I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act to request the following information from your Trust.

Within your Trust, we would be grateful for the following information at your earliest convenience:

1. Do you conduct multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) scans (using T2-weighted, diffusion-weighted and dynamically enhanced sequences) before prostate biopsies?

If no, it would be helpful to know what the main reasons are:
If yes, it would be helpful if you can you provide an estimate of the percentage of men who receive an mpMRI scan before prostate biopsy:

2. How many scanners do you have available to use for mpMRI scans before prostate biopsy?

3. For each individual scanner used for mpMRI scans before prostate biopsy, please provide the following:
• Make
• Model
• Magnetic field strength
• Age
• When the scanner is due to be replaced

4. How many mpMRI scans before prostate biopsy do you estimate you carry out per year?
• 0
• Up to 50
• 50 -100
• 100 – 250
• 250 – 500
• 500 – 750
• 750 – 1000
• More than 1000

5.i. Do you intend to increase the number of mpMRI scans before prostate biopsy following the first results from the large clinical trial PROMIS?

The ASCO 2016 abstract has shown mpMRI as a triage test can identify one quarter of men (27%) who might safely avoid unnecessary biopsy, without impairing the detection of clinically significant cancer (http://abstract.asco.org/176/AbstView_17...).

5.ii If yes, do you currently have sufficient resources and capacity to cope with this increase?
The information you provide may be re-used publicly. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Ali Cooper
Knowledge Manager

Prostate Cancer UK
4th Floor, Counting House
53 Tooley Street
London
SE1 2QN

0203 310 7000

Dear Llinos,

Thank you for your response. Even though you answered 'no' to Q1, please provide a response to Q5i (and Q5ii if applicable) as this question applies to all.

5.i. Do you intend to increase the number of mpMRI scans before prostate biopsy following the first results from the large clinical trial PROMIS?
The ASCO 2016 abstract has shown mpMRI as a triage test can identify one quarter of men (27%) who might safely avoid unnecessary biopsy, without impairing the detection of clinically significant cancer.
5.ii If yes, do you currently have sufficient resources and capacity to cope with this increase?

Many thanks,
Ali Cooper

Dear Llinos,

Do you have the outstanding information yet?

Many thanks,
Ali

Dear Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust,

Certain information, which I have emailed about before, is still missing from this response. Please can you send the missing information asap as this response is now long overdue.

Missing information:

Even though you answered 'no' to Q1, please provide a response to Q5i (and Q5ii if applicable) as this question applies to all.

5.i. Do you intend to increase the number of mpMRI scans before prostate biopsy following the first results from the large clinical trial PROMIS?
The ASCO 2016 abstract has shown mpMRI as a triage test can identify one quarter of men (27%) who might safely avoid unnecessary biopsy, without impairing the detection of clinically significant cancer.
5.ii If yes, do you currently have sufficient resources and capacity to cope with this increase?

Many thanks,
Ali Cooper