The University of California/Los Angeles (UCLA) completed a study that not only affirms our work at the Sperling Prostate Center but also offers terrific news for all prostate cancer patients. A team from their medical school’s Department of Radiology completed a retrospective study of in-bore MRI-guided prostate biopsy cases. They found that in-bore biopsy is head and shoulders above conventional TRUS and even MRI/ultrasound fusion biopsy.
When they compared their own detection rates with published data on other techniques, here’s what they found:
| TRUS random biopsy | MRU/ultrasound fusion biopsy | UCLA in-bore MRI biopsy | |
| Detection of PCa | 10-30% | 25-50% | 59% |
| Avg. number of cores | 12 | 12 or more | 5-6 |
NOTE: In the UCLA experience, 80% of the patients with positive biopsies had significant PCa.
According to one of their team members, Dr. Nelly Tan, “It’s an outstanding time for clinicians, scientists and patients. For the first time in decades, we have better ways to diagnose prostate cancer and more accurately risk stratify patients to various less-invasive therapies, which may confer better quality of life for patients and their families.”[i]
The UCLA study confirms our own experience at the Sperling Prostate Center. Our detection protocol using 3T multiparametric MRI can rule the need for a biopsy in or out. If a suspicious area shows up on the scan, we can use a minimal number of needles to sample from the location most likely to harbor significant disease. For patients whose lab report is positive for cancer, we can determine if further genomic analysis is indicated. Ultimately, patients have the most accurate information possible to support appropriate treatment decisions. For qualified patients, this includes MRI-guided focal laser ablation (FLA) which destroys the tumor with almost zero risk of side effects.
We are grateful to the researchers at UCLA and other locations, including Radboud University in The Netherlands, for contributing to the body of knowledge on all the advantages of multiparametric MRI when it comes to dealing with prostate cancer.
[i] “MRI-Guided Prostate Biopsies Have Potentially Higher Yield With Fewer Samples.” MedicalResearch.com, April 26, 2016. http://medicalresearch.com/author-interviews/mri-guided-prostate-biopsies-have-potentially-higher-yield-with-fewer-samples/23791/
About Dr. Dan Sperling
Dan Sperling, MD, DABR, is a board certified radiologist who is globally recognized as a leader in multiparametric MRI for the detection and diagnosis of a range of disease conditions. As Medical Director of the Sperling Prostate Center, Sperling Medical Group and Sperling Neurosurgery Associates, he and his team are on the leading edge of significant change in medical practice. He is the co-author of the new patient book Redefining Prostate Cancer, and is a contributing author on over 25 published studies. For more information, contact the Sperling Prostate Center.
