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Preliminary clinical studies show that spiral CT scanning of the lungs can improve early detection of lung cancer in high-risk individuals. However, more clinical data are needed before public health recommendations can be made for population-based screening. Image processing algorithms have the potential to assist in lesion detection on spiral CT studies, and to assess the stability or change in lesion size on serial CT studies. The use of such computer-assisted algorithms could significantly enhance the sensitivity and specificity of spiral CT lung screening, as well as lower costs by reducing physician time needed for interpretation.
The intent of the Lung Imaging Database Consortium (LIDC) initiative is to support a consortium of institutions to develop consensus guidelines for a spiral CT lung image resource and to construct a database of spiral CT lung images. The investigators funded under this initiative are creating a set of guidelines and metrics for database use and developing a database as a test-bed and showcase for those methods. The database will be available to researchers and users through the Internet and will have wide utility as a research, teaching, and training resource.
Specifically, the LIDC initiative aims to provide:
- a reference database for the relative evaluation of image processing or CAD algorithms and
- a flexible query system that will provide investigators the opportunity to evaluate a wide range of technical parameters and de-identified clinical information within this database that may be important for research applications.
It is anticipated that this resource will stimulate further database development for image processing and CAD evaluation for applications that include cancer screening, diagnosis, and image guided intervention, and treatment. Therefore, the NCI encourages investigator-initiated grant applications that will utilize the database in their research. NCI also encourages investigator-initiated grant applications that provide tools or methodology that may improve or complement the mission of the LIDC.
See the Program Announcement: RFA: CA-01-001 LUNG IMAGE DATABASE RESOURCE FOR IMAGING RESEARCH for more information.
Contact regarding programmatic issues:
Barbara Y. Croft, Ph.D.
Cancer Imaging Program, NCI
6130 Executive Blvd., Suite 6000
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: 301-496-9531
Fax: 301-480-3507
E-mail: bc129b@nih.gov
Steering Committee
The consortium is guided by a steering committee consisting of 2 members from each of the five awarded institutions and 2 members from the Cancer Imaging Program.
LIDC Institutions
Cornell University
David Yankelevitz
dyankele@pop.med.cornell.edu
University of California, Los Angeles
Mike McNitt-Gray
mmcnittgray@mednet.ucla.edu
University of Chicago
Sam Armato
s-armato@uchicago.edu
University of Iowa
Geoffrey McLennan
Geoffrey-McLennan@Uiowa.edu
University of Michigan
Chuck Meyer
cmeyer@umich.edu
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