Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Haematospermia is an uncommon clinical condition that may be associated with prostate cancer. The optimal investigation of haematospermia is unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate haematospermia as a presenting symptom of significant pathology and to assess the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patient and treatment parameters were collected from a practice cohort of men referred to a urology center presenting with haematospermia. We used a multivariate logistic regression model to test the independent significance of MRI in detecting prostate cancer (PCa) after adjusting for other known predictors of PCa detection. RESULTS: A total of 125 men (median age 58 years) were evaluated between 2012-2015. In the univariate and multivariate logistic regression model MRI was a significant predictor of PCa diagnosis after adjusting for age, prostate specific antigen (PSA) and digital rectal examination (DRE) results (Odds Ratio (OR) 14.15, p = 0.001). Of 107 patients who underwent MRI prostate imaging, 31 (28.9%) had reports suspicious of PCa. In 26 patients, other benign conditions were detected on MRI. PCa was detected in 12 (25.5%) of the 47 men (median age 61 years; range 43 to 85) who underwent prostate biopsies. Eight (17%) of these patients had Gleason ≥7 grade cancer. The persistence of haematospermia was not an independent predictor of cancer diagnosis (OR 0.20, p = 0.15). CONCLUSIONS: PCa is not commonly associated with haematospermia. MRI seems to be improving detection rate of a significant PCa, particularly in patients presenting with haematospermia and normal PSA levels and DRE examination. Duration of haematospermia does not predict the presence of PCa.