The procedure uses MRI scans together with real-time ultrasound, allowing doctors to see suspicious areas of the prostate during the biopsy rather than relying on tissue samples taken from standard locations. It is carried out through the skin between the scrotum and anus, instead of through the rectum, which also lowers the risk of infection.

The health unit’s Urology Department has introduced transperineal fusion prostate biopsy, a procedure already used at a number of specialist centres in Portugal and elsewhere in Europe. Its arrival in the Tâmega e Sousa region means local patients will no longer need to travel to another hospital to access the examination.

Innovative technique

The technique combines images from a previous magnetic resonance imaging scan with ultrasound images taken in real time during the biopsy. By placing the two sets of images together, doctors can see the suspicious areas of the prostate more clearly and guide the needle directly towards them.

This is different from a conventional biopsy, where tissue samples may be collected from several areas of the prostate without the same level of visual guidance. Although the traditional examination remains useful, small tumours or lesions in harder-to-reach areas can sometimes be missed.

With fusion biopsy, doctors can focus on the areas that appear most concerning on the MRI scan. This can help identify clinically significant cancers more reliably and may reduce the chance of patients having to repeat the procedure when an initial biopsy does not provide a clear result.

Important difference

Another important difference is the way the prostate is reached. The new procedure is performed through the perineum, the area of skin between the scrotum and anus, rather than through the rectum. As the needle does not pass through the bowel, the risk of infection is considerably lower.

Fernando Vila, director of the Urology Department, said the new method would allow patients from the region to undergo the examination within their own health unit, while benefiting from current clinical practices.

The introduction of the procedure forms part of the hospital’s wider investment in more specialised urology services and modern diagnostic technology.

Not unique in Portugal

It is important to clarify that fusion biopsy itself is not entirely new in Portugal. Some Portuguese centres have offered versions of the examination for several years. The development in Tâmega e Sousa is significant because it makes the procedure available within another part of the public health system, bringing a more targeted form of diagnosis closer to patients living in the region.

An MRI scan and biopsy are generally considered when earlier examinations suggest that further investigation may be needed. The biopsy allows tissue to be analysed in a laboratory and remains necessary to confirm whether cancer cells are present.

For patients, the biggest advantage is that a biopsy can better target suspicious areas while lowering the risk of infection. It also means men in the Tâmega e Sousa region no longer need to travel elsewhere for the procedure.