Covera Health’s expansion of its Radiology Centers of Excellence (COE) to include Prostate MRI marks a major advancement in diagnostic quality for one of the most common and deadly cancers affecting men. The initiative, launching in Q1 2026, addresses a critical need for improved imaging consistency in prostate cancer diagnosis. With the prevalence of prostate cancer projected to reach over 300,000 new cases in the U.S. by 2025, the demand for accurate and standardized imaging has surged. Prostate MRI is now a key step before biopsy, yet its technical complexity and the variation in interpretation across providers have led to a high rate of unnecessary procedures and clinical misdirection.

Covera’s Prostate COE program is designed to directly combat these disparities by ensuring patients receive imaging from centers that meet rigorous quality benchmarks in both image acquisition and diagnostic interpretation. Supported by past results showing up to 12% lower downstream healthcare costs and improved diagnostic accuracy, this new offering is expected to deliver tangible benefits in both patient outcomes and cost efficiency. By leveraging its existing infrastructure, Covera is able to integrate this enhancement with minimal disruption, automatically guiding patients to approved facilities when a prostate MRI is ordered through employer or health plan partners.

The broader significance of this initiative lies in its potential to influence national standards for radiology. With plans to expand into other disease-specific imaging areas like breast and abdominal imaging throughout 2026, Covera is creating a scalable, quality-first model for radiologic diagnostics. This proactive approach not only supports clinicians with more reliable data for decision-making but also helps reduce the risks associated with poor-quality imaging—ultimately aligning the interests of patients, providers, and payors toward better, value-based care delivery.

MedTech Spectrum's Summary

Improved Diagnostic Accuracy in Prostate Cancer: Covera Health’s inclusion of Prostate MRI in its Radiology Centers of Excellence addresses the urgent need for high-quality imaging in a cancer type where early and accurate diagnosis is vital, potentially reducing unnecessary biopsies and improving patient outcomes.

Standardization Across Imaging Providers: By implementing rigorous quality standards for both image acquisition and interpretation, the initiative helps reduce variability in prostate MRI performance—tackling a major challenge in current radiologic practices nationwide.

Scalable, Low-Disruption Expansion: The program’s integration into Covera’s existing infrastructure allows health plans and employers to enhance imaging quality without added burden or operational changes, making it a practical and impactful step toward value-based care.