Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research in Cancer Imaging
The Institute of Medicine defines comparative effectiveness research as "…the generation and synthesis of evidence that compares the benefits and harms of alternative methods to prevent, diagnose, treat, and monitor a clinical condition or to improve the delivery of care." CER provides a means for acquiring evidence and implementing procedures for evaluating and managing the impact of new imaging technologies on clinical and public health practices.
The Center for CER in Cancer Imaging combines the resources of:
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, an established center of expertise in CER through The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and Norris Cotton Cancer Center
- American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) and its Statistical Center at Brown University, which conducts clinical studies of advanced imaging technologies for cancer detection, staging, and treatment
- Tufts Evidence-Based Practice Center (EPC), which has expertise in systematic review for diagnostic technologies
- National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR)
The Center for CER in Cancer Imaging advances research and new approaches for studying the impact of advanced imaging in cancer on health and health care utilization, with attention to the consequences of significant incidental diagnostic findings on patient care.
Current projects are based on the National Lung Screening Trial, a major NCI-sponsored study, and the National Oncologic PET Registry, sponsored by the American College of Radiology and the Academy of Molecular Imaging.
