From University Hospitals: The University Hospitals (UH) Urology Institute is the first in Northeast Ohio to use a new technique to diagnose prostate cancer. The method allows the urologist to obtain a prostate biopsy with a much lower risk of introducing bacteria than the traditional transrectal ultrasound-guided method which has been used for the past 30 years.
The new technique is called the PrecisionPoint™ Transperineal Access System (PPTAS) in conjunction with MRI-guided fusion technology. It optimizes cancer detection and can be used in an office setting under local anesthesia or with sedation. It is the first FDA-cleared device allowing free-handed transperineal biopsy of the prostate.
Urologic oncologist Jonathan Shoag, MD, is the first physician in Greater Cleveland to use PrecisionPoint. He said, “This new technique may be the future of prostate cancer diagnosis.” Dr. Shoag is involved with a randomized clinical study to yield the highest level of evidence to evaluate the tradeoffs of transperineal MRI-targeted biopsy. Dr. Shoag is a member of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center's Population and Cancer Prevention Program.