NHS England will test an AI-powered ‘one-day diagnostics’ service for prostate cancer that could transform diagnosis and save some men up to a month of waiting.

The Pi tool, developed by Lucida Medical, will be trialled at up to 15 NHS hospitals, with a plan to use it for 10,000 scans. NHS England said research has suggested it can spot 95% of cancers.

In addition, a pilot is scheduled to begin at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust early next year, using the tool as part of a new rapid diagnosis pathway.

Under this, if a scan by the AI shows a patient to have a high risk of cancer, it will be sent immediately to a radiologist for priority review and the patient will be booked in for a biopsy the same day.

This gives doctors everything they need to either potentially give an all clear the same day or confirm a cancer diagnosis a few days later following review.

Professor Peter Johnson, NHS National Clinical Director for Cancer, said: “We’re really excited by the potential of artificial intelligence to speed up cancer diagnosis, and we hope this trial of an AI-powered ‘one-day diagnostics’ could be a game changer and help save men weeks of worry and uncertainty. As with all cancers, speed is crucial – the quicker the diagnosis, the sooner treatment can begin and help give the best chance of treatment being successful for patients and their families”.

Lucy Davies, VP of Clinical at Lucida Medical and NHS Innovation Accelerator Fellow said: “Through our partnership with Leeds Teaching Hospitals and NHS England, we aim to show that our technology Pi™ can help doctors rapidly identify men with prostate cancer. This has the potential to enable a more efficient care pathway, supporting a ‘one stop shop’ for diagnosis, ultimately leading to improved outcomes for patients and cost savings”

The project is one of 7 innovative pilots backed by a £14 million investment aimed to improve the early detection of cancer, as part of the NHS Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call.