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Purpose: Urothelial bladder cancer (UCB) care requires frequent follow-up cystoscopy and surgery. Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is a probe-based optical technique that can provide real-time microscopic evaluation with the potential for outpatient grading of UCB. This study aims to investigate the diagnostic accuracy and interobserver variability for the grading of UCB with CLE during flexible cystoscopy (fCLE)., Methods: Participants scheduled for transurethral resection of papillary bladder tumors were prospectively included for intra-operative fCLE. Exclusion criteria were flat lesions, fluorescein allergy or pregnancy. Two independent observers evaluated fCLE, classifying tumors as low- or high-grade urothelial carcinoma (LGUC/HGUC) or benign. Interobserver agreement was calculated with Cohens kappa (κ) and diagnostic accuracy with 2 × 2 tables. Histopathology was the reference test., Results: Histopathology of 34 lesions revealed 14 HGUC, 14 LGUC and 6 benign tumors. Diagnostic yield for fCLE was 80-85% with a κ of 0.75. Respectively, sensitivity, specificity, NPV and PPV were: for benign tumors 0-20%, 96-100%, unmeasureable-50% and 87%, for LGUC 57-64%, 41-58%, 44-53% and 54-69% and for HGUC 38-57%, 56-68%, 38-57% and 56-68%, with an interobserver agreement of κ 0.61., Conclusion: fCLE is currently insufficient to grade UCB., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is a fluorescence-based fiber-optic imaging technique with the potential for intraoperative grading of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). This study aims to (1) investigate the prevalence of the previously proposed CLE criteria for bladder cancer in papillary UTUC, (2) estimate the diagnostic value of CLE for UTUC grading and (3) propose a scoring system for a more quantifiable approach of CLE-based grading of UTUC., Materials and Methods: Ureteroscopic CLE was performed in patients with UTUC. Following CLE imaging, co-localized biopsies were taken for histopathologic comparison. Postoperatively, two blinded raters assessed the CLE images., Results: Fifty-three papillary UTUCs (34 low grade and 19 high grade) were imaged with CLE in 36 patients. All the previously described CLE criteria were identifiable in varying proportions. After excluding 10 non-diagnostic recordings (5 low grade and 5 high grade) due to insufficient image quality, the histopathologic grade was correctly identified with CLE in 26 low-grade UTUCs (90%) and in 12 high-grade UTUCs (86%). The most prevalent CLE criteria with the highest diagnostic potential were cellular organization, morphology and cohesiveness of cells. A scoring system was proposed with these criteria, which yielded similar diagnostic accuracies., Conclusions: Based on the previously proposed criteria, CLE enables accurate grading of papillary UTUC at a non-diagnostic rate of 19%. The most prevalent CLE criteria with the highest diagnostic potential for grading of papillary UTUC are cellular organization, morphology and cohesiveness of cells. The proposed scoring system may simplify the assessment of CLE images for UTUC grading but external validation is required.

Purpose: An increasing interest in percutaneous ablation of renal tumors has been caused by the increasing incidence of SRMs, the trend toward minimally invasive nephron-sparing treatments and the rapid development of local ablative technologies. In the era of shared decision making, patient preference for non-invasive treatments also leads to an increasing demand for image-guided ablation. Although some guidelines still reserve ablation for poor surgical candidates, indications may soon expand as evidence for the use of the two most validated local ablative techniques, cryoablation (CA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA), is accumulating. Due to the collaboration between experts in the field in biomedical engineering, urologists, interventional radiologists and radiation oncologists, the improvements in ablation technologies have been evolving rapidly in the last decades, resulting in some new emerging types of ablations., Methods: A literature search was conducted to identify original research articles investigating the clinical outcomes of new emerging technologies, percutaneous MWA, percutaneous IRE and SABR, in patients with primary cT1 localized renal cell cancer., Results: Due to the collaboration between experts in the field in biomedical engineering, urologists, interventional radiologists and radiation oncologists, the improvements in ablation technologies have been evolving rapidly in the last decades. New emerging technologies such as microwave ablation (MWA), irreversible electroporation (IRE) and stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) seem to be getting ready for prime time., Conclusion: This topical paper describes the new emerging technologies for cT1 localized renal cell cancer and investigates how they compare to CA and RFA.

Due to the growing field of digital pathology, more and more digital histology slides are becoming available. This improves the accessibility, allows teleconsultations from specialized pathologists, improves education, and might give urologist the possibility to review the slides in patient management systems. Moreover, by stacking multiple two-dimensional (2D) digital slides, three-dimensional volumes can be created, allowing improved insight in the growth pattern of a tumor. With the addition of computer-aided diagnosis systems, pathologist can be guided to regions of interest, potentially reducing the workload and interobserver variation. Digital (3D) pathology has the potential to improve dialog between the pathologist and urologist, and, therefore, results in a better treatment selection for urologic patients.

