We often hear from patients when their doctor cannot confirm that they definitely have PSC. MRCP (a type of MRI scan) is considered the ‘gold standard’ for diagnosing PSC but the images can be blurry and difficult to interpret. When this happens, some patients cannot be given a definitive diagnosis, and undergo further testing and waiting, often having to have invasive investigations such as biopsies before they get a diagnosis. Furthermore, monitoring changes over time in PSC can also be a challenge. Feeling unwell, yet not being able to attribute that to a specific cause brings about great anxiety, not to mention uncertainty that he individual is not getting the right care.

MRCP+ is a new technology from Perspectum Diagnostics that uses advanced image processing techniques to enhance MRCP scans, creating three-dimensional models of the biliary tree. As well as supporting diagnoses, MRCP+ enables accurate measurement of bile duct widths which may help to detect changes associated with disease.

This is important for PSC patients because it might mean that we are diagnosed quicker or that we are referred for specialist care before complications develop.

Funded by Innovate UK and in partnership with Dr Palak Trivedi at University of Birmingham and University Hospitals Birmingham, and Oxford Academic Health Science Network, Perspectum has initiated a study to establish the clinical utility of MRCP+.

Dr Palak Trivedi, commented on this project: “Medical imaging technology has the potential to accelerate patient treatment and reduce the requirement for invasive and uncomfortable diagnostic aids. I look forward to seeing whether this technology matches or enhances my diagnosis of biliary-related abnormalities and hope that it proves valuable to the NHS.”