A New Era in Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
The ultrasound (US)-guided prostate biopsy – also called a “systematic” biopsy – was the traditional standard of care for diagnosing prostate cancer.1 Since the 1980s and with the first clinically useful transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) prostate biopsy performed in 1989, the diagnostic technique spent nearly 3 decades in the spotlight.
However, ultrasound-guided biopsies come with significant limitations, such as finding more low-grade cancers and increased risk of missing clinically significant high-grade cancers. , leading to repeat biopsies. A new era began in 2020 when the American Urological Association (AUA) identified MRI fusion-guided biopsies as the new gold standard for all biopsies, fundamentally changing the approach to prostate cancer diagnosis.
When compared to traditional US-guided prostate biopsies, MRI fusion offers a much higher rate of accuracy and sensitivity in detecting high-grade cancers.2 This is because the technology combines ultrasound and MRI images to create a 3D image of the prostate and deliver a comprehensive, accurate picture of regions of interest that could harbor cancer.
Taking it One Step Further – From 3D to 4D
Even with its advantages, MRI-targeted biopsy still faces challenges. Patient movement during biopsy can disrupt alignment, requiring frequent pauses to recalibrate the MRI and ultrasound images—ultimately affecting the biopsy’s accuracy.
The Navigo/MRI-US fusion technology allows urologists to adapt to patient motion in real-time with automatic movement compensation, bypassing the need for manual recalibration and taking advantage of streamlined/automated workflows. The only fusion navigation system equipped with this technology, Navigo creates new fusion efficiencies while driving improved patient care and higher levels of precision in cancer diagnosis.3
Financial Benefits of In-House MRI-US Fusion
Many practices opt to leverage off-site MRI-US fusion to bypass capital equipment costs. Unfortunately, doing so can actually come with significant costs and hurdles, such as off-site scheduling bottlenecks; greater financial burdens on patients receiving care at a hospital or surgery center; and limited active surveillance or treatment planning as a result of the technology being inaccessible.
Benefits of in-house MRI targeted biopsies include:
Easier scheduling: Physicians can schedule their patients for MRI-US fusion much more easily with an in-house offering, where they set scheduling priorities based on patient need.
Less financial burden on patients: If performed in-office, patients don’t need to travel elsewhere and incur higher procedure/copay costs of receiving care at another location.
More revenue opportunities: Moving fusion in-house drives greater revenue growth, as practices can bill the US technical component, avoid lost revenues from patient cancellations and OR delays, and experience a case volume increase.
Increase Reimbursements With The Navigo 4D Fusion Navigation System
Off-site fusion restricts practice reimbursements, as physicians can only bill the professional fee, which is less than half of what they bill for an in-office TRUS procedure. The Navigo 4D Fusion Navigation System offers a pay-per-procedure model that minimizes upfront equipment costs and helps practices quickly generate return on investment (ROI). This payment structure makes in-house fusion possible for many independent practices.
Want to explore more? Download the white paper to dive deeper into the clinical and business advantageous of moving prostate MRI-US fusion procedures in-house. If you’re ready to see Navigo and SmartBx firsthand, book a discovery call to learn more about how this technology is changing the game in prostate cancer diagnostics.
Sources
Lehtonen M, Kellokumpu-Lehtinen P-L. The past and present of prostate cancer and its treatment and diagnostics: A historical review. SAGE Open Medicine. 2023;11. doi:10.1177/20503121231216837
Ahmed HU, El-Shater Bosaily A, Brown LC, et al. Diagnostic accuracy of multi-parametric MRI and TRUS biopsy in prostate cancer (PROMIS): a paired validating confirmatory study. Lancet. 2017;389(10071):815-822.
Marks L, Young S, Natarajan S. MRI-ultrasound fusion for guidance of targeted prostate biopsy. Curr Opin Urol. 2013;23(1):43-50.
Comments