Diagnosis of prostatic inflammation: efficacy of needle biopsies versus tissue blocks.

Objectives. To assess the variation of inflammation found on single needle biopsies, we compared our results using multiple needle biopsies and surgical samples taken from predetermined areas of prostates removed from patients with prostate cancer. Methods. Biopsies and tissue blocks were taken from 25 prostates that had been removed at prostate cancer surgery. These samples were taken from the contralateral side from the cancer whenever possible. The biopsies were taken from the apex, middle, and base, and blocks were taken from the peripheral and transition zones of the middle region. The biopsies were evaluated for density of inflammatory cells and their histologic location (glandular vs. periglandular vs. stromal). Results. Inflammation was generally periglandular, with multifocal and diffuse patterns. The severity of the inflammation was quite variable. The overall inflammatory cell counts did not differ among the regions except for lower levels at the base. Correlation coefficients demonstrated significant correlations of the middle region biopsies with the peripheral zone and transition zone blocks (P = 0.02 and P = 0.016); the apical biopsies also correlated with the transition zone blocks. Conclusions. Our results suggest that individual, transrectal needle biopsies taken consistently from the peripheral zone or transition zone of the apex or middle region of prostates from patients with incidental prostatitis may serve as well as multiple biopsies for evaluating the degree of inflammation. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc.