St. David’s Surgical Hospital — a campus of St. David’s North Austin Medical Center—is the first hospital in Austin to offer the UroNav fusion biopsy system for patients with elevated or rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. UroNav uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which uses strong magnetic fields to generate images of organs in the body, with ultrasound technology for more targeted prostate cancer screenings.
Prostate biopsy, the most reliable method of detection, can be a challenge because of difficulties in visualizing not only the entirety of the prostate, but also the location of the biopsy needle. UroNav fuses pre-biopsy magnetic resonance (MR) images of the prostate with ultrasound-guided biopsy images in real time, for more targeted biopsy. The MR and ultrasound images use electromagnetic tracking—similar to a car’s GPS system.
“We are committed to using the latest proven technologies to provide our patients with the highest quality of care,” Thomas Jackson, chief executive officer of St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, said. “The UroNav fusion biopsy system will allow our urologists to identify and target suspicious prostate lesions.”
Physicians say it can be difficult to distinguish between lesions in the prostate that should be monitored and more aggressive lesions that require therapy. UroNav allows urologists to more confidently characterize the type of lesion and in some cases, avoid therapy, which can cause side effects such as incontinence, impotence and bowel problems.
Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer has become the most common form of cancer in American men and the second-leading cause of cancer death in this population. One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. The UroNav fusion biopsy system, which uses targeted MR/ultrasound biopsy, is poised to become a new standard in prostate care.
For more information about procedures offered at St. David’s Surgical Hospital, visit www.stdavids.com.