validated prostate imaging reporting and data system suspicion scoring system has standardized and improved risk stratification beyond the use of PSA and patient parameters alone. Biopsy-naïve patients with lower risk profiles for harboring clinically significant PCa are often subjected to uncomfortable, invasive, and potentially unnecessary prostate biopsy procedures. Incorporating risk calculator data into prostate MRI reports can broaden the role of radiologists, improve communication with clinicians primarily managing these patients, and help guide clinical care in directing the screening, detection, and risk stratification of PCa.