Fox Chase is first cancer center in the nation to use MRI-guided biopsy to detect prostate cancer

Earlier this month, Fox Chase Cancer Center became the first hospital in North America to offer an MRI guided biopsy to detect prostate cancer using Invivo Equipment in a clinical hospital setting. Pioneering new techniques for MRI-guided prostate interventions, Fox Chase is offering a new procedure for men with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels who have had at least two negative transrectal ultrasound guided (TRUS) biopsies and whose doctors suspect cancer.

"Our first step is to take an endorectal coil MRI of the prostate with contrast enhancement," explains Barton N. Milestone, MD, a radiologist at Fox Chase, who was instrumental in bringing this technology to Fox Chase. "Next, computer-aided software helps identify abnormal areas as shown through the enhancement activity. If suspicious tissue is found, the patient is considered a candidate for MRI guided biopsy."

The MRI guided biopsy is used to target a specific area for sampling. It requires a needle guide to be inserted into the rectum next to the patient's prostate. Next, MR images are obtained, the abnormal area is identified, and a needle is inserted through the guide to the targeted area for tissue samples, which will later be examined for cancer.

"In a preliminary study in Europe, cancer was found in 59% of patients with two negative TRUS biopsies using this MRI technique," Milestone adds.

The device used to perform the MRI guided biopsy establishes its own frame of reference from an initial set of images. The endorectal MR images are used to locate suspicious areas in the prostate gland and then are correlated with the new images obtained at the time of biopsy for targeting. This type of biopsy requires less sampling because it is targeted. As with traditional biopsies, test results are typically available 3 days after the procedure is done.

Invivo is the pioneer in innovative RF coils, Advanced Clinical Visualization Systems, and MRI compatible Interventional Instruments that increase MR image quality and improve diagnostic confidence. Invivo is also the world leader in MRI monitoring, providing accurate vital signs for improved patient safety. The company has a more than 30-year history as a successful developer, manufacturer and marketer of high value-added medical devices. For more information, visit www.invivocorp.com.

Fox Chase Cancer Center is one of the leading cancer research and treatments centers in the United States. Founded in 1904 in Philadelphia as one of the nation's first cancer hospitals, Fox Chase was also among the first institutions to be designated a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1974. Today, Fox Chase conducts a broad array of nationally competitive basic, translational, and clinical research, with special programs in cancer prevention, detection, survivorship, and community outreach. For more information, visit Fox Chase's web site at www.fccc.edu