High Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) levels and repeat negative biopsy remains
a problem for diagnosing prostate cancer. In a typical prostate biopsy, only about 1 percent of the gland is tested. One of four repeat biopsies, according
to a study by Oregon Health and Sciences University, indicates the presence
of cancer. But what about the remaining 75% of men who continue to worry without
a clear answer?
MEDRAD believes that prostate MRI may be the next step. With newer 3.0T strength magnets, Prostate MRI can provide enhanced tissue resolution when used with MEDRAD’s Prostate eCoil™. The high-resolution images that result help physicians make the best diagnostic decisions. Researchers are already touting the advantages of the eCoil.
“The MEDRAD 3.0T eCoil can aid in the earlier diagnosis of prostate cancer and optimize the treatment options for patients,” said Dr. Neil Rofsky, director of MRI at Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center, Harvard Medical School in Boston. Dr. Rofsky has been using the eCoil for several years.
Dr. John Kurhanewicz, Ph.D., director of the Prostate Imaging Group and Biomedical NMR Lab and professor of radiology and pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, has observed similar results. “Using the eCoil for prostate MRI/MRSI exams on 3.0T scanners has enabled the acquisition of exquisite anatomic images and 3D spectroscopic imaging data with very high spatial resolution,” said Kurhanewicz.
Physicians use MEDRAD’s eCoil to get closer to the problem area and closer to the solution. Its small field-of-view (FOV), high spatial resolution, sensitivity, and specificity enable clear pictures. These pictures can help locate the areas most likely to yield cancer cells from biopsy or assist in later treatment planning.
Prostate MRI and MEDRAD’s eCoil may hold the answer for men who continue to question whether they have prostate cancer after high PSA and repeat negative biopsies.
#1 cause of cancer in men
#2 cause of cancer-related deaths in men
By the year 2015, 350,000 new prostate cancer cases will be detected every year
Cancers are usually first detected through a digital rectal exam or through a blood test that measures the amount of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a protein produced only by prostate cells. The PSA levels may rise in men who have a BPH, an infection in the prostate or prostate cancer.
