Hospitals across Greater Manchester, including Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport, have begun rolling out a new artificial intelligence tool that could help diagnose prostate cancer faster, helping doctors identify the men who need urgent treatment first.
The technology is being introduced at hospitals in Stockport, Wigan, Bolton, and Salford as part of a pilot led by Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance. The new AI tool will analyse prostate MRI scans using validated NHS data and flag scans that are most likely to show cancer, allowing radiologists to prioritise patients at highest risk.
How the AI Tool Works
Dr Rhidian Bramley, a consultant radiologist and clinical lead for AI at Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, said: "This tool supports our radiologists by highlighting the scans most likely to show prostate cancer, helping us identify and rule out the disease more quickly."
"By prioritising the most suspicious cases first, we can diagnose men sooner and ensure those who need treatment most urgently are seen without delay. We hope this pilot will show how AI, used in the right way, can deliver real improvements in patient care and experience."
Prostate Cancer Statistics and Impact
Prostate cancer affects one in eight men and is the most common cancer in men in the UK. While early detection dramatically improves outcomes, around half of prostate cancers are still diagnosed at a late stage after the disease has already spread.
Men with suspected symptoms or raised PSA blood test results are usually referred for an MRI scan to rule out cancer or determine whether further investigation is needed. The new AI system aims to speed up this process and improve accuracy.
Clinical Perspectives and Pilot Sites
Mr Jeremy Oates, a prostate cancer surgeon and clinical lead for Prostate Cancer at Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, said: "This is an exciting development for patients and clinicians. This technology has the potential to improve detection of early-stage prostate cancers."
"The new AI system aims to speed up this process and support reporting accuracy. As part of the wider programme a service evaluation will be undertaken to demonstrate the impact on diagnosis."
In Greater Manchester, the pilot is being delivered across four NHS trusts: Stockport NHS Foundation Trust (Stepping Hill Hospital), Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (Salford Royal Hospital), Bolton NHS Foundation Trust (Royal Bolton Hospital), and Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) (Royal Albert Edward Infirmary; Wrightington Hospital; Leigh Community Diagnostic Centre).
Dilraj Sandher, Chief Medical Officer for Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, said: "This is a truly innovative project, using the latest in AI technology with the aim to make cancer diagnosis swifter and more effective. We are very pleased that Stockport will be one of the first areas in the NHS to take part in this new approach, which we hope will have real and tangible benefits for our patients."
The tool uses Lucida Medical’s Prostate Intelligence (Pi™) technology. Other pilots are also taking place in Yorkshire, East England and the South West. This work was commissioned and funded by the NHS Cancer Programme, with the support of SBRI Healthcare.
