Leeds NHS Trust Trials AI for Prostate Cancer

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has embarked on a new project to streamline prostate cancer diagnosis by testing an AI and machine learning tool developed by Lucida Medical. The Prostate Intelligence software aims to speed up the current diagnostic process, likewise, freeing up radiologists’ time and allowing quicker patient referrals for biopsies.

With approximately 55,100 new cases of prostate cancer annually in the UK, efficient and timely diagnosis is crucial. Current diagnostic pathways are complex and time-consuming, often resulting in a two to three-week wait time for biopsy appointments. By leveraging AI, the Prostate Intelligence software analyses MRI scans to identify potential areas of concern, assess risk scores, and estimate prostate size using AI algorithms trained on MRI and biopsy data from both the UK and the Netherlands.

The study will evaluate the accuracy of AI-generated results against real-world outcomes for 100 patients from the prostate cancer pathway. The initial findings from retrospective data collection are underway, with a prospective pilot scheduled for the autumn. If successful, the technology could reduce biopsy wait times to under a week, ultimately leading to faster treatment and improved patient results.

The partnership between LTHT and Lucida Medical represents a significant step towards modernizing prostate cancer diagnostics. Should the AI tool prove successful, this could revolutionize the diagnostic pathway by reducing wait times and improving patient care, ushering in a new era of precision medicine in oncology.

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