Clare Tempany, MB, BCh, BAO, presented “MRI PI-RADS Standardization and Clinical Evaluation” during the 8th Global Summit on Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Prostate Cancer on October 8, 2024.
How to cite: Tempany, Clare. “MRI PI-RADS Standardization and Clinical Evaluation.” October 8, 2024. Accessed Dec 2024. https://grandroundsinurology.com/mri-pi-rads-standardization-and-clinical-evaluation/
MRI PI-RADS Standardization and Clinical Evaluation – Summary
Clare Tempany, MB, BCh, BAO, Harvard Medical School, addresses the standardization and clinical evaluation of PI-RADS, a key tool in prostate cancer imaging. In her 13-minute presentation, Dr. Tempany begins by tracing the history of the RADS program, emphasizing its role in reducing variability and improving communication in radiological reporting. She highlights the utility of prostate MRI, focusing on its capacity to aid in detection, characterization, and targeted biopsies for clinically significant cancers.
Dr. Tempany reviews the PI-RADS v2.1 updates, which refine imaging protocols and stress the inclusion of previously overlooked areas like the anterior fibromuscular stroma. She provides examples to illustrate how these improvements enhance lesion detection and biopsy targeting. While discussing the growing interest in bi-parametric MRI, Dr. Tempany remains cautious, advocating for multiparametric MRI in most cases due to its added value for less experienced readers or in challenging cases.
She highlights the global shift toward recommending MRI before biopsy, citing changes in major guidelines and increased adoption rates. Dr. Tempany underscores the ongoing efforts to enhance MRI quality and interpretation, focusing on integrating AI for future improvements.
The Global Summit on Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Prostate Cancer is a unique multi-disciplinary forum organized to inform the key health care stakeholders about the emerging advances in clinical case and research and create a consensus-based vision for the future of precision care and educational and research strategy for its realization. The mission of the Summit is to fill the currently existing gap between the key experts of in vivo imaging, the world authorities in the in vitro fluid- and tissue-based molecular diagnostics, including genomics, and thought leaders in the development of novel observation strategies (e.g., active surveillance, or AS) and therapeutic interventions.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Tempany is the Ferenc A. Jolesz Professor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. She also serves as Vice Chair of Radiology Research and Medical Director of the Advanced Multi-modal Image Guided Operating (AMIGO) Suite, a suite of translational clinical research rooms at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston. Dr. Tempany is a native of Dublin, Ireland, and a graduate of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. She completed her internship and a senior house officer program in internal medicine in Dublin prior to moving to Chicago for residency training in Diagnostic Radiology at Loyola University of Chicago. She went on to a fellowship and her first faculty appointment in MRI at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, Maryland. Three years later, she moved to Brigham & Women’s Hospital to join the Abdominal Imaging Division.
Dr. Tempany established the Body MRI Program at Brigham & Women’s Hospital with a pioneering focus on prostate and gynecological imaging. Then, through a unique partnership with Anthony D’Amico, MD, she helped establish the first ever MR-guided prostate cancer brachytherapy program in 1997. She followed this by partnering with Noby Hata, PhD, to establish the first MR-guided transperineal in-bore prostate cancer biopsy program. Now, 20 years later, both MR-guided prostate cancer biopsy and MR-guided radiation therapy are rapidly becoming the standard of care to aid in prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Today, Dr. Tempany leads trials in mpMRI, is Co-Chair of the PI-RADS international committee, is the PI of a InSightec-sponsored focal therapy trial with MR-guided FUS, and is study chair of the new ECOG-ACRIN trial in prostate MRI. She has had continuous NIH funding for over 20 years and is currently the PI of the NIH funded-P41, and a T32 training grant in image-guided therapy.
