Comparing MRI-Ultrasound Fusion and Cognitive-guided Biopsy for the Detection of csPCa: the PROFUSION Trial

February 12, 2026 updated by: CHIU Ka Fung Peter, Chinese University of Hong Kong

A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing MRI-Ultrasound Fusion and Cognitive-guided Biopsy for the Detection of Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer: the PROFUSION Trial

This study is an international multicentre RCT to compare the linically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) detection of cognitive-guided and MRI-USG guided biopsies in men with suspicious MRI lesion.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This study is an international multicentre RCT to compare the csPCa detection of cognitive-guided and MRI-USG guided biopsies in men with suspicious MRI lesion. This is a phase III randomised controlled trial to evaluate the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) by MRI-USG fusion approach (MRUS arm) versus Cognitive-guided approach (COG arm). The study hypothesis is that MRUS arm is superior to COG arm in detecting csPCa. The result of this RCT would impact how MRI-guided prostate biopsies should be done in the future. If the MRI-USG fusion approach is superior to cognitive-guidance in csPCa detection, it should be the standard of practice in the future, and dedicated MRI-USG fusion equipment should be available in centres performing prostate biopsies.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
1250

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Men ≥18 years of age
  • Clinical suspicion of prostate cancer and indicated for prostate biopsy
  • Serum Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) < 20 ng/mL
  • Digital rectal examination ≤ cT2 (organ-confined cancer)
  • Able to provide written informed consent
  • MRI prostate (contrast or plain) showing 1-3 suspicious lesion(s) with PI-RADS score 3-5

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Prior prostate biopsy in the 2 years before screening visit
  • Prior diagnosis of prostate cancer
  • Contraindicated to prostate biopsy: active urinary tract infection, failed insertion of transrectal ultrasound probe into rectum (abdominal perineal resection, anal stenosis), uncorrectable coagulopathy, antiplatelet or anticoagulant which cannot be stopped (continue low-dose aspirin before and after biopsy is permitted)
  • Patient refusal for biopsy

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: MRUS arm
Targeted biopsies will be performed by software-assisted MRI-ultrasound fusion registration . Software-based fusion targeted biopsy of 4 cores per target followed by 12-core systematic biopsy will be performed. The fusion or overlay of 3D MRI and USG images create a detailed 3D prostate image with both targeted and systematic biopsy core locations recorded.
Procedure: MRI-USG fusion approach
MRI-USG fusion approach prostate biopsy
Active Comparator: COG arm
The biopsy operator reviews the MR images and creates a mental three-dimensional representation of the prostate and the lesion within it to guide biopsy. Cognitive registration is a visual guidance technique in which the surgeon samples a visually estimated location on transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) corresponding to the MRI suspicious regions. Cognitive-guided biopsy is performed by taking 4 cores from each target followed by 12-core systematic biopsies.
Procedure: Cognitive-guided approach
Cognitive-guided approach prostate biopsy

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Proportion of men with clinically significant Prostate cancer(csPCa)
Time Frame: When histology results available, at an expected average of 30 days post-biopsy
ISUP Grade 2 or above prostate cancer diagnosed on biopsy
When histology results available, at an expected average of 30 days post-biopsy

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Proportion of men with post-biopsy adverse events within 30 days after biopsy
Time Frame: 30 days post biopsy
The severity of Adverse event is grade by Clavien-Dindo classification
30 days post biopsy
Proportion of men with a diagnosis of csPCa in MRI lesions with maximal size ≤10mm versus >10mm
Time Frame: When histology results available, at an expected average of 30 days post-biopsy
MRI lesions with maximal size ≤10mm versus >10mm
When histology results available, at an expected average of 30 days post-biopsy
Proportion of men with a diagnosis of csPCa in prostate size of ≤50ml vs >50m
Time Frame: When histology results available, at an expected average of 30 days post-biopsy
prostate size of ≤50ml vs >50ml
When histology results available, at an expected average of 30 days post-biopsy
The proportion of men with a diagnosis of csPCa only in targeted biopsy
Time Frame: When histology results available, at an expected average of 30 days post-biopsy
ISUP Grade 2 or above prostate cancer diagnosed on biopsy
When histology results available, at an expected average of 30 days post-biopsy
Proportion of men with a diagnosis of csPCa only in systemic biopsy
Time Frame: When histology results available, at an expected average of 30 days post-biopsy
ISUP Grade 2 or above prostate cancer diagnosed on biopsy
When histology results available, at an expected average of 30 days post-biopsy
Proportion of men with a diagnosis of clinically insignificant PCa,
Time Frame: When histology results available, at an expected average of 30 days post-biopsy
ISUP grade group 1 Prostate cancer diagnosed on biopsy
When histology results available, at an expected average of 30 days post-biopsy
Procedure time
Time Frame: During biopsy procedure
Total time of procedure
During biopsy procedure
Pain score on a scale of 0-10 taken after biopsy
Time Frame: Immediately After biopsy procedure
The higher the score, the more pain
Immediately After biopsy procedure

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Chinese University of Hong Kong

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
China Medical University Hospital
Kaohsiung Medical University
Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
Tuen Mun Hospital Hong Kong
Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, China
Center of Postgraduate Medical Education, Poland
Stanford Cancer Institute

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Peter Ka-Fungq CHIU, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 8, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 5, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 8, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 12, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 12, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • CRE-2023.610

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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