High Intensity Focused Ultrasound – A New Treatment for Prostate Cancer

There is a new, non-invasive, non-surgical treatment option that is appropriate for some prostate cancer patients. This new treatment that can help keep cancer at bay without radiation or more extensive surgeries. High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) is a minimally invasive procedure that can be used to remove the affected tissue with a low risk of sexual side-effects and incontinence.  

This procedure uses high-intensity ultrasound waves to heat and destroy the cells in the prostate gland without damage to the healthy surrounding tissue. This type of focused ultrasound works the same way as rays of sunlight that pass through a magnifying glass and are concentrated at a single point, equally causing the temperature to rise around the focal point. Some of the advantages of this new treatment include:

• • A New Treatment for early stage prostate cancer
  • Non-invasive Procedure with no surgery, no incision and no radiation
  • Low Risk of Side Effects such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction
  • Get Back to Life Quickly with minimal time away from work and leisure activities
  • Go Home the Same Day with this outpatient procedure

 

Treatment – What to Expect?

IMAGING OF THE PROSTATE – We use specialized ultrasound imaging to scan the entire prostate.

PROSTATE TREATMENT PLANNING – Using the ultrasound images, your urologist is able to reconstruct a detailed three-dimensional image that help them precisely plan the area they will treat.

TREATMENT – The HIFU system automatically determines the optimal number of lesions based on the planning and produces and the High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound waves are used to destroy the precisely targeted cells. The entire procedure can be completed in just about an hour.

RECOVERY –  Following the procedure, a temporary urinary catheter will be placed in order to limit the risk of urinary retention due to the temporary swelling. You will be able to go home the same day.  The catheter will be removed at your follow-up visit just a few days later.

Your Urologist will advise you when you need to continue PSA testing – it is typically at three months, six months, and one year. After one year, MRI imaging and biopsies may be used to be sure the cancer has not returned.

 

 

 

Don’t Let Prostate Cancer Slow You Down – Talk to your doctor to see if HIFU might be right for you.