Clinic Recommendations

Hi,

You don't say where you are located or how far you are prepared to travel to get a scan, also whether you want this quickly or are prepared to wait. The latter could be a problem because although some private facilities have their own scanners, many use scanners that are used in what are primarily regarded as NHS Hospitals. It will vary depending which area you go but there is often a long wait for an MRI and some people have found that going private does not necessarily mean you get priority over NHS patients. As to MRI, the optimum would be a modern scanner, experienced radiographers and experts in interpreting scans, although if the previous two requirements are met, a resultant scan can also be referred elsewhere for an expert opinion.

When I discussed scans at UCLH in London, my Consultant of the time told me that they did the best scans in Europe. I asked why this was so when many hospitals had similar scanners whether it be 1.5 or 3 Tesla. I was told the difference was mainly due to the scan sequencing. I am not in a position to confirm whether these claims are correct and I think the Royal Marsden and other leading London hospitals would say their scans are just as revealing and there are many leading hospitals, particularly in major towns that can give as good as an opinion as present state of the art can provide. I mention this because although MRI is a great scan, it has limitations whereby tumours can not always be seen, particularly if the cancer cells are not sufficiently concentrated. So an MRI, even a multiparametric one, is not 100% definitive.

Edited by member 12 Jun 2023 at 21:28  | Reason: clafication

I was diagnosed at 53. My brother has been having regular PSA checks, however his new GP has put a stop to that. He has never received the numbers from PSA tests just the word "normal" He is too busy to chase things up. So don't rely on the NHS for keeping a check on things.

I am assuming you are paying for the MRI yourself, and hence I assume you can afford to pay for any relevant test, even though NICE would consider them poor value for money.

I think a genetic test for the BRCA gene would be a useful test for you. 1 in 400 people have BRCA. If you have BRCA then you know you have to keep a close eye on this. If your brother has BRCA and you don't, then you have dodged a bullet.

If the government were spending my taxes to do this level of testing on the population, I would be annoyed, but if you want to spend your own money that is fine.

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your reply.

What you say rings bells. I'm supposed to be on the yearly list at my GP for PSA tests and they fail to remind me each year.  My GP is largely dismissive of my concerns.  PSA is normal, prostate not enlarged....so go away! That seems to be the order of the day.

I am going to pay for the MRI.  It's less a question of being able to afford the tests, rather I can't afford not to.  I saw how this affected my relatives and I'm keen to at least try to do something to at least catch it early if possible.

Thank you for mention of the BRCA gene test.  I'd not heard of that before and I'm now looking into it.

Best wishes,

Paul