For patients
Clear information, and the right route to care
This page gives general information about prostate MRI and my work. It does not replace a conversation with your own doctor.
Prostate MRI in brief
What is a prostate MRI?
An MRI scan uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves — no X-rays — to make detailed images of the prostate. A radiologist reads the images and reports how likely clinically significant cancer is.
What is PI-RADS?
PI-RADS is an international standard for making and reading prostate MRI. It describes suspicion on a scale from 1 to 5, so that doctors in different hospitals speak the same language.
Why an MRI first, and only then a biopsy?
When prostate cancer is suspected, Dutch and international urology guidelines usually advise an MRI first, before a biopsy. This advice is based partly on research such as the Dutch 4M study, funded by Alpe d’HuZes/KWF. An MRI can help aim biopsies at suspicious areas and avoid some unnecessary biopsies. MRI can miss cancer; your doctor therefore also weighs PSA, other risk factors and follow-up.
Why is good image quality important?
A scan is only as useful as its quality. That is why I work on standards such as PI-QUAL, to assess and improve the quality of prostate MRI.
Sources (checked 9 November 2026):
“Your finger does not have eyes, but we have MRI's.”Talks for a wider audience
Older talks are shown with their original year; medical details reflect that time.
Yes we scan
Why imaging can change how we look for prostate cancer.
- Original title
- TEDxMaastricht Jelle Barentsz : Yes we scan
- Occasion
- TEDxMaastricht
- Year
- 2012
- Language
- English
Why are men sometimes much worse off than women when it comes to cancer?
Lecture 2 of 5.
- Original title
- Waarom zijn mannen soms een stuk slechter af dan vrouwen als het op kanker aankomt? (2/5)
- Occasion
- Universiteit van Nederland
- Year
- 2015
- Language
- Dutch