New diagnosis for prostate cancer

Men won't need to have numerous painful needles in their rectum to find out if they have prostate cancer anymore, Australian doctors say.

Urologist Dr Les Thompson and radiographer Dr Rob Parkinson have found a new way to accurately diagnose the cancer without multiple biopsies.

Their world-first study, supported by Queensland's Wesley Research Institute, used an MRI scanner to detect suspicious cell areas in the prostate.

The doctors then used a crosshair to target the area with a needle which took a tiny tissue sample to be analysed in the lab. The whole process takes about 30 minutes.

Until now, men have required up to 30 random needle biopsies, like stabs in the dark, which were tested to try to locate tumours.

Dr Thompson says the method is both uncomfortable and less accurate, leading to men being over diagnosed.

'There's been a lot of over-treatment, men have unfortunately suffered the side-effects of those treatments like impotence and incontinence, in retrospect, unnecessarily,' he told reporters.

Dr Parkinson said the new treatment provides information about the size and extent and the aggressiveness of tumours.

'This a big help for urologists in deciding what the best treatment option for the patient is,' he said.

At a cost of about $500, the prostate MRI scan isn't cheap.

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New diagnosis for prostate cancer