[Puncture biopsy of the prostate].

At the present time, the diagnosis of prostatic cancer is based on prostatic needle biopsy in 90% of cases. Prostatic needle biopsy is classically indicated in the presence of a clinical suspicion of prostatic cancer (digital rectal examination, PSA, ultrasonography, but it can also be indicated for re-evaluation of a first negative biopsy or for stages T1a-b, in the case of prostatic intra-epithelial neoplasia, or in the case of detectable PSA after radical prostatectomy. It must be ultrasound-guided with a sextant, biopsying the suspicious zone. It is associated with a low incidence of minor morbidity. Analysis of the biopsy cores should provide information allowing estimation of the tumour volume and stage. However, despite all of these advantages, the detection rate of prostatic needle biopsy does not ensure detection of all prostatic cancers and cannot distinguish non-significant carcinomas.