Feedback (FDBK) – Re Media Articles

Feedback plc (AIM: FDBK), the medical imaging software company, is pleased to update shareholders following the recent media articles regarding the use of multi-parametric MRI scans for the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

It was widely reported in the national press and on the BBC website on 20 January 2017 that a trial led by Mr Hashim Ahmed, MRC Clinical Scientist and Honorary Consultant Urological Surgeon at University College London (“UCL”) found that over a quarter of men with a clinical suspicion of prostate cancer could avoid a biopsy if they undergo an MRI scan first.

Around 100,000 men are sent for a biopsy each year in Britain following blood tests showing a raised prostate-specific antigen (PSA) score which suggest prostate cancer might be present. But many will not have an aggressive tumour or cancer at all and run the risk of developing sepsis or urinary problems through the unnecessary exploratory surgery.

Dr Balaji Ganeshan, Director of New Business at Feedback and Senior Imaging Scientist at UCL’s Institute of Nuclear Medicine, believes that the MRI scan analysis for prostate cancer could be improved further, according to data from another recently published study from UCL which included the use of TexRAD texture analysis software.

Typically up to 1,000 multi-parametric (mp) MRI images are taken per patient, looking at tumour size, how densely packed its cells are and its blood supply. There is an essential need to identify tumours in the transition zone of the prostate and differentiate between those of low clinical significance not requiring immediate treatment and those of high clinical significance which are generally aggressive tumours requiring treatment. This task of identification is difficult even for an experienced radiologist.

In a separate UCL retrospective study of 67 prostate cancer patients published in September 2016, it was shown that TexRAD analysis of mp-MRI images may be able to identify the presence of clinically significant prostate cancers in the transition zone and therefore could potentially assist in optimising the prostate radiologist’s workflow.

A further UCL study was presented at the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM 2016) in Singapore which demonstrated the application of TexRAD analysis of mp-MRI in peripheral zone prostate cancers in 66 patients.

Dr Ganeshan stated, “Approximately 30% of mp-MRI scans for peripheral zone prostate cancer are scored as ‘equivocal’. TexRAD analysis of prostate cancers in the peripheral zone on mp-MRI scans may differentiate which of these ‘equivocal’ cancers are clinically significant requiring further treatment and which are insignificant not requiring treatment. We believe the use of TexRAD software could be a step forward along the road to enhancing the MRI prostate scan reporting process.”

Further information on the UCL studies and other TexRAD research papers can be found on the links below:

http://tinyurl.com/hy3bs2p  

http://dev.ismrm.org/2016/2496.html

http://texrad.com/papers-presentations / 

BBC article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38665618

Daily Telegraph article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/01/19/prostate-cancer-could-ruled-simple-mri-scan-prevents-25000-biopsies/

The Guardian article:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jan/19/mri-biopsy-prostate-cancer-diagnosis-research-nhs

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