Optical Tomography in Prostate Cancer

While some of these tools have helped to guide therapy in patients with prostate cancer, they
are imperfect and as a result many men undergo unnecessary treatment for a disease that would
not have caused their deaths. An improved method to risk stratify men with prostate cancer
prior to definitive therapy may reduce the over-treatment rate, while maintaining or
improving mortality.

Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is a novel imaging modality that uses low-intensity,
near-infrared light to characterize tissue. DOT analyzes the light being reflected and
transmitted through tissue to generate three-dimensional images of chromophores and light
scattering. As such, DOT serves as a functional imaging modality, measuring both tissue
vascularity and architecture. The investigators believe that DOT will be able to detect
prostate cancer in men suspected of the disease and will also be able to risk-stratify
patients found to have prostate cancer to help guide treatment options. DOT may be able to
directly measure two factors important in the prognosis of patients with prostate cancer: the
Gleason score and microvessel density (MVD).

Inclusion Criteria:

- Men 18 years of age or older scheduled for transrectal prostate biopsy or radical
prostatectomy at Columbia University Medical Center

- Signing consent for study imaging procedure and analysis of prostate biopsy

Exclusion criteria:

- Patients failing to meet the inclusion criteria

- Contraindication for magnetic resonance imaging