A new device for prostate examination with 3D visualization has been invented.

The innovative medical device PRO check may change the standard approach to prostate health assessment—from subjective examination by palpation to objective analysis of tissue structure. The device, developed by Devon Tayson, a student at Loughborough University (UK), allows doctors to obtain quantitative data and visualised information during routine examinations, including the topography of the prostate surface, its volume and its response to pressure.

Traditional palpation relies heavily on the doctor’s experience and is often perceived by patients as an invasive and unpleasant procedure. Such subjectivity often reduces the diagnostic sensitivity of the method, especially when it comes to early or minimal changes in prostate tissue. This is where PRO check offers a revolutionary approach.

PRO check is a small probe with an inflatable element, which is covered with a condom and inserted rectally. Inside, the system projects a laser grid onto the inner surface of the inflatable membrane, which adheres to the prostate. Cameras record changes in the geometry of the laser grid as pressure is gradually increased. This data is analyzed using mathematical models to create a three-dimensional image of the prostate—essentially its topography in real time.

Clinically, it is important that the device allows both the shape and compression properties of prostate tissue to be assessed. Healthy tissue is usually soft and compressible, while hardened areas may indicate the presence of a tumor or other pathologies. Thus, PRO check can not only detect abnormalities, but also help monitor their dynamics.

Another important advantage is the ability to automatically calculate the volume of the prostate gland, which allows for more accurate calculation of the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) – an important parameter in prostate cancer risk stratification. In addition, the device generates a “compression-pressure” graph, a new type of clinical data that helps determine tissue elasticity.

PRO check is designed to integrate with artificial intelligence: automatic reading of video data, formation of a 3D image on a laptop or tablet screen, and saving all results in the patient’s electronic medical record. This allows not only for an objective instant assessment, but also for the accumulation of data for long-term personalized monitoring.

In the early stages of development, the device is already showing real potential for use by urologists and oncologists. PRO check has already been tested on silicone models with different structures—normal prostate, hyperplasia, tumor—and has demonstrated the ability to distinguish between topographical and mechanical differences in tissues.

Given the prevalence of prostate cancer (one in seven men will encounter it during their lifetime) and low patient adherence to screening, PRO check has the potential to not only improve diagnostic accuracy but also increase men’s willingness to undergo routine screening by reducing the psychological barrier. Devon Tayson is already preparing to patent his device and present it at New Designers, an annual London exhibition of the UK’s most innovative inventions.