A new approach for identifying the best CT imaging methods for lung cancer and COPD was recently launched by the Prevent Cancer Foundation and advisors to its annual Quantitative Imaging Workshop. The CT Lung Cancer Screening Protocol Challenge, the first crowd-sourced and ultra-low cost challenge of its kind, was launched by the Foundation and its advisory committee to help the lung cancer and COPD imaging research communities determine the best CT scanners and protocols for detecting early lung cancer and areas of the lungs that have been damaged due to emphysema.  These clinical imaging tasks require high levels of CT scanner image quality and are essential to delivering high performance CT lung cancer and COPD screening.

With these new image quality assessment methods, the lung cancer and COPD imaging communities now have a powerful new tool for establishing effective methods for lung screening. The initial challenge, focused solely on lung cancer, resulted in 28 clinical imaging sites participating. The initial CT data submitted from these sites is revealing many insights into CT scanner utilization and performance for major thoracic diseases.

Due to the success of the initial launch, and in conjunction with the Foundation’s “Quantitative Imaging Workshop XIII: Lung Cancer, COPD and Cardiovascular Disease – Exploring the Intersections” (to be held on June 13-14, 2016 in Bethesda, MD), the Prevent Cancer Foundation, Lung Cancer Alliance, and Accumetra, LLC are now working with the COPD Foundation to expand the scope and clinical site enrollment in the challenge to include support for COPD.

Call to Action
All global lung cancer and COPD imaging clinical sites are invited to participate. The initial data submission phase for this first challenge ends on May 31, 2016, and initial findings will be released on June 13, 2016 at the Quantitative Imaging Workshop XIII.  The data acquired from this challenge and free image quality service will assist the radiological community in developing and setting new standards for lung cancer and COPD quantitative imaging. Clinical sites may contribute data past the May 31, 2016 deadline and join a longer term study to establish improved lung imaging methods. To participate in the challenge and ongoing image quality study clinical sites should send email to info@accumetra.com.