NHS England pilots rapid new method of diagnosing prostate cancer

NHS England has announced plans to pilot a cutting-edge new method of diagnosing prostate cancer more rapidly than ever before.

The new scanning and diagnosis method is based on revolutionary Fusion technology that uses highly-detailed multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) scans to detect suspicious growths with unprecedented ease.

Between a third and 40 percent of patients undergoing an mpMRI scan will find out on the same day that they do not have prostate cancer, compared to the six-week waiting times for current methods. This means more men can safely avoid having a biopsy.

Moreover, the new system allows the needle to be inserted through the perineum, rather than the rectum, reducing the risk of infection from between two and six percent to around one in 500. This will aid current NHS goals of reducing sepsis rates.

The new method is initially set to be piloted at Charing Cross Hospital, Epsom Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital in Roehampton.

Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said: "This is an encouraging breakthrough in prostate cancer diagnosis that is genuinely world-leading. While still early days, the potential benefit to men with suspected cancer is significant."

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