[Life] NTU Takes the Lead in Introducing Micro-Ultrasound, Shortening Diagnosis Period and Improving Detection Rate for Prostate Cancer
bellala 央廣4h agoEdited
Prostate cancer ranks third in cancer incidence among men in our country. National Taiwan University Hospital will be the first in the nation to activate its high-resolution microscopic ultrasound equipment in June 2025, and will subsequently install more equipment at its main hospital and cancer medical center branch. This technology shortens the diagnostic process and improves cancer detection rates. As of the end of May this year, 324 patients have undergone biopsy, with an overall prostate cancer diagnosis rate of 60.7%, demonstrating the significant value of microscopic ultrasound in the precise diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is one of the common cancers among Taiwanese men. With the advent of an aging society, the number of patients continues to increase. Early and accurate diagnosis is a crucial factor affecting treatment outcomes. However, traditional prostate ultrasound has limited resolution, making some lesions difficult to identify. While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has good diagnostic capabilities, it may face issues such as longer waiting times for examinations and limitations in medical resources.
Microscopic ultrasound is a new-generation high-resolution prostate imaging technology that uses a high-frequency probe of approximately 29MHz, achieving an image resolution of up to 70 micrometers. Compared to traditional ultrasound, it provides more detailed real-time images, assisting physicians in directly identifying suspicious lesions during the biopsy process and performing precise sampling. Recent international studies have also confirmed its clinical value. Some studies show its diagnostic efficacy is not inferior to MRI-guided biopsy, and others indicate that microscopic ultrasound and MRI-targeted biopsy have similar prostate cancer detection rates. It can serve as an important alternative or complementary tool to MRI, allowing patients to complete their diagnosis more quickly.
Mr. Huang, 78, sought medical attention due to an abnormally elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Initially, an outside hospital recommended an invasive surgery for diagnosis. After transferring to NTU Hospital, a suspicious lesion was immediately identified and a precise biopsy was performed using the new high-resolution microscopic ultrasound, leading to a confirmed diagnosis of prostate cancer within two weeks and subsequent smooth transition to treatment. Another patient, Mr. Lin, 78, had his lesion precisely located by microscopic ultrasound, successfully confirming a diagnosis of metastatic prostate cancer, which allowed him to receive treatment with the latest National Health Insurance-covered medication.
According to an analysis of clinical outcomes for 209 patients by NTU Hospital, if suspicious lesions appear in microscopic ultrasound images, the overall prostate cancer diagnosis rate can be further increased to 69.4%, with a clinically significant prostate cancer diagnosis rate of 59.1%. This indicates that microscopic ultrasound has excellent identification capabilities for high-risk lesions.
In terms of patient safety, after the introduction of microscopic ultrasound at NTU Hospital, all related biopsy examinations are performed via the perineal approach. Compared to traditional transrectal biopsy, this effectively reduces the risk of infection. To date, no patients undergoing microscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy have experienced complications such as fever or severe infection. Patients can also choose local anesthesia or sedation anesthesia based on their needs, improving examination comfort and acceptance. (Editor: Song Wanyuan)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=215238
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