ACRIN core laboratories are designed to support imaging studies in producing reliable quantitative, semi-quantitative, and qualitative endpoints that can be used to assess disease status.

ACRIN core laboratories provide comprehensive image management, quality control infrastructure, analysis, and answers to scientific questions for clinical trials involving various types of imaging technology. In addition to supporting and standardizing aspects of ACRIN trial research, they position ACRIN to become a service-oriented organization capable of sharing imaging expertise with the broader cancer research community. Each core laboratory is managed by a medical director and a steering committee composed of radiologists, oncologists, physicists, and ACRIN technical staff.

Specific core laboratory activities include:

• Supporting the collection and archiving of images for ACRIN protocols and collaborative clinical trials
• Implementing image quality control for ACRIN trials
• Developing and maintaining standard operating procedures for imaging endpoints for ACRIN and collaborative trials
• Providing advice to ACRIN disease site committees and other research organizations
• Deriving imaging endpoints through reader studies and quantitative image analysis

This section describes the two existing ACRIN core laboratory components—Positron Emission Tomography (PET) (established in 2003) and MRI/CT Core Laboratory (established in late 2006)—including the specific capabilities available, qualification documents, and image submission information.