The NHS is launching a pilot of an AI-driven “one-day diagnostics” pathway for prostate cancer that could reduce some men’s waiting times by as much as a month. Funded by NHS England, the scheme uses artificial intelligence to analyse MRI scans and flag suspicious lesions within minutes, allowing urgent cases to be prioritised for rapid review and biopsy.
The pilot will run at up to 15 NHS hospitals, beginning at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust early next year. Leeds will trial a rapid pathway that delivers all investigations in a single day, with roughly 100 men expected to benefit in the initial phase. When the AI marks a scan as high risk, it will immediately be escalated to a radiologist for priority assessment and the patient can be scheduled for a same-day biopsy. That approach could enable clinicians to give an all-clear on the same day or confirm a diagnosis within days of review.
England’s national cancer director said the faster pathway could spare men weeks of worry and supports wider NHS and government efforts to speed up cancer diagnosis. If the pilot is successful and rolled out nationally, it could contribute to thousands of earlier diagnoses and quicker starts to treatment.
Current guidance recommends MRI and biopsy within seven days after an urgent GP referral for suspected prostate cancer, but in practice waits are often longer where radiology capacity is limited. The AI system could shorten assessment times and make it easier to deliver some AI-assisted MRI scanning in community diagnostic centres, bringing care closer to patients.
The Leeds trial will use Pi, developed by Lucida Medical, with the aim of substantially increasing the number of people diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days. At other participating sites the tool will be applied to about 10,000 scans to support radiologist reporting and clinical decision-making, including recommendations on active surveillance, biopsy and treatment planning. Research cited by the programme indicates the tool can detect around 95% of cancers.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in UK men, accounting for over a quarter of male cancer diagnoses. In England there are more than 56,000 new cases each year, and across the UK the disease is associated with an average of over 12,000 deaths annually.
NHS clinical leaders say the pilot seeks to combine new technology with a rapid diagnostic pathway so clinicians can provide faster reassurance to men without cancer or confirm a cancer diagnosis more quickly, enabling earlier treatment when needed. At Leeds, consultant radiologists leading the trial hope the AI-assisted MRI screening will fast-track patients who need further testing so scans and biopsy can be completed in one day at the Leeds Cancer Centre, potentially improving outcomes.
The article includes the experience of Allan Morton, 66, who ignored symptoms including blood in his urine for about three years. After his wife noticed dark urine in February 2023 he saw a GP and received an MRI two days later, a CT scan the next day and a biopsy two weeks after that; he was diagnosed with stage 3B prostate cancer within days. He underwent hormone therapy and radiotherapy, is now off medication and is being monitored with PSA tests that have stabilised. Morton said lengthy waits and false positives cause unnecessary stress, and a reliable same-day diagnostic pathway could save time, lives and relationships.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting described long waits for results and treatment as adding needless distress and said the AI approach is one way to modernise the NHS, boost productivity, reduce waiting and enable faster treatment starts that could save lives. Prostate Cancer UK welcomed the trial as a move toward faster, fairer access to accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment, noting that MRI and targeted biopsies have already improved safety and accuracy and that AI may further reduce anxiety and ease pressure on services.
Lucida Medical said its partnership with Leeds and NHS England aims to demonstrate that Pi can help clinicians rapidly identify men with prostate cancer, support a one-stop diagnostic service and deliver more efficient care, better outcomes and potential cost savings.
The project is one of seven innovative pilots backed by a £14 million investment to improve early cancer detection, funded through the NHS Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call.
