Background:

The role of staging studies in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) is a topic of discussion.

Aim:

To evaluate the usefulness of imaging studies in patients with prostate cancer.

Material and Methods:

We reviewed the pathology service records to identify patients with prostate cancer diagnosed between 2003 and 2013. We reviewed the electronic medical records of those patients identified as having a prostate cancer. Patients were grouped according D’amico’s classification of cancer dissemination risk. We analized the frequency of imaging studies requested and their efficacy to detect metastases in each risk group.

Results:

We identified 241 patients with a mean age of 67 years. Fifty two percent of patients were classified as low-risk, 32% as intermediate-risk and 16% as high risk. At least one imaging study was requested to 64% of patients (49, 78 and 87% of patients with low, intermediate and high risk respectively). Among the 155 patients in whom an imaging study was requested, no metastases were found in the low risk group. On the other hand, dissemination was found in 7% of the intermediate-risk group and 62% of the high-risk group.

Conclusions:

Half of patients with prostate cancer were classified as low risk. In half of this group of low risk patients, staging studies were requested and the probability of detecting metastases was low or nil. The odds of detecting metastases increased in higher risk groups.