Ultrasound guided seminal vesicle biopsies in men with suspected prostate cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The histology of ultrasound guided seminal vesicle biopsies is assessed and the results are correlated with clinical or pathological stage of prostate cancer.


METHODS
A total of 517 consecutive men underwent bilateral (515) or unilateral (2) seminal vesicle biopsy during sextant biopsy of the prostate.


RESULTS
Seminal vesicle epithelium and muscularis were identified in 490 of 1,032 biopsy specimens (47%) and smooth muscle consistent with seminal vesicle muscularis was identified in 393 (38%). The seminal vesicle biopsy was positive for cancer in 7 of 123 patients (6%) with with clinical stages T1c and T2 tumors, 27 of 60 (45%) with stages T3 to 4 disease and 9 of 13 (69%) with metastatic cancer. Of 39 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy 1 of 36 (3%) without and 0 of 3 (0%) with seminal vesicle invasion had a positive seminal vesicle biopsy.


CONCLUSIONS
Seminal vesicle epithelium and muscularis or smooth muscle consistent with the seminal vesicle muscularis can be procured in most patients using contemporary ultrasound guided biopsy techniques. However, apparently false-negative seminal vesicle biopsies are not uncommon and seminal vesicle biopsies contribute little to the staging of T1c and T2 tumors.
Pandey
P
P
Division of Urology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, USA.
Fowler
J E
JE
Seaver
L E
LE
Feliz
T P
TP
Brooks
J P
JP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods; D005834:Genital Neoplasms, Male / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography