AI-enhanced prostate imaging and risk scoring
Hybrid Intelligence for Trustable Diagnosis And Patient Management of Prostate Cancer (HIT-PIRADS)
This project combines MRI scans, blood tests, and patient information with AI to give clearer risk scores for prostate lesions in men facing prostate cancer evaluation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11087718 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will train AI models that take multi-parametric MRI plus clinical data (PSA, digital rectal exam, family history) and ancestry information to produce lesion-level risk scores. They will first preprocess and standardize MRI images to reduce artifacts and site-to-site variation. The project uses large, diverse population datasets to reduce bias and improve performance across different groups. The goal is to make MRI interpretations more consistent and informative for treatment and biopsy decisions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Men who are undergoing prostate MRI because of elevated PSA, abnormal digital rectal exam, or other concern for prostate cancer would be the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Men without prostate symptoms or those who will not have MRI, PSA, or clinical data available are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help find aggressive prostate cancers more reliably while reducing unnecessary biopsies and overtreatment.
How similar studies have performed: Prior AI tools for prostate MRI have shown promising but variable results across sites, and this project aims to build on that work by improving standardization and inclusiveness.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bagci, Ulas — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Bagci, Ulas
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.