Quality framework for service delivery in prostate cancer imaging using MRI in Ghana: A scoping review

Prostate cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality among men, with a growing burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as Ghana, where late presentation and limitations in diagnostic infrastructure and workforce capacity persist. While multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) is central to prostate cancer diagnosis, staging, and surveillance, its effectiveness is highly dependent on the quality of service delivery. This scoping review aims to map and synthesise global evidence on quality frameworks, standards, and practices that support high-quality service delivery in prostate cancer imaging using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in order to inform the development of a context-appropriate quality framework for Ghana. The review will be guided conceptually by Donabedian’s Structure–Process–Outcome model. It will examine quality across structural elements, namely MRI infrastructure, equipment, and human resources. The process elements will include protocol standardisation, image acquisition, reporting practices, and quality assurance. The outcome-related indicators will include diagnostic reliability, service consistency, and system performance. In parallel, a Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) perspective will be applied to explore how governance, service delivery models, workforce development, and monitoring mechanisms influence the implementation and sustainability of quality prostate MRI services, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Although international guidelines and technical standards for prostate MRI exist, they are largely designed for high-income contexts and may not be directly transferable to LMIC health systems. Preliminary searches indicate that no scoping review has systematically mapped quality service delivery frameworks for prostate MRI in Ghana or sub-Saharan Africa. This review therefore addresses a critical evidence gap. The review will follow the Arksey and O’Malley scoping review framework, with refinements by Levac et al. and Peters et al., and will be reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Eligibility will be guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Population–Concept–Context framework. Searches will be conducted across major bibliographic databases and relevant grey literature sources. Data will be charted by two independent reviewers and synthesised narratively using a framework-based approach. Findings will directly inform subsequent phases of a PhD project aimed at developing a sustainable quality framework for prostate cancer imaging using MRI in Ghana.