MRI-Guided Diagnosis and Treatment of Prostate Cancer

Abstract

In the United States, the most common method for diagnosing prostate cancer is a transrectal ultrasound-guided needle biopsy of the prostate gland. However, the positive predictive value of this method is only 18 percent.¹ We used a real-time, intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance system (General Electric, Milwaukee)² to diagnose and treat prostate cancer in a 62-year-old man with a rising prostate-specific antigen level. The patient was not a candidate for a transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy because of a previous proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis.