Use of MRI before prostate biopsies increases sharply across U.S. hospitals
Using prostate MRI before a biopsy is a real advance in prostate cancer diagnosis. Multiple randomized trials have shown that imaging the prostate first and then targeting suspicious lesions finds more of the aggressive cancers that matter. As a result, guidelines have progressively strengthened their recommendations for MRI.
A new study published in JAMA Oncology reveals a significant surge in the use of MRI before prostate biopsies across U.S. hospitals. Researchers analyzed over 505,000 prostate biopsies performed between January 2017 and June 2026, using the Epic Cosmos database from electronic health records. Prebiopsy MRI utilization increased from 14% in 2017 to 64% in the first half of 2026 for first-time biopsies, and from 38% to 67% for those who had a prior negative biopsy.
The rapid shift in practice aligns with the publication of major trials and the incorporation of their results into guidelines. Urologist Stephen Rhodes and his team at University Hospitals have invested in tracking MRI quality and performance, ensuring patients have access to the latest technology and biopsy techniques. Despite the rapid adoption, there are still gaps in access and MRI quality across different patient populations.
Written by urgent.news from Medical Xpress's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
