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Benefits of Adopting ACR TIRADS

Apr 6, 2025

ACR Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TIRADS) Webinar - Part 3: Why Adopt TIRADS?

Introduction

  • Speaker: Dr. Jenny Hong, Neuroradiology, University
  • Webinar Focus: The evidence behind adopting ACR TIRADS for thyroid nodule evaluation.
  • Webinar Series:
    1. How TIRADS is implemented.
    2. Commonly asked questions about TIRADS.
    3. Why adopt TIRADS?
  • Speakers:
    • Franklin Tesla, Professor of Radiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham
    • Dr. Bill Middleton, Professor of Radiology
    • Dr. Jenny Hong

Webinar Objectives

  • Discuss the adoption of ACR TIRADS and its benefits.
  • Present key articles supporting TIRADS use.
  • Interpret and understand these articles to advocate for TIRADS adoption.

Reasons for Adopting ACR TIRADS

  • Better patient care through improved report quality and performance.
  • Standardization and reduced variability in nodule characterization.
  • Specificity and accuracy improvements compared to other systems.

Challenges in Adopting TIRADS

  • Concerns about time consumption and radiologist training.
  • Initial resistance from referrers and sonographers.

Evidence and Articles Discussed

  1. Improvements in Report Quality
    • Structured reporting templates enhance nodule feature documentation and recommendation consistency.
    • Study by Radiology Partners showing improved descriptor quality and reduced ambiguous recommendations.
  2. Interobserver Variability
    • Study showing use of TIRADS reduces variability in interpretation among radiologists.
  3. Performance Improvement
    • Studies demonstrate TIRADS lowers biopsy rates of benign nodules while maintaining high malignancy detection.
    • Specificity and accuracy are higher compared to other guidelines like the American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines.

Comparison with Other Systems

  • ACR TIRADS vs. ATA and SRU Guidelines
    • Differences in nodule management recommendations and feature categorization.
    • TIRADS offers higher specificity and accuracy.

International and Future Directions

  • Collaborative international efforts to harmonize thyroid nodule risk stratification systems.
  • Establishment of a multicenter thyroid ultrasound registry for ongoing evaluation and benchmarking.

Conclusion

  • ACR TIRADS provides robust framework for thyroid nodule evaluation.
  • Encouragement for practices to adopt TIRADS due to its beneficial outcomes in patient care.
  • Thanks to the speakers and organizers for the informative session.

Resources:

  • Visit the ACR TIRADS website for more information and access to prior webinars.
  • Engage with the multicenter thyroid ultrasound registry for practice benchmarking.

Final Thoughts: ACR TIRADS improves report quality, reduces variability, and offers superior performance in nodule management decisions. Adoption is encouraged for comprehensive and standardized thyroid nodule evaluation.

Full transcript