Prostate Cancer detection improved thanks to tech development

Close to half of life threatening cancers are missed as biopsies are taken without knowing where the tumours is likely to be. This could now all change as a team of engineer and researchers at UCL have developed a new Medical software ‘SmartTarget’ which is able to pinpoint the area surgeons need to take a biopsy to detect prostate cancer.
“With much discussion and speculation on the degree to which computers and artificial intelligence will improve clinical care, this study is important in providing valuable evidence on the performance of new technology.” said co-senior author Professor Mark Emberton, dean of UCL Medical Sciences and NIHR senior investigator. “We now have data showing that SmartTarget is good at targeting tumours in the prostate, and shows how computers and clinicians will be working together in the future to improve patient lives.”
With the cancer detection rate improving from 50% to 90% in the last 5 years, it’s hoped that the SmartTarget technique will continue to enhance detection, by allowing a 3D model of the prostate and cancer to be created for each patient after having their MRI Scans.