Can we use ultrasound to detect prostate cancer?

Grant information

Why did we fund this project?

• Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) combines multiple different image types to create a detailed picture of the prostate, and has been shown to increase the accuracy of prostate cancer diagnosis.
• Thanks to our campaigning, most men now have access to mpMRI.  However, MRI machines are large and expensive, meaning they may not be available at all hospitals, and MRI scans may not be possible if men are claustrophobic, have a pacemaker, poor kidney function or metal inside the body such as a hip implant.
• We funded the team to see if multiparametric ultrasound (mpUSS), a lower-cost, faster method of imaging, was as good as mpMRI at detecting prostate cancers that need treating.

What did the team do?

• Men who had suspected prostate cancer were given both a mpMRI scan and a mpUSS scan.
• The results of both types of scan were used by doctors to either rule out prostate cancer, or direct them to which parts of the prostate needed a biopsy to confirm if cancer was present.
• The biopsy results were compared to see if mpUSS was as effective as mpMRI at detecting prostate cancer that needs treatment.

What did the team achieve?

• The team found that mpUSS can diagnose most cases of prostate cancer with good accuracy, although mpMRI scans are slightly better.
• mpUSS detected 4.3% fewer prostate cancers that are likely to need treatment than mpMRI scans.
• The most accurate diagnosis was achieved if men were scanned with both mpMRI and mpUSS.

What does this mean for men?

• Men who are not able to have an mpMRI scan, for reasons such as claustrophobia inside an MRI scanner, having a pacemaker, or other metal parts inside the body, could now have a high-quality alternative form of scan to help them decide if they need a biopsy.
• mpUSS scans are lower cost, faster, and can be carried out using widely available equipment that can be used outside of a hospital setting. Therefore, the use of ultrasound may enable imaging-based prostate cancer diagnosis to become more widely available in a range of healthcare settings in the UK and around the world.