Dear Ultrasound Insider,
The American Cancer Society estimates that 221,000 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2003. Since approximately one in three biopsies are positive for cancer, that means about 600,000 to 800,000 men are undergoing prostate biopsies each year, according to Dr. Ethan Halpern from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Can contrast-enhanced ultrasound contribute to better diagnosis and management of these patients? The answer appears to be yes, but it’s a mixed bag. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound can improve prostate cancer detection and limit the number of biopsy sites, Halpern said. However, the technology still suffers from a high false-positive rate.
Halpern discussed the use of contrast imaging for prostate cancer detection at the 2003 Leading Edge in Diagnostic Ultrasound conference, held earlier this year in Philadelphia. Our coverage of the presentation is the subject of this month’s Ultrasound Insider Exclusive article.
As an Ultrasound Insider subscriber, you have access to this story before it’s available for the rest of our AuntMinnie members. Click here to read more.
In other community developments this month, check out the latest in our ongoing series of articles on dynamic ultrasound imaging by Dr. Lars Thorelius. The most recent story covers ultrasound of focal lesions of the pancreas, and features dozens of dynamic ultrasound clips to help you understand this important clinical topic. Just click here to view the article.
Have an idea for a topic you'd like to see covered, or article you'd like to submit? As always, please feel free to drop me a line.
