Patients undergo mp-MRI, at the discretion of the treating Urologist, when they are referred to the Cancer Assessment Clinic for their initial visit with a risk factor for prostate cancer (e.g. abnormal digital rectal exam \[DRE\] or elevated prostate serum antigen \[PSA\] level). Performing an mp-MRI in a man with risk factors for prostate cancer prior to an initial biopsy has become the standard of care for diagnosis of prostate cancer based on two large multi-center randomized control trials.
At the second visit, which is standard of care, the Urologist (or delegate \[Resident, Fellow\]) will discuss targeted biopsy and will introduce the trial design obtaining informed consent to participate. If consent is obtained, the patient will be randomly assigned to receive either the standard transrectal (TR) ultrasound guided targeted fusion biopsy or the novel transperineal (TP) targeted fusion biopsy system which has also been preliminarily validated as being accurate for detection of significant prostate cancers at targeted biopsy.
Patients will be notified regarding which method of targeted biopsy will be employed at time of scheduling.
Both the TR and TP biopsies will be conducted in existing biopsy rooms in The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) and will employ a brief 30-minute post-procedural observation period at which point the patient is required to urinate prior to discharge. Level of pain will be recorded by the ultrasound technologists during the 30 minutes observation period as well.
This study aims to compare ultrasound guided transrectal and transperineal targeted fusion biopsy for diagnosis of prostate cancer in abnormalities detected on MRI for the purpose of reducing or completely eliminating the risk of serious infection associated with the transrectal approach.
