A transperineal biopsy guide including a guide member and a displacement member supported by the guide member. The guide member may be configured to operably couple with the transrectal probe and may include a distal end, a proximal end opposite the distal end, and a length extending along a longitudinal axis between the distal and proximal ends. The displacement member may be configured to support the access needle and displace the access needle along at least a portion of the length of the guide member between the distal and proximal ends. The access needle may extend into the subcutaneous tissue when the access needle is displaced to the distal end.

A method of performing a transperineal biopsy procedure including the steps of: inserting an access needle into one of a plurality of needle receiving ports of a displacement member of a transperineal biopsy guide that is secured to the transrectal ultrasound probe; securing the access needle to the displacement member such that a position of the access needle relative to the displacement member is maintained; imaging the prostate of the patient with the transrectal ultrasound probe; inserting the access needle into the perineal access site of the patient; and inserting the biopsy needle through the access needle and into the prostate of the patient.

A method of performing a transperineal biopsy procedure including the steps of: inserting an access needle into one of a plurality of needle receiving ports of a displacement member of a transperineal biopsy guide that is secured to the transrectal ultrasound probe; securing the access needle to the displacement member such that a position of the access needle relative to the displacement member is maintained; imaging the prostate of the patient with the transrectal ultrasound probe; inserting the access needle into the perineal access site of the patient; and inserting the biopsy needle through the access needle and into the prostate of the patient.

A method of performing a transperineal biopsy procedure includes imaging the prostate with a transrectal ultrasound probe with a transperineal biopsy guide coupled to the probe. The transperineal biopsy guide including a mount coupled to the probe, a guide member coupled to the mount and including a rail receiving channel extending a first length, and a displacement member including a rail member extending a second length between a proximal end and a distal end, and a vertically extending member coupled to the distal end of the rail member. The vertically extending member including a plurality of needle receiving ports. The method further includes sliding the rail member within the rail receiving channel. The method further includes inserting an access needle into the perineal access site of the patient and inserting a needle through the access needle and into a first location of the prostate of the patient.

A method of analyzing a biopsy sample containing tissue extracted from a prostate gland of a subject comprises measuring zinc level and an epithelial glandular tissue concentration in the sample, determining the likelihood that the sample is cancerous based on at least the zinc level and the epithelial glandular tissue concentration in the sample, and generating an output indicative of the likelihood.

A biopsy needle guide comprises a base, a flexible strap, a bracket, a needle guide bracket, and several locking mechanisms. The base has a first locking mechanism and a concave inner surface that conforms with an ultrasound probe. The flexible strap has a first end coupled to the base and a second free end coupled to the base with the first locking mechanism. The bracket is slidably disposed in a slotted region in the base. The needle guide bracket is configured to receive a biopsy needle guide and the needle guide bracket is slidably disposed in a slotted region in the bracket. Other locking mechanisms permit or prevent movement of the bracket relative to the base as well as movement of the needle guide bracket relative to the bracket.

Example medical devices for performing treatment under magnetic resonance imaging and related methods are described. An example medical device includes a cannula and a plug. The cannula has a proximal end, a distal end, a first portion, a second portion, and a main body that defines a lumen and a passageway. The first portion extends from the distal end toward the proximal end. The second portion extends from the first portion toward the proximal end. The first portion is formed of first material. The second portion is formed of a second material that is different than the first material. The plug is disposed within the passageway and has a main body that defines a passageway in fluid communication with the lumen defined by the cannula. The plug is formed of a third material that is different than the second material.

A system for tracking an instrument includes two or more sensors (22) disposed along a length of an instrument and being spaced apart from adjacent sensors. An interpretation module (45) is configured to select and update an image slice from a three-dimensional image volume in accordance with positions of the two or more sensors. The three-dimensional image volume includes the positions two or more sensors with respect to a target in the volume. An image processing module (48) is configured to generate an overlay (80) indicating reference positions in the image slice. The reference positions include the positions of the two or more sensors and relative offsets from the image slice in a display to provide feedback for positioning and orienting the instrument.

The invention generally relates to methods for analyzing a tissue sample. In certain aspects, the invention provides methods that involve obtaining a tissue sample including an unsaturated compound, conducting a radical reaction on the tissue sample that targets a carbon-carbon double bond within the unsaturated compound to thereby produce a plurality of compound isomers, subjecting the plurality of compound isomers to mass spectrometry analysis to identify a location of the carbon-carbon double bond within the unsaturated compound, and quantifying the plurality of compound isomers in order to distinguish normal tissue from diseased tissue.

A system for tracking an instrument includes two or more sensors (22) disposed along a length of an instrument and being spaced apart from adjacent sensors. An interpretation module (45) is configured to select and update an image slice from a three-dimensional image volume in accordance with positions of the two or more sensors. The three-dimensional image volume includes the positions two or more sensors with respect to a target in the volume. An image processing module (48) is configured to generate an overlay (80) indicating reference positions in the image slice. The reference positions include the positions of the two or more sensors and relative offsets from the image slice in a display to provide feedback for positioning and orienting the instrument.