Samsung Medical Center, Introduction of latest HIFU equipment for prostate cancer procedure

The equipment introduced preserves the rectal wall by recognizing it automatically through ultrasound, and the treatment time is shortest. Through the images fused with MRI and real-time monitoring, it is optimized for the local treatment.

Recently, instead of surgery, alternative treatment is gaining attention to improve the quality of life. Early cancer patients favor High-Intensity Focused

[1] Department of Urology

[2] Hyunmoo Lee

[3] Hwanggyun Jeon

Ultrasound (HIFU) because the treatment is simple (i.e. one-time treatment), and there is no limitation for re-treatment. Especially, the biggest advantage is that it can save men’s sexual and urinary functions most effectively.

Professor Hyunmoo Lee and Professor Hwanggyun Jeon of Department of Urology have performed transperineal region biopsies since March 2017. The transperineal biopsy is useful to diagnose and manage prostate cancer because it enables to detect cancer additionally by 30% compared with transrectal prostate biopsy. Also, it is useful to screen subjects who need active observation or local treatment.

Samsung Medical Center Department of Urology is the only medical institution in South Korea that performs both the HIFU treatment, which is very effective for early prostate cancer, and perineal region biopsy.

The professors said, “Samsung Medical Center has 15 years’ long-term treatment experience by introducing the HIFU equipment for the first time in South Korea in 2004. Based on it, we have been introducing new treatment methods continually for customized treatment. Besides introducing the latest HIFU equipment, we have presented 3 papers related to the transperineal region biopsy in international academic journals this year alone. Samsung Medical Center keeps growing.”