From left Marco Roscigno, Francesco Locati, Maurizio Radici and Luigi Da Pozzo
A new latest generation ultrasound machine was donated by the Bergamo Oncology Association to the Urology department of the Papa Giovanni XXIII hospital in Bergamo. The presentation was attended by the general director Francesco Locatiurologists Luigi Da Pozzo And Marco Roscignohead of the Prostate Cancer Unit, while the president was present for the association Maurizio Radici.
A latest generation tool
Thanks to its very high resolution, which uses high frequency waves (microultrasound), the instrument allows for better definition of the prostate tissue and a greater possibility of identifying any suspicious lesions and has already come into operation. It will be used alongside magnetic resonance imaging, to refine the ability to diagnose prostate cancer.
«Some recent studies have shown that the use of high resolution ultrasound, alongside magnetic resonance imaging, allows us to improve diagnostic capacity by carrying out targeted prostate biopsies, if necessary, with greater precision – explained Da Pozzo, director of the department -. The so-called “fusion biopsy”, a method which involves the fusion of the images obtained from the magnetic resonance imaging to those in real time produced by the ultrasound, thus allows us to define the clinical-therapeutic path with greater precision and to carry out checks for patients in follow up”.
Enhanced diagnostics
This new technological equipment is currently only present in the Bergamo hospital, among the public structures of the Lombardy Region and there are hundreds of patients who will be able to benefit from it. Suffice it to say that every year around eight hundred prostate biopsies are performed at the Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital and that over four hundred patients are currently followed by Urology in active surveillance protocols. Precisely to enhance diagnostics, the Bergamo Oncology Association donated an ultrasound machine dedicated to fusion biopsies to Urology in 2018.
«We are very proud to deliver this new instrumentation – underlined Radici -, which allows us to be even more effective in screening related to prostate cancer. Our Association is proud to contribute to maintaining the levels of excellence and cutting edge of the Prostate cancer unit. I take this opportunity to thank the people who, even financially, supported us in this ambitious project, dedicated in particular to the memory of the lawyer Alessandro Cicolari».
