Medical Institutions’ Adherence to the PI-RADS v2 Minimum Technical Standards for Prostate MRI in Korea

Abstract

Purpose To evaluate the adherence rate to Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADS v2) minimum technical standards of prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in Korean medical institutions. Materials and Methods This study included 103 prostate MRI examinations from 85 outside medical institutions performed from March 2015 to January 2018. The difference in adherence rate to minimal technical standards of PI-RADS v2 was compared using a Fisher’s exact test between subgroups divided by the magnetic strength of MRI machine, type of medical institution and presence of genitourinary radiologist. Results Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was obtained frequently in examinations performed in a 3-T machine, in university hospitals and in medical institutions where genitourinary radiologist work in than the others (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.003). Many minimum technical standards of PI-RADS v2 showed significantly lower adherence rate in a 1.5-T machine, in a non-university hospital and in a medical institution without genitourinary radiologist than the others. Conclusion The frequency of obtaining DWI and the adherent rate to some of the PI-RADS v2 minimum technical standards were significantly higher in 3-T machines, university hospitals and medical institutions with a genitourinary radiologist.

Keywords

• magnetic resonance imaging
• prostate
• standards