To overcome these limitations, Sri-Rajasekhar Kothapalli and colleagues created TRUSPA, a device that integrates TRUS with a hybrid optical-ultrasound method named photoacoustic imaging. Combining these approaches allows TRUSPA to detect anatomical features of the prostate such as blood vessels in real time, as well as detailed molecular information within tumors.
‘A new platform that combines two established imaging methods can peer into both the structure and molecular makeup of the prostate in men with prostate cancer. ’
The platform worked as intended in mouse models of prostate cancer and in isolated human prostates and administering an FDA-approved dye enhanced image contrast. In an experiment with 20 male subjects, TRUSPA provided clear images of the prostate's anatomy - peering as deep as six centimeters into tissue - and could distinguish a malignant region of the prostate in one patient with advanced disease.
Kothapalli et al. will investigate how TRUSPA could be developed to detect specific biomarkers of prostate cancer, which could further boost its accuracy and clinical potential.
Source: Eurekalert
