“The Bone Scan Index (BSI) is a very important new quantitative imaging biomarker to help us better assess patients with metastatic prostate cancer in a robust and reproducible way, particularly those with bone-dominant disease,” said Lawrence Schwartz, MD, Chair of the Department of Radiology at Columbia University School of Medicine, New York.

The BSI is prognostic for survival, and also indicates which patients are experiencing disease progression on therapy in a reproducible and quantitative manner, he continued. “Potentially, the marker would affect the course of therapy. It would enable you to tell earlier whether a patient is progressing and whether changes in therapy are needed, and also this tool can tell you whether a different therapy is working,” Dr. Schwartz explained.

Once the Bone Scan Index is validated in further study with other therapeutics, and it is automated, Dr. Schwartz believes that it will become widely adapted. 

“In general, [the trend is for] imaging to become more quantitative, and this is another good step in that direction,” he said. ■

Disclosure: Dr. Schwartz reported no potential conflicts of interest.