One in 8 men will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime, mostly after age 70. One in 26 will die of it. Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in American and Canadian men.

No imaging technology has been developed for the effective screening of prostate cancer. There are two widely used screening methods available for prostate cancer: the digital rectal examination (DRE) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) test.

A DRE is the most common and least expensive way to screen for prostate cancer. During a man's annual physical check-up, his doctor places a gloved finger into the rectum to feel the prostate gland. The invasiveness of digital rectal examination discourages annual screening by men.

The PSA is a blood test to detect abnormal quantities of prostate specific antigens made by the prostate. Numerous recent studies have brought into question the usefulness and reliability of the PSA as a cancer screening tool.

The obstacle to prostate screening technology development is the difficulty of resolving and differentiating calcification and tumor presence in the shallow tissue of the difficult-to-access prostate area. InnerVision's Flash Ultrasound™ is being developed to offer a non-invasive, diagnostic means of early detection.

Having a Flash Ultrasound™ could be similar to sitting on a bike seat. Flash Ultrasound™ would instantly capture a three dimensional image of the prostate, detecting abnormalities the size of a grain of salt without risk to surrounding tissue, and enabling treatment before life-threatening tumors develop.

Note:
Flash Ultrasound™ is an Investigational Device. It is not currently available for sale. Confirmation of safety and effectiveness is yet to be determined.