Caution - Investigational Device Limited by United States Law to Investigational Use
Background
Nearly 190,000 men in the US are diagnosed with prostate cancer annually. With early identification and treatment, prostate cancer has a cure rate of over 90%.
ExAblate is being investigated for the treatment of early stage, low risk prostate cancer.
The ExAblate OR prostate module is an endorectal device designed for non-invasive thermal ablation of prostate tumors using high intensity focused ultrasound under real-time MR imaging monitoring and control.
Current treatment options for prostate cancer include prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate gland), radiation therapy, brachytherapy (implantation of radioactive seeds), and cryotherapy. Ultrasound guided high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has also been used, outside the USA, to treat prostate cancer.
The potential advantages of MR guidance over ultrasound guidance are improved imaging of the prostate and surrounding critical structures and real-time measurement of thermal energy deposition allowing better control of the treatment.
Current treatment alternatives are accompanied by relatively high levels of adverse events which significantly impact the quality of life of prostate cancer patients. The most common are incontinence and impotence. Due to the introduction of PSA screening tests, prostate cancer is diagnosed at an earlier age thereby increasing the necessity for a treatment option that minimizes adverse events.
The ExAblate prostate system has been designed to provide effective treatments while minimizing the debilitating side-effects caused by damage to functional areas of the prostate and neurovascular bundles, thus the treatment is expected to enable patients to return to normal life within a day or two while maintaining their quality of life.
Feasibility trials (outside the USA) which started in 2010 continue to show initial promising results
New First Patients Treated in Clinical Trials - click to read more.
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