Number of warrants exercised

No definition available.

Name:	pstv_NumberOfWarrantsExercised
Namespace Prefix:	pstv_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfStockLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Exercise price per share or per unit of warrants or rights outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126973232&loc=d3e21475-112644

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightExercisePriceOfWarrantsOrRights1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of securities into which the class of warrant or right may be converted. For example, but not limited to, 500,000 warrants may be converted into 1,000,000 shares.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightNumberOfSecuritiesCalledByWarrantsOrRights
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of warrants or rights outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Per share amount received by subsidiary or equity investee for each share of common stock issued or sold in the stock transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SaleOfStockPricePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of new stock issued during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126973232&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120397183&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period between issuance and expiration of outstanding warrant and right embodying unconditional obligation requiring redemption by transferring asset at specified or determinable date or upon event certain to occur, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (bbb)(2)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126976982&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_WarrantsAndRightsOutstandingTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis=pstv_SeriesUWarrantsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=pstv_RepresentativeSeriesUWarrantMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_CommonStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_WarrantMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassBMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Stockholders' Equity - Warrants (Details) - $ / shares	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
Stockholders' Equity - Warrants (Details) - $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021	Mar. 31, 2021	Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2020
Series U Warrants [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock issued (in shares)							3,450,000
Sale of Stock, Price Per Share	$ 5.00						$ 5.00
Warrants expected term	5 years						5 years
Representative Warrants [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of securities called by warrant or right	75,000						75,000
Warrant exercise price (in dollars per share)	$ 6.25						$ 6.25
Common Stock [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock issued (in shares)	10,101,320	271,047	6,687,610	3,272,500	1,907,000	2,534,879
Warrants expected term	5 years						5 years
Outstanding Warrants [Member] \| Series U Warrants [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of securities called by warrant or right								2,500
Class of warrant outstanding	2,141,000						2,141,000
Number of warrants exercised							2,141,000
Common Class A [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock issued (in shares)							289,000
Common Class B [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of securities called by warrant or right	2,711,000						2,711,000