Reducing prostate cancer MRI scan time by a third would make it cheaper and more accessible without compromising accuracy. This is an important finding from the UK clinical trial, showing that lowering costs could ensure more men are tested.
According to Cancer Research UK, there are approximately 52,300 new cases of prostate cancer in the UK each year, which equates to more than 140 cases per day.
Doctors currently offer a three-stage MRI scan to patients suspected of having prostate cancer, and in the third stage, a contrast agent is injected into the patient. This will help sharpen the image of your scan.
As part of a trial entitled 'Prime' involving 555 patients from 22 hospitals in 12 countries, researchers from University College London (UCL) and University College London Hospital will We evaluated the impact of lowering the They found that by using shorter scans, experts could diagnose 29% of prostate cancers. This is the same percentage as for the 3-step scan.
Dr Claire Allen, lead radiologist on the trial, said the results, presented at the European Association of Urology conference in Paris last week, showed that without a contrast scan, serious prostate cancer could be missed. He said that it shows that it is low. “Scans will be faster, cheaper and available to more men,” she said. ”
The trial also found that two-stage MRI could be nearly 50% cheaper. A three-stage MRI costs on average £273, while a two-stage scan costs £145. Matthew Hobbs, head of research at Prostate Cancer Research UK, which co-funded the trial with the John Black Charitable Foundation, said the results showed that men could receive a cheaper, faster test that did not require an injection. He said that it means that it will be done. “This will enable more men to benefit from better, more accurate diagnostics at a lower cost to healthcare systems in the UK and around the world.”