MRI-Guided Strategies for Prostate Cancer ImagingStudy shows MRI is more cost-effective than standard biopsy in helping physicians detect disease

Prostate cancer is the 2^nd most common cancer in American men, with about 161,360 new cases in 2017. About 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and about 26,730 men will die from the disease this year².

With prostate cancer on the rise, a team of experts in radiology, urology, and statistical analysis at UH Cleveland Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine combined to publish a ground-breaking study on the efficacy of MRI in providing support for physicians as they detect and diagnose prostate cancer: “Cost-effectiveness of MRI-guided strategies for detection of prostate cancer in biopsy naïve men.”

According to Dr. Vikas Gulani, one of the authors, the study was designed to explore a relatively straightforward question: Should men identified as having the potential for prostate cancer be imaged with MRI before going through the current standard for diagnosis, namely transrectal ultrasound-guided (TRUS) biopsy?

In short, the study found that MRI is a cost-effective tool in helping physicians detect and diagnose high-risk prostate cancers. It also offers greater speed, accuracy, and comfort compared to the TRUS procedure, which consists of 12 core biopsies and may require 2-3 repeat studies after an initial negative biopsy.

The MR images used in the study were acquired on our 3T scanners. We discussed the study results and the benefits of MRI-guided prostate cancer procedures for patients and clinicians with Dr. Gulani.