01 Mar Prostate Cancer Diagnosis with MRI

A recent research study has shown that MRI scans have been the most useful way of identifying Prostate cancer in men. The study also identified that this eliminates the method of doing a biopsy which has several side-effects. The study has also caught the attention of NHS and they are now reviewing on how to introduce it widely. Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer for men in United Kingdom. The first step of identifying if something is wrong in the prostate is through a blood test. If the PSA (prostate specific antigen) level is detected high then they are advised for a further test or a scan. Currently the most common test is a Biopsy which is undertaken by more than 100,000 men in United Kingdom alone. In the process of biopsy a dozen needles are inserted to get random samples from the whole prostate. This common method may miss the cancer spot or identify the stage of cancer growth. The procedure may leave a body with several side effects including bleeding, infections or erectile dysfunction. The research study using an MRI was able to identify the cancer in 93% of cases as oppose to Biopsy which could only identify in 48% cases. Reputed doctors believe that this has been one of the biggest breakthrough in decades for diagnosis of Prostate Cancer and will help save many lives.