Katy Keenan Applied Physics Division, Physical Measurement Lab National Institute of Standards and Technology Quantitative MRI for Precision Medicine

Date: Thu. March 22nd, 2018, 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
Location: Rockefeller 221 (Les Foldy Room)

IMAGING PHYSICS SEMINAR

Katy Keenan
Applied Physics Division, Physical Measurement Lab
National Institute of Standards and Technology

Quantitative MRI for Precision Medicine

The ability of MRI to measure real, physical parameters of interest requires reference standards to ensure accuracy and reproducibility of data. Currently, variability exists across MRI systems, manufacturers, models, software versions, and analysis packages, which impedes comparison of data across patients, centers, and time. To move towards precision medicine, we must be able to determine the threshold of normal compared to disease state with a diagnostically useful uncertainty. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in conjunction with professional societies, has developed a suite of physical reference objects, known as phantoms, to serve as standards. These phantoms provide valuable information regarding biomarker measurement reproducibility, as well as allowing for calibration and validation of specific techniques in MRI. By integrating the phantoms into medical practice alongside recommended imaging protocols, the reproducibility of quantitative imaging biomarkers will improve, enhancing the clinical utility and cost effectiveness of imaging, leading to a better standard of care for patients. In this talk, I will discuss current efforts of the NIST quantitative MRI project, how the NIST phantoms are currently being used, and what we could achieve by decreasing the uncertainty.

Host: Michael Martens