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NCI Workshop on Digital Pathology Imaging (DPI) in Cancer Clinical Trials and Research

Workshop Recordings

Day 1, Day 2

Workshop Overview 

Hosted by DCTD’s Cancer Diagnosis Program (CDP) on March 6-7, 2024, the workshop focused on expanding the roles of Digital Pathology Imaging (DPI) in translational cancer research, biomarker studies, clinical trials, and pharmaceutical development.

Objectives

Understanding the specific needs for DPI by investigators and biospecimen banks and successfully integrating DPI into cancer clinical trials

Presentation Topics

Successes and challenges in DP and computational pathology, including hardware and software, image acquisition, validation, storage, data management, intellectual property, and public-private partnerships

Discussion

Addressing challenges posed by the lack of standardized approaches for DPI utilization in clinical trials and biobanking and proposing solutions

Workshop Highlights

TopicHighlight
DP InfrastructureA comprehensive infrastructure beyond scanners for effective DP implementation is needed.
Standardization and SoftwareDICOM is the DP standard, and support from scanner vendors and software solutions for image conversion are important.
Imaging and AnalysisMicrons per pixel (mpp) is more important than magnification level for scanning slides, and Standard Operating Procedures, imaging performance criteria, and access governance are crucial for DPI in clinical trials.
Data De-identification and AIOpen standards in data de-identification and DPI archives for AI analysis and research enhancement are important.
Platforms and AccessAttendees outlined the NCI Imaging Data Commons (IDC) as a platform for cancer pathomics research and the differences in access policies between IDC and The Cancer Imaging Archive.
Examples of Advancements in AI and DPI Technologies
  • Successes in AI integration in clinical research (e.g., studies enabling real-time diagnostic capabilities during surgeries) and enhances in precision in oncology treatments
  • FDA approval of the first AI-assisted digital cytology system for Pap test screening
  • Enhancements in the value of clinical trials by improving outcomes and treatment strategies (e.g., NCI-MATCH)
Examples of Challenges and Needs
  • Interoperability and Standardization: Integrating diverse systems for seamless data sharing and analysis across different platforms and scanners
  • Resource Intensity and Infrastructure: High-quality, anonymized image files in standardized formats and funding for long-term storage and distribution
  • Data Privacy and Security: Effective de-identification methods that do not limit data utility (encompasses ethical considerations and regulatory compliance, especially in handling personal health information)

Workshop Organizers and Advisory Committee

Organizers

Drs. Hala Makhlouf and Irina Lubensky, CDP

Advisory Committee

Mark Watson (NCTN Group Banking Committee [GBC], Washington University, St. Louis)
William Richards (GBC, Harvard University)
Shakeel Virk (GBC, Queen’s University, Canada)
Lyndsay Harris (Associate Director, CDP, DCTD)
Keyvan Farahani (National Heart. Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH)
Mathew Hanna, (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Contact

Dr. Hala Makhlouf 

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