New NCI initiatives in computer aided diagnosis

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is interested in supporting the development of an image database for lung cancer screening using spiral X-ray CT. A cooperative agreement is envisioned (NCI UOI support mechanism) that will involve applications from investigators who are interested in joining a consortium of institutions to construct such a database as a public resource. The intent is to develop standards for generating the database resource and to allow this database to be used for evaluating computer aided diagnostic (CAD) software methods. Initial interest is focused on spiral CT of the lung because of the recent interest in using this imaging modality for lung cancer screening for patients at high risk, where early intervention may significantly reduce cancer mortality rates. The use of CAD methods is rapidly emerging for this large-scale cancer screening application as these methods have the potential of improving the efficiency of screening. Lung imaging is a good physical model in that it involves the use of 3D CAD methods that require critical software optimization for both detection and classification (benign verses malignant cancer). In addition, the detection of change in the CT images over time, or changes in lung nodule size, has the potential to provide either improved early cancer detection or improved classification.