New technique detects early prostate cancer

Mr. Ngo Van Duc (68 years old, Tan Binh district, HCMC) was admitted to Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City in the middle of March in a state of urinary retention. Before that, the patient often urinated, dribbling, intermittently… Through examination, the Urology doctor suspected that the patient had prostate cancer through MRI images. Additional biopsy results confirmed prostate carcinoma.

Also visiting Tam Anh General Hospital, Mr. Huynh Minh Huy (62 years old, Dong Nai) had symptoms of frequent urination, urgency, nocturia, urinary incontinence. The results of the MRI scan, the doctor suspected that the patient had prostate cancer, and ordered a biopsy to confirm the cancer. Biopsy results by scintillation technique confirmed prostate carcinoma.

According to Master, Doctor Ho Hoang Phuong, Director of Center for Diagnostic Imaging of Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, currently, biopsy is still considered the best method to help prove and diagnose cancer accurately. Prostate. This is the first time that Tam Anh General Hospital has implemented a trial of prostate biopsy technique through guided ultrasound combined with MRI (mpMRI-Ultrasound Fusion Biopsy), towards the application of widespread screening for men. sick.

Dr. Hoang Phuong added, after MRI scans identify suspected cancer sites at an early stage and extremely small in size, the MRI results will be fused with ultrasound images when conducting. biopsy. The specialist will use the 3D ultrasound probe, guide the biopsy needle to the right position to take the sample for histopathological examination, helping to make an accurate diagnosis, without missing the microscopic lesion. Biopsy technique is the most modern evaluation today, helping to detect the smallest lesions in the prostate, detect prostate cancer at an early, non-invasive stage.

Increased accuracy, fast execution

As one of the people who directly performed prostate biopsies for many cases, Dr. CKI Tran Minh Thieu – Center for Diagnostic Imaging, Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, said that the biopsy technique is new. Fully integrated ultrasound machine, multifunctional 3D rectal ultrasound transducer, automatically scan the entire prostate volume without moving the hand and transducer. The system also has the function of pre-biopsy planning, supporting effective sampling, and quick acquisition of anatomical images.

“If other conventional devices using superimposed fusion technology (Rigid Fusion) create many deviations (up to 5 mm) in the image edges, the new technical system with elastic fusion technology (Elastic fusion) for better fusion images, the accuracy of elastomeric fusion images has a deviation of less than 3 mm,” said Dr. Thieu.

Thieu, the prostate gland can change position and deform during the biopsy due to the patient’s movement or the impact of the biopsy needle. Other techniques often ignore this change and continue to use pre-existing biopsy maps. This leads to the possibility of a missed target, despite following the needle puncture instructions on the device, because the lesion location has changed. Meanwhile, the new biopsy technique will continuously scan and perform reconciliation with updated images, ensuring the exact location of the lesion on the map, whether the prostate changes position or deforms.

“With the ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy system combined with MRI imaging, doctors can perform a comprehensive malignancy risk assessment procedure, take biopsies in only about 30 minutes, protect healthy tissue areas and minimize complications for patients,” said Doctor Phuong.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignancies of the urogenital system in men, especially men after the age of 50. Prostate cancer causes patients to face consequences. such as urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction… In Vietnam, prostate cancer ranks 11th among the most common cancers, and 13th in terms of mortality among all cancers.

Associate Professor, Doctor, Doctor Vu Le Chuyen, Director of the Center of Urology – Nephrology, Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, said that prostate cancer often progresses slowly. In Vietnam, most patients often go to the doctor at a late stage, when cancer cells have invaded or metastasized, with poor prognosis.

“In the localized stage, prostate cancer has the ability to be completely cured. When the cancer has metastasized, the treatment methods can only help improve the disease condition and prolong the patient’s survival time. Therefore, early detection determines an effective treatment plan for the patient,” emphasized Associate Professor Vu Le Chuyen.

Hoai An