The innovation of the project is transferring procedure steps from the treatment to the diagnostics.

Based on earlier research work by in Klinikum Offenbach and other international groups, it has been decided to implement the stereotactic transperineal approach for the prostate biopsy. This means superior precision as within brachytherapy (interventional radiation oncology) applications, at the cost of slightly higher procedure complexity compared to the traditional transrectal method.

Within the project, MedCom together with the Department of Medical Physics & Engineering Klinikum Offenbach will design a custom ultrasound probe and a dedicated device cart containing the processor unit with an integrated ultrasound device. GfM will be responsible for the navigation hardware: a motorized stepper/encoder combination holding the ultrasound probe and a motorized needle guide.

On the software side, MedCom will develop an application featuring:

 US image acquisition
 Multimodality and DICOM data import
 Image fusion
 Biopsy procedure planning (e.g. statistical & targeted)
 Needle guiding environment
 Procedure documentation
 Treatment system data system link
 Database and DICOM Archive connectivity

The big potential for the product are patients with previous negative biopsy history but with still increasing cancer indications (PSA). The next big chance is usage of the BiopSee product as an information source for focal therapy approaches where the previously localized tumor region(s) within the prostate are treated by any of the available technology for energy deposition: radiation, radiofrequency waves, laser beams or high intensity focusing ultrasound.

Partners:

 MedCom – Project Management, Software Development
 GfM – Hardware Development
 Klinikum Offenbach – Technical and Methodological Validation, Research Feedback