Tulane Health System improving early prostate cancer detection

Tulane Health System is improving its ability to detect early prostate cancers with the addition of a new diagnostic technology that combines MRI and traditional biopsies.

The UroNav fusion biopsy system is a software-based technology that allows urologists to fuse MRI and ultrasound images while performing a prostate biopsy if cancer is suspected. Compared to traditional biopsies, UroNav increases the accuracy of clinically significant prostate cancers detected.

This technology allows physicians to better identify lesions that pose cancer heath risks and require aggressive therapy, versus lesions that do not pose similar risks and likely require additional monitoring before treatment is initiated.

“We obviously need to treat aggressive, potentially lethal prostate tumors as quickly and effectively as possible. But we don’t want patients to suffer needless worry and undergo unwarranted medical procedures if their cancer is slow-growing and not life-threatening,” said Dr. Spencer Krane, a urologist at Tulane Health System. “Fortunately, we now have a tool that can aid us with both of those challenges – prostate cancer detection and differentiation.”

Tulane Medical Center is the first hospital in the country to offer UroNav’s updated 3.0 software and tools. The upgrades provide increased speed and efficiency compared to previous releases. As an acclaimed academic medical center with world-renowned prostate cancer expertise, Tulane was chosen as the first site for the new software to help provide feedback that will enhance the rollout and features of this and future UroNav releases.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers found in American men, second only to skin cancer. However, when found early, prostate cancer can often be treated and beaten.

“This technology opens the door not just for prostate cancer detection, but also for precise treatment of the cancer itself,” Dr. Krane said. “This could help limit some of the risks of prostate cancer therapy, such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.”

To learn more about Tulane Health System and its urology services, or to learn about prostate cancer risk factors and symptoms, please visit Tulane Healthcare.