In addition to improving management, the application of such technologies to diagnostic capabilities was highlighted today with the presentation of several interesting abstracts.
A study conducted at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions examined the role of a novel robot-assisted platform in improving TRUS-guided biopsy accuracy. Using a simulated model of the prostate, comparisons were made between 5 experienced urologists and the novel “TRUS Robot” employing a standard 12-core biopsy plan. The authors found that while the biopsy cores by the urologists were generally clustered and often undersampled a large portion of the gland (average miss distance was 9mm), the cores by the “TRUS robot” were consistently accurate and uniformly distributed. As the accurate sampling of the prostate may have significant treatment ramifications, the improved diagnostic accuracy provided by the “TRUS robot” may have important clinical application; further clinical testing with be required.
Presented by Misop Han at the 29th World Congress of Endourology & SWL (WCE) - November 30 - December 3, 2011 - Kyoto International Conference Center - Kyoto, Japan
Reported for UroToday by Jason Y. Lee, MD, FRCSC, St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
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