Prostate cancer has risen to the top of male cancer incidence rates. According to national cancer statistics, prostate cancer accounted for the highest proportion of newly diagnosed male cancers in 2023. This is the result of a combination of factors, including an aging population, changes in dietary habits, and expanded health checkups.
As the incidence increases, the importance of accurate diagnosis is also growing. In particular, MR fusion biopsy (MRI-TRUS fusion biopsy) is established as a core technology for increasing the detection rate of prostate cancer while minimizing unnecessary biopsies.
Traditional prostate biopsies involve taking samples from 12 locations in the prostate using ultrasound. However, ultrasound alone has limitations in accurately identifying the location of cancerous tissue. This may lead to missing small or deeply located cancer tissues.
MR fusion biopsy is a method that overcomes these limitations. First, an MRI is taken to identify suspected cancer areas in advance. Then, these MRI images are merged with real-time ultrasound images during the biopsy. In other words, doctors can perform the biopsy while precisely viewing the suspected cancer location on the screen, just like using a GPS.