Spreading the word

The NCI grant also calls for the researchers to begin making the tool available to other scientists, with an eye on future dissemination among clinicians.
“Dissemination of this information is a key to this grant,” Tiwari said. “The research community is starting to appreciate the importance of radiomics, and there is a lot of excitement. Hopefully, the next step is to really get this into the clinical community as well.”

Radiomics refers to the method of extracting certain features from radiographic medical images using data-characterization algorithms. These features, when interpreted by the computer, could uncover disease characteristics that fail to be appreciated by the naked eye.

Other collaborators on the project include neuro-oncologist Manmeet Ahluwalia, MD (Cleveland Clinic); colorectal surgeon Sharon Stein, MD, (University Hospitals); imaging scientist Nicole Seiberlich, PhD (University of Michigan); Andrew Janowczyk (Research Faculty, CCIPD); and Anant Madabhushi, the F. Alex Nason Professor II of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve and director of the CCIPD.

This new work also meshes with previous projects under the auspices of the CCIPD and the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center at the School of Medicine, and will allow for the centers to better connect pathology and radiology, Madabhushi said.

“The CCIPD will now have three concurrent NCI/ITCR grants focusing on AI tools for cancer diagnosis and prognosis—two focused on AI in pathology,” Madabhushi said. “Ultimately, that synergy will allow for more precise understanding and prognosis of cancer, in turn, leading to the betterment of the cancer patient.”

Some of that work is referenced in academic research, said Viswanath, the corresponding author of a recently published paper in the journal Cancers.

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