MAYWOOD, IL – Loyola Medicine is among the first centers to offer a new minimally invasive prostate biopsy, called the transperineal prostate biopsy, that minimizes the risk of infection and may increase the cancer detection rate.

A urologist may recommend a biopsy if a digital rectal exam or PSA blood test suggests the patient may have prostate cancer. A needle is used to collect prostate tissue samples, which are examined by a pathologist for cancer.

In the traditional approach, called transrectal, the physician passes the biopsy needle through the rectal lining to reach the prostate. This risks introducing fecal material and bacteria into the prostate. Patients must take antibiotics, which have possible side effects such as allergic reactions and upset stomach. But even after taking antibiotics, as many as 5 percent of men undergoing transrectal biopsies experience infections, ranging from mild urinary tract infections to life-threatening sepsis.

In the new approach, the biopsy needle is passed through the perineum, an area of skin between the base of the scrotum and the rectum. No fecal material is introduced, and the risk of infection is so low that no antibiotics are needed.

The transperineal approach also may be more accurate than the transrectal approach in detecting tumors, because the physician can insert the needle into the prostate from more than one direction, said Loyola Medicine urologic surgeon Gopal Gupta, MD.

A transperineal biopsy can be done in a doctor's office in less than 10 minutes, and requires only local anesthesia. The patient experiences little or no pain afterwards, Dr. Gupta said.

Loyola is offering the transperineal biopsy along with a new technology called UroNav®, which fuses ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to create a detailed, three-dimensional view of the prostate. This improved view helps physicians perform biopsies with much higher precision, and increases prostate cancer detection, Dr. Gupta said.

In 2014, Loyola became the first center in Illinois to offer MRI-ultrasound imaging, and Loyola today is among the centers with the most experience with the technology.

"By combining the transperineal approach with the MRI-ultrasound imaging system, we are able to offer our patients prostate cancer biopsies that are both less invasive and more accurate," Dr. Gupta said.

Loyola Medicine is nationally recognized for its expertise in diagnosing and treating a broad range of urologic conditions and providing integrated services for optimal patient care. Loyola's urology specialty is ranked 41st in the country in U.S. News & World Report's 2019-20 Best Hospitals rankings.

About Loyola Medicine

Loyola Medicine, a member of Trinity Health, is a nationally ranked academic, quaternary care system based in Chicago's western suburbs. The three-hospital system includes Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC), Gottlieb Memorial HospitalMacNeal Hospital, as well as convenient locations offering primary care, specialty care and immediate care services from nearly 2,000 physicians throughout Cook, Will and DuPage counties. LUMC is a 547-licensed-bed hospital in Maywood that includes the William G. and Mary A. Ryan Center for Heart & Vascular Medicine, the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, the John L. Keeley, MD, Emergency Department, a Level 1 trauma center, Illinois's largest burn center, the Nancy W. Knowles Orthopaedic Institute, a certified comprehensive stroke centertransplant center and a children’s hospital. Having delivered compassionate care for over 50 years, Loyola also trains the next generation of caregivers through its academic affiliation with Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine and Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing.   

For more information, visit loyolamedicine.org. You can also follow Loyola Medicine on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or X (formerly known as Twitter).

About Trinity Health

Trinity Health is one of the largest not-for-profit, faith-based health care systems in the nation. It is a family of 127,000 colleagues and more than 38,300 physicians and clinicians caring for diverse communities across 26 states. Nationally recognized for care and experience, the Trinity Health system includes 93 hospitals, 107 continuing care locations, the second largest PACE program in the country, 142 urgent care locations and many other health and well-being services. In fiscal year 2024, the Livonia, Michigan-based health system invested $1.3 billion in its communities in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs. For more information, visit us at www.trinity-health.org, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X (formerly known as Twitter).