Purpose: To codify the use of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) for the interrogation of prostate neoplasia (PCa) in clinical practice and focal therapy (FT)., Methods: An international collaborative consensus project was undertaken using the Delphi method among experts in the field of PCa. An online questionnaire was presented in three consecutive rounds and modified each round based on the comments provided by the experts. Subsequently, a face-to-face meeting was held to discuss and finalize the consensus results., Results: mpMRI should be performed in patients with prior negative biopsies if clinical suspicion remains, but not instead of the PSA test, nor as a stand-alone diagnostic tool or mpMRI-targeted biopsies only. It is not recommended to use a 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner without an endorectal or pelvic phased-array coil. mpMRI should be performed following standard biopsy-based PCa diagnosis in both the planning and follow-up of FT. If a lesion is seen, MRI-TRUS fusion biopsies should be performed for FT planning. Systematic biopsies are still required for FT planning in biopsy-naïve patients and for patients with residual PCa after FT. Standard repeat biopsies should be taken during the follow-up of FT. The final decision to perform FT should be based on histopathology. However, these consensus statements may differ for expert centers versus non-expert centers., Conclusions: The mpMRI is an important tool for characterizing and targeting PCa in clinical practice and FT. Standardization of acquisition and reading should be the main priority to guarantee consistent mpMRI quality throughout the urological community.

Purpose: To establish consensus on follow-up (FU) after focal therapy (FT) in renal masses. To formulate recommendations to aid in clinical practice and research., Methods: Key topics and questions for consensus were identified from a systematic literature research. A Web-based questionnaire was distributed among participants selected based on their contribution to the literature and/or known expertise. Three rounds according to the Delphi method were performed online. Final discussion was conducted during the "8th International Symposium on Focal Therapy and Imaging in Prostate and Kidney Cancer" among an international multidisciplinary expert panel., Results: Sixty-two participants completed all three rounds of the online questionnaire. The panel recommended a minimum follow-up of 5 years, preferably extended to 10 years. The first FU was recommended at 3 months, with at least two imaging studies in the first year. Imaging was recommended biannually during the second year and annually thereafter. The panel recommended FU by means of CT scan with slice thickness ≤3 mm (at least three phases with excretory phase if suspicion of collecting system involvement) or mpMRI. Annual checkup for pulmonary metastasis by CT thorax was advised. Outside study protocols, biopsy during follow-up should only be performed in case of suspicion of residual/persistent disease or radiological recurrence., Conclusions: The consensus led to clear FU recommendations after FT of renal masses supported by a multidisciplinary expert panel. In spite of the low level of evidence, these recommendations can guide clinicians and create uniformity in the follow-up practice and for clinical research purposes., Competing Interests: All authors of this manuscript declare no conflict of interest. Ethical standards All human studies have been approved by the appropriate ethics committee and have therefore been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments.

Purpose: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a novel minimally invasive therapy for prostate cancer using short electric pulses to ablate prostate tissue. The purpose of this study is to determine the IRE effects in prostate tissue and correlate electrode configuration with the histology of radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens. We hypothesize that the area within the electrode configuration is completely ablated and that the area within the electrode configuration is predictive for the ablated area after treatment., Methods: A prospective phase I/II study was conducted in 16 consecutive patients with histopathologically confirmed prostate cancer scheduled for RP. Focal or extended IRE treatment of the prostate was performed 4 weeks prior to RP. The locations of the electrodes were used to calculate the planned ablation zone. Following RP, the specimens were processed into whole-mount sections, histopathology (PA) was assessed and ablation zones were delineated. The area of the tissue alteration was determined by measuring the surface. The planned and the histological ablation zones were compared, analysed per individual patient and per protocol (focal vs. extended)., Results: All cells within the electrode configuration were completely ablated and consisted only of necrotic and fibrotic tissue without leaving any viable cells. The histological ablation zone was always larger than the electrodes configuration (2.9 times larger for the 3 electrodes configuration and 2.5 times larger for the ≥4 electrode configuration). These ablation effects extended beyond the prostatic capsule in the neurovascular bundle in 13 out of 15 cases., Conclusions: IRE in prostate cancer results in completely ablated, sharply demarcated lesions with a histological ablation zone beyond the electrode configuration. No skip lesions were observed within the electrode configuration., Clinical Trials: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01790451 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01790451.