HCC Tumor Imaging Metrics Core

The Tumor Imaging Metrics Core (TIMC) operates as a completely remote MGB Research Core providing clinical trial tumor imaging metrics for an extensive array of response assessment criteria (e.g., RECIST, Lugano, RANO, etc.) serving all hospitals that comprise the Harvard Cancer Consortium.
TIMC utilizes an informatics infrastructure created at MGH for TIMC.  This allows for integrated workflow, assessments, and reporting.  In 2022 this clinical trials software was exclusively licensed to Yunu, Inc.

Personnel/Contact Information:

Co-Director (MGH): Gordon J. Harris, Ph.D.
Phone: (617) 726-9464
Email: gharris@mgh.harvard.edu

Co-Director (DFCI/BWH): Annick D. Van den Abbeele, M.D.
Phone: (617) 632-6539
Email: aabbeele@dfci.harvard.edu

Operations Manager (MGH): Deanne Hobba
Phone: (617) 643-7813
Email: dhobba@mgb.org

Services:

The Tumor Metrics Core provides four primary services to Harvard Cancer Consortium investigators:

- Consultation services for image-based protocols and image analyses design
- Image capture and management of all response-related imaging data from all Harvard Cancer Consortium institutions
- Bi-directional, anatomic, functional/molecular, and volumetric image measurements of lesions covering over 30 trial-specific tumor response criteria
- Results reporting and database management of radiological data for clinical trials

The Tumor Imaging Metrics Core maintains a database of longitudinal, radiological and clinical data to provide a full audit trail of the quantitative measurements performed for clinical trials conducted throughout all the Harvard Cancer Consortium institutions.

Included in the TIMC user fees are the following services; consultation with Harvard Cancer Consortium Trial PIs prior to trial initiation, image study capture from Harvard Cancer Consortium institutions, image study archival for length of the trial, tumor measurements as specified in the protocol, database management of measurement results and image snapshots, web-based results reporting and assistance with trial audits with respect to the image analysis components of the trial. For sites outside of Harvard Cancer Consortium, other fees may apply.

The TIMC offers consultative services to clinical trials investigators. The goal of the consultative service is to optimize clinical trials' protocol design for imaging acquisition and analysis methods so that trials are established with appropriate and optimal imaging criteria and methods. There is a $500 fee for PI-Initiated and NCI group trials, and a $1,000 fee for industry-sponsored trials for each new trial protocol for TIMC review and set up of the response assessment criteria.

We support more than 30 tumor response assessment criteria, including but not limited to:

  • RECIST - Response Evaluation Criteria for Solid Tumors
  • iRECIST - Immunotherapy Response Evaluation Criteria for Solid Tumors
  • PCWG - Prostate Cancer Working Group
  • Lugano - Response Assessment in Lymphoma
  • SUV - Standard Uptake Value, using body weight formula
  • Choi - RECIST plus density measurements on CT scans w/contrast
  • IMWG - International Myeloma Working Group
  • mRECIST - Modified RECIST measurements as requested per sponsor for:
    • brain, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM)
  • RANO - Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology

For information about fees for non-Harvard Cancer Consortium customers, please contact the TIMC Core Manager, Deanne Hobba.

Getting Started:

To obtain authorization to access the core, please contact the TIMC Help Desk at tumormetrics@partners.org.

Core services can also be requested by selecting TIMC services on the DFCI IRB New Project Request Form.

Departmental Web Link:

http://www.dfhcc.harvard.edu/core-facilities/tumor-imaging-metrics/