MR Imaging-Guided Prostate Biopsy Techniques

Nearly all prostate biopsies are performed via the transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided technique which suffers from its inability to accurately visualize and target suspicious lesions. Advances in prostate MR imaging now allow for the detection of suspicious regions of the prostate gland, opening the door for lesion-directed biopsy techniques. The ability to obtain a definitive histologic grade has become increasingly important due to the rise of active surveillance as a popular method to approach low-grade cancer. Biopsies obtained with MR guidance or MR imaging/transrectal ultrasound fusion can accurately identify and characterize cancers and thus appropriately stratify patients for specific therapies.