INTERNATIONAL PROSTATE MRI WORKING GROUP
Introduction:
AdMeTech had a series of Brain Trust Meetings in prostate MRI in 2007 and 2008, followed by the Consensus Conference in January 2009, which was held in cooperation with the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, and Federal Drug Administration. As a result of these meetings, prostate MRI has been identified as the most promising and mature experimental imaging tool for prostate cancer. Consequently, AdMeTech funded the International Prostate MRI Working Group (MRI Group) that has integrated efforts of the world leading multi-disciplinary experts of health care delivery, research, professional organizations, industry, patient advocacy and consumer groups played the key role in facilitating development, clinical testing, implementation and standardization of high quality prostate MRI service.
Models and Goals:
This program is modeled after the International Digital Mammography Working Group and the International Breast MRI Working Group that were established in 1991 by AdMeTech’s President Dr. Faina Shtern in her past position as a Chief of the Diagnostic Imaging Research Branch at NCI in the 90s. These Working Groups have played a pivotal role in the facilitated development, standardization, testing and implementation of digital mammography, breast MRI and related BI-RADS standardization and led to their acceptance as a routine clinical tool today. AdMeTech’s Prostate MRI Group designs and supports ground-breaking research and develops the near- and long-term research strategy for facilitated advancement and clinical implementation of mpMRI. This includes development of technical specifications, standards and quality assurance and control for multi-institutional clinical testing and translation to broad medical community.
Key Accomplishments:
1) Developed and implemented a comprehensive research strategy that expedited advancement and demonstration of MRI as the most promising and mature imaging tool for early detection of aggressive prostate cancer and its differentiation from low risk and benign disease;
2) Recognizing that a standardized approach to image acquisition and reporting is critical to clinical evaluation and large-scale implementation, the MRI Group pioneered development of prostate imaging radiologic standards for high quality service (PI-RADS) and secured support of the American College of Radiology and European Society of Urogenital Radiology;
3) Designed the definitive clinical trial and assembled the research team, including the formal partnership with the American College of Radiology Imaging Network, the NIH-funded clinical trial infrastructure in radiology supporting image management, quality control and biostatistical analysis;
4) This program supports breakthrough prostate MRI research at UCSF, UCLA, Brigham and Women’s Hospital of Harvard Medical School, University of Chicago, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and other leading academic institutions.