Membership
We are open to all those with an interest in imaging of childhood brain tumours, who are willing to take an active part in the group. Members may be radiologists, other clinicians involved in the care of children with brain tumours, scientists with a research interest in the area or lay people. Current Chair - Shivaram Avula; current Co-Chair - Andrew Peet.
Leadership
The chair of the group is a radiologist, there is a co-chair who is an imaging researcher. There is a 4 year tenure for these posts which are voted for by the membership of the group. The chair and co-chair are members of the SIOPE-BT committee.
Remit
- Development of protocols for conventional imaging performed in clinical trials
- Co-ordination of central radiological review for trials involving SIOPE
- Translation of new imaging methods into clinical trials to allow their effective evaluation.
- Develop new analysis techniques and related informatics and translate them into clinical trials.
- Collaboration with researchers in biology to promote studies which combine imaging and in vitro studies of tumour biology to improve the understanding of childhood brain tumours.
Meetings and Commitment
We aim to have 3 meetings per year, one is a face to face meeting which coincides with a SIOPE-BT meeting. Teleconferencing is made available for those who cannot attend in person. Other meetings are teleconferences.
Current Areas of Interest
We have been heavily involved in protocol development and harmonisation. A protocol is made available on the website and will be regularly updated. It includes both conventional MRI and advanced imaging as an integral part.
Reliability of intra-operative MR imaging as a postoperative baseline scan.
Perfusion imaging is still an area of active protocol development and a subgroup is being set up specifically to further the multi-centre use of this.
We are also actively involved in promoting data sharing and the creation of a data repository supporting clinical trials. This should support both radiological review and quantitative analysis.
The Imaging group is currently chaired by: Paul Morgan, Giovanni Morana