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Department of Imaging Facilities

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    Center for Biomedical Imaging in Oncology (CBIO)

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    Dana-Farber's Center for Biomedical Imaging in Oncology (CBIO) is a centralized cancer imaging research enterprise that was established as a paradigm shift to enable translational cancer research and drug development through:

    • The integration of pre-clinical and clinical imaging
    • Access to pre-clinical/clinical multidisciplinary and multimodality imaging expertise
    • Drug/imaging probe development

    The clinical and pre-clinical arms of CBIO are Clinical Imaging Research (CIR) and the Lurie Family Imaging Center (LFIC), respectively. These work in partnership to facilitate bidirectional translational cancer imaging science. CBIO also works closely with other Dana-Farber centers, departments and those clinical disease centers that are engaged in cancer imaging research, small animal modeling in cancer, experimental therapeutics, and oncologic clinical trials.

    The integrated pre-clinical and clinical research activities and imaging platform of CBIO allow accelerated translational research and offer a critical resource for the design and execution of these studies. CBIO uses a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach that includes scientists, expert technical staff, pre-clinical and clinical investigators, members of the Dana-Farber Imaging and BWH Radiology Departments, as well as the resources present at both institutions.

    CBIO Clinical Imaging Research (CIR)

    CBIO Clinical Imaging Research (CIR), the clinical arm of CBIO, is a multidisciplinary anatomic and functional imaging laboratory that provides:

    • Study design
    • Imaging protocol development
    • Scanner evaluation and qualification by Dana-Farber physicists
    • Quality control/archival of imaging data
    • Diagnostic review of images by Dana-Farber physicians
    • Quantitative image analysis
    • Scientific interpretation of final imaging results

    The CBIO works with individual investigators in developing imaging acquisition protocols, including the timing and frequency of imaging, as well as the analysis of imaging results. Proposed designs of imaging protocols are based on consensus guidelines, approaches used by national consortia and working groups, and/or novel designs developed within CBIO.

    The clinical arm of CBIO is also utilized for multi-centered clinical research studies, performing services such as surveying participating imaging labs, creating protocol-specific imaging manuals, and receiving/reviewing scanner acceptance test results.

    Results of anatomic and metabolic measurements are interpreted by Dana-Farber Radiology faculty in the context of the cancer therapeutics under investigation. CBIO also enables the adoption of quantitative imaging biomarkers by coordinating the use of specific imaging biomarkers and their validation in the pre-clinical and clinical settings. CBIO leverages the resources and expertise present in the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute clinical departments, as well as within the disease centers, Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Dana-Farber/Boston Children's, and other research centers to enable translational research.

    CBIO/Lurie Family Imaging Center (LFIC)

    The CBIO/Lurie Family Imaging Center (LFIC) is the pre-clinical arm of CBIO, a state-of-the-art, pre-clinical imaging facility that provides investigators access to all major pre-clinical imaging and therapeutic modalities, as well as upcoming radiochemistry technologies.

    The interdisciplinary in vivo translational and experimental therapeutics studies conducted at LFIC are focused on cancer, with an emphasis on:

    • Assessment of novel cancer therapeutics
    • Multimodality imaging of cancer
    • Molecular imaging of pharmacodynamic efficacy
    • Development of novel probes
    • Target validation

    Directed by Quang-De Nguyen, PhD, LFIC has full technical and research scientist staffing to facilitate longitudinal pre-clinical studies, including establishment of tumor models, drug treatments, radiotherapy, and assessment of imaging and conventional study endpoints. The imaging resources include optical imaging, 7T MRI, micro PET/SPECT/CT, and ultrasound.

    Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) Tumor Imaging Metrics Core (TIMC)

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    The goal of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) Tumor Imaging Metrics Core (TIMC) is to facilitate access and provide standardized, longitudinal anatomic and functional imaging tumor metrics for patients enrolled in clinical trials.

    TIMC is a multicenter, multidisciplinary and multi-parametric imaging core funded by a DF/HCC National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center grant. TIMC principal investigators are Annick D. Van den Abbeele, MD, FACR, for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), and Gordon J. Harris, PhD, for Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).

    Through a collaborative partnership with BWH and MGH, standardized measurements of imaging response (such as RECIST, WHO, SWOG, and SUV [standardized uptake value]) are performed on CT, MRI, and PET/CT, and are provided to investigators through a web-based database.

    Included with TIMC measurements are the following services:

    • Consultation with clinical trial PIs prior to trial initiation to optimize protocol design for imaging acquisition and analysis methods, so that trials are established with appropriate and optimal imaging methods
    • Image study capture from DF/HCC centers
    • Image study archival for the length of the trial
    • Tumor measurements as specified in the protocol
    • Database management of measurement results and image snapshots
    • Web-based results reporting
    • Assistance with the image analysis components of trial audits

    Molecular Cancer Imaging Facility (MCIF)

    The Molecular Cancer Imaging Facility (MCIF) is Dana-Farber’s radiopharmaceutical research and development core and cyclotron.

    The Core specializes in the proposal and execution of radiosynthetic strategies to access novel radiodiagnostics and radiotherapeutics for pre-clinical use. MCIF also routinely provides difficult-to-procure radiolabeled literature compounds. Compounds radiolabeled at MCIF can be easily transferred to the adjacent Lurie Family Imaging Center or shipped to an investigator’s facility or third party CRO. MCIF has experience working with a broad range of isotopes, including C-11, F-18, Cu-64, Ga-68, Zr-89, Tb-161, Lu-177, Ac-225, among others.

    MCIF’s team of experts helps investigators move discovery-stage concepts to in vivo models quickly, generating data to support grant applications, publications, and drug development efforts. As a research core, MCIF has extensive experience with internal and external academic laboratories and companies. Modes of engagement can take the form of either research collaborations or “fee-for-service” contracts.

    For a comprehensive list of MCIF capabilities, please visit https://mcif.dana-farber.org/.

    For additional information or to discuss project proposals, please contact MCIF Scientific Director Anthony P. Belanger, Ph.D. at anthony_belanger@dfci.harvard.edu.