Targeted Fusion Biopsy of the Prostate

The objective of the proposed study is to evaluate a molecular image directed, three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound guided biopsy system in human patients. Prior studies have shown that Positron Emission Tomography (PET)/Computed Tomography (CT) imaging with the PET molecular imaging agent, a synthetic amino acid, anti-1-amino-3-\[18F\]fluorocyclobutane-1- carboxylic acid (FACBC), is more sensitive than the FDA-approved prostate specific membrane antigen single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) radiotracer in prostate cancer detection. FACBC images showed higher focal uptake in tumor foci than in normal prostate and thus could be ideal information to direct targeted biopsy of the prostate. This targeted biopsy system has a unique feature that PET/CT images can be registered with 3D ultrasound images, as a result, a suspicious PET lesion is superimposed over the real-time ultrasound data; and the fused image is then used to direct biopsy needles to tumor targets. The hypothesis of the study is that PET/ultrasound fusion targeted biopsy can detect more cancer per core than the standard 12-core TRUS guided biopsy. The specific aims include: 1. To perform PET/CT directed, 3D ultrasound-guided biopsy and determine if fusion targeted biopsy can detect more cancers than 2D transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsy 2. To develop the workflow for performing deformable registration and fusion of PET/CT and 3D ultrasound images of human patients Thirty six patients, who have suspicion of recurrent prostate cancer after definitive therapy such as radiotherapy, will be recruited into this study. At least half of the patients will have positive imaging findings and will undergo 2D TRUS-guided biopsy as well as PET/ultrasound fusion biopsy. The proposed study will be the first-in-human trial that uses PET/CT imaging to direct 3D ultrasound-guided biopsy of the prostate. The multimodality imaging approach will combine the high sensitivity from PET and real-time information from ultrasound for improved cancer detection.