Omaha-Based Company FirstScan™ Introduces First and Only Clinic Dedicated to MRI Screening of Prostate Cancer
OMAHA, Neb., Oct. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- New Omaha-based company, FirstScan™ offers affordable, non-invasive MRI prostate cancer screening. This is important because early detection does save lives from this typically slow growing cancer. One in seven men will get prostate cancer during their lifetime, so there is no reason to wait for a quality screening if you are over 40 years old.
In June of this year, ScanMed® CEO, Dr. Randall Jones (PhD, MBA) introduced the public to his newly released medical device, the Prostate/Pelvic Coil, a revolutionary MRI antenna (coil) that accurately, non-invasively, and comfortably facilitates prostate cancer screening. He promised Omaha's Morning Blend TV hosts that this technology would soon be available to the local market. On November 16th, it will be.
The current standard of care for Prostate Cancer (PCa) screening practiced in the Midwest is the digital rectal exam (DRE - the finger in the rectum test) and PSA test Prostate-Specific Antigen. The PSA test is an inexpensive blood test that does provide an early warning indicator to men with an elevated level; however, it falls far short of a definitive diagnoses; but it has proven to be a good reason for further investigation.
Primary care doctors will typically refer men with elevated PSA (over 4 ng/ml) to a urologist, and then the DRE is employed. DRE results have been shown to achieve less than the 50% mark in positive detection of suspicious lesions. Equally poor statistical results (less than 50%) have been achieved using the much more expensive and invasive non-image guided biopsies often ordered by urologists.
A much-improved clinical outcome is to use MRI of the prostate. Using state-of-the-art MRI equipment, techniques, and trained radiologists, the predictive value of detecting a cancer rises to above 90%, and has proven to eliminate the need for approximately 50% of biopsies. In fact the top 25 research hospitals in the world utilize MRI for PCa detection, and England is the first country to endorse its use as the prostate cancer screening tool.
Like all advanced procedures, the use of MRI for PCa screening has not been adapted primarily due to cost and the lack of standardized high quality imaging. The cost has been high because of the tools of the trade - an endorectal MRI antenna (one that inserts in the rectum) takes time to sterilize, prepare the patient (convince him to allow it!), insert and remove, and of course run the scanner. Other external antennas or coils have not yielded the required image quality until now.
Jones and an executive team of physicians and radiology service specialists spearhead the new company, employing the very latest MRI techniques combined with top-tier MRI systems and
ScanMed's new Prostate MRI antennas. Dr. Brian Loggie, Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at Creighton University in Omaha serves as Medical Director, with several board certified radiologists interpreting and reporting the MRI. Dr. Jones is the Chief Technology Officer.
The screening service is simple, comfortable, non-invasive (no needles, no probes in the rectum), fast, and most importantly accurate and affordable – $595 to the client, including the radiologist report to their doctor within 3 business days – costing less than the typical out-of-pocket co-pay for insurance paid MRI. Buy peace of mind: FirstScan, Accurate, Accessible, Answers.
The clinic will open November 16th at a convenient location just off I80 (for those traveling) with office hours Monday-Friday 8am – 5pm. To make an appointment, please call (402) 934-1999.
Contact:
FirstScan
9840 S 140th Street, Suite 5
Omaha, NE, 68136
(402) 934-1999
[email protected]
http://www.firstscanomaha.com
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151020/278716
SOURCE FirstScan
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