A new clinical study will test for the first time if MRI scans can be used for population screening to detect prostate cancer more accurately.
The current prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is considered too unreliable for population screening.
But researchers will investigate whether MRI could be used to screen men to pick up cancers earlier and more reliably, potentially helping to save lives.
They will also study whether, combined with cutting-edge techniques – including genomics and machine learning – MRI scans can replace prostate biopsies.
A group, led by Mark Emberton from University College London, working with King’s College London, Imperial College London and 12 industry partners, aims to recruit 1000 men with medium- to high-risk cancers to find out if MRI can be combined with other high-tech diagnostic tests to predict progression.
The study is being launched with funding of £4.1m from the Medical Research Council and £1m from Cancer Research UK.
