Grant: Medical Imaging Clinical Trials Network - Phase 2

The proposed network will address the objectives of the Federal "Isotope Supply Initiative", focused on reducing clinical reliance on the technetium (99mTc) currently produced by nuclear reactors. Our central goal is to move innovations in imaging toward their broad application in clinical research and to facilitate the uptake of research outcomes into clinical practice and improved patient care. The network will initially encompass oncology, cardiology and neurology and will be national in scope with participation from 12 universities located in 4 provinces across Canada. The assembled critical mass of scientific and medical expertise and the linked hospitals and research centers in Canada are great assets to establish standard operating procedures and protocols and to coordinate the network's research activities in important clinical trials. Imaging trials will evaluate the clinical use of alternatives to technetium to detect bone metastases, to determine response to chemotherapy in women with metastatic breast cancer, to detect cardiac blood flow abnormalities and to predict cognitive decline. The network will integrate internationally-respected Canadian scientific leaders with multidisciplinary expertise and build on existing state-of-the-art infrastructures. Recruiting sites, core labs and the data coordinating center will be linked through an existing secure and rapid communication network. The proposed clinical trials will be initiated in a short time frame. In short, a national and sustainable medical imaging clinical trials network will be established to provide a clinical platform for imaging research in Canada, facilitate the evaluation of existing and new imaging technologies that demonstrate clinical relevance, and enable their uptake into routine patient care. The network will take into consideration the full spectrum of clinical care from prevention to palliation, to meet the needs of the end-users of the technologies and patient populations.