New test cuts brain tumour diagnosis time from eight weeks to two hours, NHS says
NHS England says a rapid new test, piloted in five centres, can diagnose brain tumours while a patient is still on the operating table.
A rapid new test for brain tumours can diagnose patients while they are still on the operating table, cutting a diagnostic process that has typically taken up to eight weeks down to as little as two hours, according to NHS England.
Scientists involved in the development have described it as "gamechanging," saying it could secure earlier treatment for patients described as not having "time on their side" when facing an aggressive tumour.
The test is currently being piloted in five centres around the country, allowing clinical teams in those locations to trial the technology under real operating conditions before any wider rollout across the NHS.
Traditionally, definitively diagnosing the type of brain tumour a patient has has required sending tissue samples away for detailed laboratory analysis, a process than can take weeks and leaves both patients and surgical teams without full information at the time of the initial operation.
By providing a diagnosis in a matter of hours rather than weeks, the new test could allow surgeons to make more informed decisions during the operation itself and enable patients to begin appropriate follow-up treatment considerably sooner, according to NHS England.
Sources
- ‘Gamechanging’ brain tumour test reduces diagnosis from eight weeks to two hours — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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A rapid new test for brain tumours that the NHS has started using can slash the time it takes for an accurate diagnosis from up to eight weeks to two hours
A report from BBC Health sets out the main available details, with claims kept attributed to their sources.
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