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 TargetScan System - Technology Advantages
 Advantages in Prostate Biopsy
Biopsies are a critical component in prostate medicine, as mentioned; with the current 30% failure rate, improvements to the procedure will clearly benefit the medical community and patients both. Envisioneering's proprietary Stabilized Targeted Biopsy System leverages the technology's unique scanning ability to increase the accuracy of transrectal biopsies, allowing physicians to target specific areas of the prostate for sampling, and also to record the location of the samples.
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- Plan the preferred locations of tissue samples in the different quadrants of the prostate
- Save this biopsy plan to file
- Insert a biopsy needle in the targeted area
- Monitor both the accuracy of the biopsy needle position and the specific location of the tissue sample captured by the biopsy needle
- Record the specific location of the tissue sample captured
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Advantages in Prostate Imaging
The TargetScan system offers significantly improved image of the prostate, acquired very quickly. Because the transducer is electronically controlled within the hollow tip of the probe, it is able to move in much smaller increments. Whereas a conventional probe is controlled by hand or on a stepper moving in defined increments as large as five-millimeters, the Envisioneering Probe is able to take readings at one-millimeter increments, substantially improving the quality of the 3-D image by creating a solid volume of 3-D data instead of just 10 to 15 widely spaced image slices. This solid volume of 3-D data can then be viewed and manipulated similarly to that of 3-D data collected by an MRI. An additional feature is the ability of the transducer movement to be automated, allowing the necessary images to be collected and recorded very quickly and thus reducing the procedure time. While an ultrasound using a traditional probe frequently take 15 minutes or longer, a full volume scan can be
obtained using the Probe in under a minute, with the doctor able to save and review the images at his or her leisure after the probe is removed. Further, because it is not necessary to move the probe in and out to obtain images, a complex stepper is not necessary.
Advantages in 3-D
The ability to maintain the probe in one position while the transducer moves internally offers significant advantages over the three dimensional imaging offered by traditional manufacturers. Because the scanner remains stationary, it is not dependent on operator skill to generate a consistent scan. The scanning is controlled electronically by the TargetScan. Further, because the image plane is controlled by the system in relation to the stationary probe, there is no need for external optical or electromagnetic positioning sensors. Envisioneering's scanning technology is significantly less complicated than existing means of generating 3-D images from 2-D image slices.
Advantages for Treatment Planning
The three dimensional and automated image positioning capabilities of the probe allow many significant advances to be made in planning and treatment software, thus improving the ability of planning software to target seed placement for maximum effectiveness. The 3-D data sets can easily be transferred electronically to facilitate remote treatment management.
Advantages for Needle Treatments
The 3-D capabilities of the probe allow a complete image of the prostate and thus improve the ability of planning software to target seed placement for maximum effectiveness. Envisioneering's probe design allows the probe to remain stationery during the procedure, maintaining the position of the prostate while allowing image positioning to be manipulated by treatment software. The TargetScan Probe will facilitate real time verification of needle and seed placement and real time planning and treatment. With the Stepper Probe, there is less patient discomfort, the procedure time is significantly reduced and the accuracy and ease of seed placement is improved. The TargetScan Probe will have a significant impact on the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
Advantages for Next Generation Treatments
Envisioneering's TargetScan system is specifically designed to meet the needs of urologists and radiation oncologists now and in the future. The scientific community is working toward development of a next generation of targeted pharmaceuticals that hold the promise of significantly transforming the treatment of BPH, Cancer and other diseases. By precisely identifying problem areas and then directing treatment at just that area, these less invasive procedures will also reduce post-treatment incontinence, and impotence, and will significantly reduce convalescence time. These treatments will depend on the ability to accurately image the prostate to identify problem areas, precisely target the location of the treatments and then deliver a needle to that precise spot. Envisioneering's technology is uniquely suited for the needs of these next generation treatments.
Because the probe does not move, the prostate remains stable, insuring more precise application. This allows a treatment plan to be formulated identifying the specific areas of tissue or an organ to be treated, and allows this plan to be saved as a reference point. Further, a physician can precisely insert a needle or treatment delivery means into the tissue at the planned location. The TargetScan system also allows a physician to monitor the needle or treatment delivery method as it is inserted into the tissue, to verify that the needle or treatment delivery method is in the planned location.
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