ABSTRACT
The ultimate outcome of radical treatment of localized prostate cancer is directly related to the organ confinement of the disease, which in turn is closely dependent on tumor volume. Unfortunately, there is currently no imaging technique (ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), spectrocoscopic MRI, etc.) able to demonstrate the entire tumor and its actual relationship with the prostatic capsule and surrounding structures/adjacent organs. Therefore, the evaluation of these characteristics, i.e. the staging of the tumor, relies on indirect assessment of the tumor volume based mostly on digital rectal examination (DRE), serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and careful analysis of prostate biopsy features.
