Ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy

Ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy is an invasive diagnostic method used in the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

In the diagnostic centre Diagnostični center Bled, prostate biopsy is performed in three ways.

1) Ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy through the skin on the perineum (transperineal)

It is performed under continuous ultrasound control, with the difference that a urologist directs a biopsy needle to take prostate tissue through the skin on the perineum. This is a newer method, which we at diagnostic centre Diagnostični center Bled perform only in our unit in Bled. The method is more patient-friendly as the urologist does not take samples through the colon. This reduces the incidence of infections as the needle path goes through the skin. The method is recommended by the European Association of Urology.

2) Fusion-guided prostate biopsy – NEW IN SLOVENIA!

It is a minimally invasive diagnostic method that combines high-resolution micro-ultrasound imaging with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Micro-ultrasound provides a more accurate view of the prostate compared to conventional prostate ultrasound, with a 300 times better image resolution. These are then combined with MRI images of the prostate. The combined images allow the urologist to guide the biopsy needle to suspicious areas within the prostate with extreme precision.

Therefore, fewer samples need to be taken during the puncture/biopsy to show suspicious areas more accurately. For the patient, the procedure is less invasive, causing less discomfort, and there is less chance of complications and a faster recovery. The biopsy is performed transperineally, through the perineum rather than the intestine, which reduces the chance of infection from the procedure and the need for prophylactic antibiotic treatment.

Fusion-guided prostate biopsy is a valuable tool in the early detection and diagnosis of prostate cancer, especially in cases where other imaging techniques have failed to detect suspicious areas.

This method is carried out only at our Bled unit on a self-pay basis only.

3) Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy

It is an examination where a urologist takes samples of prostate tissue through the rectum under continuous ultrasound control with a biopsy needle. The method is performed at all three locations of diagnostic centre Diagnostični center Bled – in Bled, Ljubljana and Novo mesto.

In all methods, prostate tissue samples are sent for analysis to our histopathology laboratory. The patient is advised on the following treatment according to the histopathological report.