The aim of the trial is to understand whether a computerised tool designed to quickly spot problems in brain scans (MIDI) can help doctors diagnose cases faster. This will help patients by getting them the treatment they need sooner. How useful doctors find the tool will also be measured, and whether it is cost-saving for the National Health Service (NHS).
NHS radiology services are under unprecedented pressure as rising demand outpaces available workforce capacity. MRI utilisation across the NHS has increased by 9% year-on-year. As a result, many departments have relied on unsustainable measures such as outsourcing and weekend insourcing to manage reporting backlogs. Delays in scan reporting have serious implications, including missed or delayed diagnoses, prolonged hospital stays, higher healthcare costs, and poorer patient outcomes. A systematic review and meta-analysis found that each month of delay in initiating cancer treatment increases mortality risk by approximately 10%. There is an urgent need for validated digital tools that can reduce TATs without compromising diagnostic accuracy. The TRIAGE study (Triage Radiology Imaging Assessment for Greater Effectiveness (TRIAGE): a Cluster-Randomised Crossover Trial Evaluating the Reporting Turn-Around-Time of Brain Magnetic Resonance Images using an AI-enabled Abnormality Detector for Prioritisation) evaluates whether MIDI can reduce the average TAT of abnormal scans in routine NHS clinical practice. The primary purpose of MIDI is workflow triage: it enables prioritisation of abnormal scans within radiology reporting worklists, helping departments manage high volumes efficiently.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
100,800
MIDI is an AI-based TRIAGE tool and its primary purpose is workflow triage of brain MRI scans.
Turnaround time for abnormal outpatient brain MRI scans
Time frame: Time from abnormal MRI acquisition to radiologist report authorisation over 8 months.
Turnaround time for abnormal inpatient brain MRI scans
Time frame: Time from abnormal MRI acquisition to radiologist report authorisation over 8 months.
Turnaround time for abnormal combined Brain MRI scans
Time frame: Time from abnormal MRI acquisition to radiologist report authorisation over 8 months.
Cost Effectiveness - Incremental cost per reduction in brain MRI scan turnaround time, radiologist reporting time, insourcing/outsourcing of reporting activity
Time frame: From MRI scan acquisition to final radiologist report authorisation over 8 months.
Cost Effectiveness for patients with suspected TIA or Stroke - incremental cost per reduction in brain MRI turnaround time, time to diagnosis and time to treatment change
Time frame: From MRI scan acquisition to initiation of treatment over 8 months.
Cost Effectiveness for patients newly diagnosed with brain metastases secondary to melanoma, lung cancer, or breast cancer
Incremental cost per change in turnaround time, time to diagnosis, time to treatment change, in 28-day mortality, in 90-day mortality, in ECOG/KPS at 90 days.
Time frame: From MRI scan acquisition to initiation of treatment within 8 months as well as from MRI scan acquisition to 28 and 90 days for mortality and 90 days for ECOG/KPS outcomes.
Staff satisfaction - Questionnaire score from radiologists, radiographers, and referring clinicians, collected at month 6 of the intervention
Time frame: From the start to month 6 of the intervention.
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Turnaround time for all brain MRI scans (normal and abnormal combined)
Time frame: Time from MRI acquisition to final radiologist report acquisition over 8 months
Turnaround Time for Critically Abnormal Brain MRI scans
Time frame: Acquisition of critically abnormal brain MRI scans to final radiologist report authorisation over 8 months.
Performance accuracy - MIDI assessment of abnormal/normal brain MRI scan, radiologist assessment of abnormal/normal brain MRI scan and reference standard of abnormal/normal brain MRI scan
Time frame: MRI scan acquisition to final radiologist report authorisation over 8 months.
Clinical Effectiveness Outcomes in patients with Suspected Transient Ischemic Attack/Stroke (time from MRI acquisition to definitive diagnosis, censoring or treatment change)
Time frame: Time from MRI Acquisition to Definitive Diagnosis or Censoring, Time from MRI Acquisition to Treatment Change during Phase I and II (19 months)
Proportion of diagnoses within 14 days in a subgroup of patients diagnosed with melanoma or lung cancer with de novo metastases
Time frame: Within 14 days following index brain scan containing brain metastases
Mortality rates in a subgroup of patients diagnosed with melanoma or lung cancer with de novo metastases
Time frame: Within 28 days following the index MRI brain scan and within 90 days following the index MRI brain scan
Days alive and out of hospital following index MRI brain scan in a subgroup of patients diagnosed with melanoma or lung cancer with de novo metastases
Time frame: Days alive and out of hospitals within 90 days following index MRI brain scan
Time to Treatment Change in a subgroup of patients diagnosed with melanoma or lung cancer with de novo metastases
Time frame: Time from MRI scan acquisition to treatment (or censoring at the end of the data collection period) within 8 months.
Occurrence of treatment/SRS (Stereotactic Radiosurgery) treatment in a subgroup of patients diagnosed with melanoma or lung cancer with de novo metastases
Time frame: Treatment - Within 48 days following index MRI brain scan Treatment with SRS - Within 90 days following index brain MRI scan
Functional status using ECOG and KPS where possible in a subgroup of patients diagnosed with melanoma or lung cancer with de novo metastases
ECOG: Standardised 0 to 4 scale - 0 is fully active, 4 is completely disabled KPS - 10 to 100 scale - 10 is critically ill, 100 is no evidence of disease
Time frame: Within 90 days following index MRI brain scan
Brain tumour-related Quality of Life in a consenting sub-group of patients with eligible brain metastases measured using EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire
Time frame: At 90 days (± 14 days) following the index MRI brain scan
Functional status in a consenting sub-group of patients with eligible brain metastases using ECOG and KPS scoring
ECOG: Standardised 0 to 4 scale - 0 is fully active, 4 is completely disabled KPS - 10 to 100 scale - 10 is critically ill, 100 is no evidence of disease
Time frame: At 90 days (± 14 days) following index MRI brain scan
Brain tumour-related Quality of Life in a consenting sub-group of patients with eligible brain metastases measured using EORTC QLQ-BN20 questionnaire
Time frame: At 90 days (± 14 days) following the index MRI brain scan