It has already been a year since the SIOPE Imaging Working Group was launched with the primary aim of improving diagnostic imaging and image-guided therapies in children with cancer. This improvement spans both daily patient care and clinical trials, as well as other research endeavors, including the introduction of new innovative imaging techniques and addressing quality control issues relevant to the imaging community.
During the SIOP Europe Annual Meeting 2023 in Valencia a successful inaugural open session was organized on Wednesday May 10 with the theme: “the challenges and opportunities of imaging research in pediatric oncology, including image-guided interventions and therapies”. In line with this, the Steering Committee has already started with the preparations for an open session during the upcoming Annual Meeting 2024 in Milan, which will probably focus on new developments in oncological imaging and image-guided interventions.
As mentioned in the previous newsletter, this year’s primary focus of the Steering Committee is the development and funding of a centralized digital imaging repository within the SIOPE framework for all children with cancer participating in European clinical trials, allowing for easily accessible storage of imaging for clinical as well as imaging research. We are now in the phase of finalizing a document with requirements and an inventory of potential (commercial) platforms. Furthermore, the Steering Committee intensified the collaborations with the Taskforce Oncology of the ESPR and Pediatric Committee of the EANM. The first steps will include organizing collaborative educational events during Annual Meetings and online.
Last but not least, we are looking for enthusiastic and committed colleagues across Europe, both imaging-related health professionals as well as professionals from other disciplines, involved in diagnostic imaging, and image-guided interventions and therapies in children with cancer to join the Imaging Working Group! Detailed information and the application form can be found here.