Improving Men’s Health One MRI-Guided Biopsy at a Time
In a time when so many industries have a concentration on quantity, health care doesn’t get enough credit for focusing so intently on quality. Beyond the circumstance of rituals like the Hippocratic Oath and the Nightingale Pledge, most health care practitioners have an innate desire to do what’s right by people—after all, that drive is what pushes most to enter the profession.
There are also regular reminders about the importance of quality care, like this month’s Healthcare Quality Week (HQW). Organized by the National Association for Healthcare Quality, HQW is “a dedicated time to acknowledge the progress made by healthcare and quality professionals toward improving patient outcomes, and to prepare ourselves for the many challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”
From the beginning, Promaxo has been determined to revolutionize the quality and standard of patient care. Although men’s health is a focal point for Promaxo, that’s not all they are working on. In addition, they are conducting research on women’s health in areas including urology and oncology. In celebration of HQW, here are a few ways that our technology is transforming patient care.
More precise findings
One of the most pressing issues in men’s health today is prostate cancer. The Promaxo MRI system is a tool used to help target suspicious lesions within the prostate which may prove to be cancerous once they’ve been biopsied. Patients who may be experiencing prostate cancer symptoms, as well as men 50 years or older who should be starting routine checkups can take advantage of our advanced technology to better locate and track disease progression.
Here’s a snapshot of how it works: The patient’s existing MRI images are loaded onto Promaxo’s secure cloud server, where Promaxo’s online image viewer is used to review and mark any regions of interest to biopsy. From there, the patient receives another MRI using the Promaxo MRI, which is used to localize the suspicious lesions and obtain the location (coordinates) of each target within the prostate. Using a fixed grid template to help steer the needles, 2-4 needles are inserted into the specified grid location(s), through the perineum and into the prostate at the specified depth to acquire a sample for investigation. To get a visual, think of it as a game of Battleship.
Early clinical results have shown multiple instances of prostate cancer identified by the Promaxo MRI System that were not found by the standard of care, TRUS guided biopsy.
FDA cleared in March 2021
Cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in early 2021 for guided prostate interventions, the Promaxo scanner has enabled practitioners and hospitals to accurately and seamlessly guide prostate interventions - and it’s making it more convenient for the patient in the process. As a compact and adaptable MRI, Promaxo is redefining the standard of care by improving the quality and speed of patient screening and interventions.
Practitioners can now reduce the time to diagnose, a key fact considering the importance of early detection and the changes in five-year survival rates once the cancer has spread. According to the American Cancer Society, if caught before the cancer has a chance to spread outside the prostate, the five-year survival rate is nearly 100%. However, in cases where the cancer is “distant” or has spread beyond the prostate, the survival rate drops to 30%.
Patient comfort is a key component
With the Promaxo MRI system being housed in doctors’ offices, this greatly improves patient comfort as they will more likely feel familiar with their surroundings. According to 72-year-old resident of Jackson, Mississippi, Bill C., there was no discomfort during his procedure with the Promaxo MRI. “I had my MRI targeted prostate biopsy in my urologist’s office and was relieved they found cancer in the spot that we had suspected it would be in. The whole process was easy and very comfortable,” says Bill.
But that’s not the only advantage to our technology when it comes to patient comfort.
Our system is single-sided and open, so there is no enclosed gantry that causes many people to feel uneasy or claustrophobic. It’s also quiet. The loud, startling bangs and knocks most people associate with an MRI simply aren’t there with the Promaxo MRI System. And, perhaps most importantly to a lot of men, it’s a non-invasive system. A needle is only used for the actual guided biopsy, but no endorectal coil or transrectal probe is inserted into a patient prior to or during the procedure. These benefits all add up to less anxiety in the patient and a more comfortable experience.
Promaxo is motivated by a quest to meet the Quadruple Aim
In 2008, the term “Triple Aim” was introduced as a way to describe how to achieve high-value health care, with the three tenets of the Triple Aim listed as care, health and cost. However, at Promaxo, we agree with those who have said a fourth target should be included: Experience.
We like to think of the Promaxo MRI System as technology that cares. With patient comfort, health, accessibility and overall experience as our guiding principles, we’ve achieved the Quadruple Aim. We know that men experiencing prostate cancer symptoms are scared and unsure of what the future might hold. The least we can do is provide clarity by helping to identify their prostate cancer and ensure they have the most stress and pain-free experience possible along the way.
Learn more about the technology behind the Promaxo MRI System and how we’re able to do what we do so well.
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Image 2: Promaxo stock image