caBIG initiative paves way toward medical imaging progress

A collaborative project backed by the National Cancer Institute, the cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG) is serving as an umpire and scorekeeper of medical imaging research by setting the rules for assuring the validity of multicenter research and formatting results for easy tabulation and sharing.

The work of caBIG addresses current imaging research, with its need to test large populations at multiple sites. For future imaging practice, it is designed to satisfy a growing demand for standardized reporting and quality and effectiveness assessments.

At the 2009 RSNA meeting, members of the caBIG community will present examples of imaging capabilities in use that enable researchers to access data for their research and offer tools to optimize and validate imaging technologies. caBIG receives support from the National Cancer Institute and the Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology.

Many community-based radiologists remain unaware of the role caBIG plays on the research front for promising applications. These include the use of imaging as a biomarker in clinical trials. They could potentially reduce the cost and time of drug development. Such trials typically include multiple sites and varied imaging equipment and practices. To make this possible, researchers must be able to view images and record image interpretation data in a standardized way, according to caBIG officials.

Additionally, caBIG is aiming at opportunities to advance meaningful scientific discovery and personalized medicine by integrating imaging data with other types of information, such as genomic or clinical outcomes data.

The caBIG educational exhibit (LL-ED-1007) and associated events will provide a visible presence for the grid at this event. It is debuting a new case study featuring commercial and academic perspectives on opportunities in medical imaging. Visitors to the exhibit can also experience some of the imaging tools firsthand through interactive demonstrations.