Dear Lizzie,
Freedom of Information
With reference to your request detailed below, please see the Trust’s response below in bold text.
Kind regards,
FOI Act Lead
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust
-----Original Message-----
From: Lizzie Ell
is [mailto:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx] Sent: 16 August 2019 15:05
To: Freedomofinformation (DARTFORD AND GRAVESHAM NHS TRUST)
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Urology department MRI use for Prostate Cancer
Diagnosis
Dear Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust,
Prostate Cancer UK undertook a Freedom of Information Act (FOI) request of all Trusts, Health
Boards and Health and Social Care Trusts in 2016, and again in 2018, with the aim of achieving a
state of the nation overview of the use of mpMRI before biopsy.
We gained an in-depth understanding of the current status of mpMRI before prostate biopsy across
the UK. We have used the data to make the case to National Commissioners for implementation
support. It has also guided our funding and development of resources that respond to some of the
challenges and barriers to implementation that centres told us they faced.
This third and final round of questions is our means of understanding what progress has been made
and to identify where we can target our resources and National Commissioners’ support to have
maximum impact.
We really appreciate your help with this. Please pass the below on to your urology department for
them to complete. If this is not possible we would really appreciate your help to provide as much
information as you can.
Yours faithfully,
Lizzie Ellis
1. Do you routinely conduct prostate MRI (bpMRI/mpMRI) scans before first prostate biopsy as
part of the initial diagnostic process? (please tick all that apply):
a. Yes, using T2-weighted, diffusion-weighted (multi-b ADC and high/long b) and dynamic
contrast enhanced (DCE) sequences
b. Yes, using T2-weighted, diffusion-weighted (multi-b ADC and high/long b) sequences but
not DCE
c. No but we refer to another provider (please provide details)
d. No (please provide details)
2. If yes, to 1a: What percentage of men with suspected prostate cancer receive mpMRI
before biopsy as part of the initial diagnostic process?
100% (of patients who are able to undergo
MRI) 3. If yes, to 1b: What percentage of men with suspected prostate cancer receive bpMRI before
biopsy as part of the initial diagnostic process?
4. What are your eligibility criteria/exclusion criteria for prostate MRI? (please tick all that
apply):
a. Age (please provide details)
Any age b. Symptoms (please provide details)
c. Life expectancy (please provide details)
Any d. Contra-indications (please provide details)
Unable to have MRI due to metal work.
e. Other (please provide details)
5. Are you using results from the prostate MRI before biopsy to rule some men out of biopsy
as part of the initial diagnostic process? (yes/no)
Yes 6. Do you biopsy all PI-RADS or LIKERT 3 scores?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Dependent on patient histology
7. What threshold do you mostly use for ruling men out of biopsy?
a. PI-RADs 3 and above
b. LIKERT 3 and above
c. PI-RADs 4 and above
d. LIKERT 4 and above
e. Varies depending on age (Please provide detail)
f. Varies depending on other factors (Please provide detail)
8. What percentage of men do you estimate are ruled out of biopsy?
20% 9. Have there been any changes to your prostate MRI capacity in the last year? (please choose
all that apply):
a. An additional or new MRI scanner
b. Increased MRI scanner slots for prostate
c. Agreement to use Dynamic Contrast Enhancement
d. No longer using Dynamic Contrast Enhancement
e. A scanner/magnet upgrade
f. other (free text)
Additional referrals to a private external service supplier to create
additional prostate and priority urgent referrals.
10. Has the number of radiologists at your trust/health board who report prostate MRI scans
changed in the last year?
a. Increased
b. Decreased
c. Stayed the same
11. How many radiologists at your trust/health board report at least 250 prostate MRI scans per
year?
1
12. Which of the following processes do you follow to manage men ruled out of an immediate
biopsy, but with a raised PSA?
a. NICE Guidelines: prostate cancer diagnosis and management (NG131)
b. A local protocol (please provide details)
c. Other (please provide details)
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