Fast Diffusion-Relaxation MRI with AI for Prostate Cancer Grading at Ultra-High Gradient Strength

This project aims to improve outcomes for men in Wales diagnosed with prostate cancer, the most common cancer in Welsh men, with over 2,500 new cases and 600 deaths annually. Accurate tumour grading is critical for treatment decisions, but current methods rely on invasive needle biopsies, which can be painful, carry risks, and sometimes miss aggressive disease. Developing a non-invasive imaging approach using technology only available in Wales, will directly benefit Welsh patients by providing safer, faster, and more reliable tumour assessment.

Current MRI methods are helpful but often lack enough detail to grade tumours accurately. This project will use a new MRI technique called diffusion-relaxation MRI, which is only available in Wales and will provide richer information about tumour tissue. We will also apply machine learning to speed up scanning and analyse images more accurately. As Welsh patients will be recruited from local hospitals, the project will offer a local, non-invasive alternative to biopsies, reducing discomfort, risk, and uncertainty for men undergoing prostate cancer diagnosis.

For men in Wales, this research has the potential to provide safer, faster, and more accurate tumour grading, improving treatment decisions and outcomes. In the longer term, it strengthens Wales-led innovation in cancer imaging and ensures local patients benefit first from cutting-edge diagnostic technology.