Mynderse, Lance A.

255 Background: The purpose of this study was to identify site-specific recurrence patterns for patients (pts) with biochemical recurrence (BCR) after prostatectomy (RP) using C-11 Choline PET/CT (C11Ch) and 3T pelvic MRI with endorectal coil (pMRI). Methods: Between 2008 and 2006, 2,466 men underwent C11Ch and pMRI for BCR after RP. From this cohort, we identified 261 pts who received no adjuvant or salvage therapy (androgen deprivation or radiation). Suspected radiographic relapse was confirmed by biopsy (46%) or progression/response to treatment in concordance with subsequent rise/decline in PSA (54%). Results: Of the 261 men evaluated, 202 (75%) had positive pMRI, C11Ch or both. Seventy nine (39%), 105 (52%) and 18 (9%) pts had high, intermediate, and low risk CaP, respectively at RP. Median PSA at the time of positive scan was 2.3 ng/mL, with a median time from BCR to radiographic disease identification of 15 months. Of these 202 men, 67 (33%) harbored prostate fossa recurrence only, 44 (22%) had a combination of local and metastatic disease and 91 (45%) had metastatic disease without local recurrence. Forty (20%) pts had pelvic nodal recurrence only and 18 (9%) had perirectal nodal involvement. Median PSA for pts with local only recurrence, distant metastases only, and local + distant disease was 2.3, 2.7 and 2.2 ng/mL, respectively, with a median interval from BCR to positive scan of 16.7, 7.9 and 11 months. Imaging revealed that 33% to 66% of our cohort would have all sites of disease treated by salvage RT depending on the extent of the treatment field Conclusions: C11Ch and pMRI were used to identify recurrence patterns in pts with BCR after RP only. At median PSA of 2.3 ng/ml, our study demonstrates a low rate of local-only recurrence, higher than anticipated frequency of metastatic recurrence with peak frequency within the pelvic lymph nodes, and substantial perirectal recurrences. Despite the high rates of distant recurrences, 2/3 of our cohort had their disease limited to the pelvis and could be potential candidates for local therapies, including salvage radiation.

Healthy human bladder is a viscoelastic shell capable of expanding to allow storage of urine at low pressures. The ability to maintain low pressures as the urine volume increases is called bladder compliance. Compliance is a key in proper functioning of urinary system. Spinal cord injuries and other neurogenic diseases can cause deterioration in bladder expansion capability (e.g., through excessive growth of fibrotic tissue), which in turn can increase the rigidity of the wall and reduce bladder compliance. Urodynamic study (UDS) is the clinical standard for evaluation of the bladder compliance through observation of bladder pressure-volume behavior. However, this method is costly and invasive. Ultrasound bladder vibrometry (UBV) has been introduced as noninvasive technique for evaluation of bladder viscoelasticity through excitation of the bladder using ultrasound radiation force and tracking the resulting Lamb waves. Here, we present the results of UBV from 44 patients undergoing concurrent UDS and UBV studies. Our results show that elasticity parameters obtained from the UBV closely correlate with the UDS pressure-volume data with a median Pearson’s correlation value of more than 0.8. These results prove the potential utility of UBV as an alternative noninvasive method for bladder compliance assessment. [Work supported by NIH grant DK99231.]

ABSTRACT Introduction Most surgical treatments for male lower urinary tract symptoms and benign prostatic hyperplasia affect erectile and ejaculatory functions negatively, leading to patient dissatisfaction. Aim To determine whether water vapor thermal therapy, when conducted in a randomized controlled trial, would significantly improve lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia and urinary flow rate while preserving erectile and ejaculatory functions. Methods Men at least 50 years old with International Prostate Symptom Scores of at least 13, a peak flow rate of at least 5 to no higher than 15 mL/s, and prostate volume of 30 to 80 cm3 were randomized 2:1 between Rezūm System thermal therapy and control. Thermal water vapor (103°C) was injected into lateral and median lobes as required for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. The control procedure entailed rigid cystoscopy with simulated active treatment sounds. Main Outcome Measures Blinded group (active = 136, control = 61) comparison occurred at 3 months and the active arm was followed to 12 months for International Prostate Symptom Score, peak flow rate, and sexual function using the International Index of Erectile Function and the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire for Ejaculatory Function. The minimal clinically important difference in erectile function perceived by subjects as beneficial was determined for each erectile function severity category. Subjects not sexually active were censored from sexual function analysis. Results No treatment- or device-related de novo erectile dysfunction occurred after thermal therapy. International Index of Erectile Function and Male Sexual Health Questionnaire for Ejaculatory Function scores were not different from the control group at 3 months or from baseline at 1 year. Ejaculatory bother score improved 31% over baseline (P = .0011). Also, 32% of subjects achieved minimal clinically important differences in erectile function scores at 3 months, and 27% at 1 year, including those with moderate to severe erectile dysfunction. International Prostate Symptom Score and peak flow rate were significantly superior to controls at 3 months and throughout 1 year (P < .0001). Conclusion Convective water vapor thermal therapy provides sustainable improvements for 12 months to lower urinary tract symptoms and urinary flow while preserving erectile and ejaculatory functions.