title: Proposal for the standardisation of multi-centre trials in nuclear medicine imaging: prerequisites for a European 123I-FP-CIT SPECT database.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Multi-centre trials are an important part of proving the efficacy of procedures, drugs and interventions. Imaging components in such trials are becoming increasingly common; however, without sufficient control measures the usefulness of these data can be compromised. This paper describes a framework for performing high-quality multi-centre trials with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), using a pan-European initiative to acquire a normal control dopamine transporter brain scan database as an example.
  
  
  METHODS
  A framework to produce high-quality and consistent SPECT imaging data was based on three key areas: quality assurance, the imaging protocol and system characterisation. Quality assurance was important to ensure that the quality of the equipment and local techniques was good and consistently high; system characterisation helped understand and where possible match the performance of the systems involved, whereas the imaging protocol was designed to allow a degree of flexibility to best match the characteristics of each imaging device.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 24 cameras on 15 sites from 8 different manufacturers were evaluated for inclusion in our multi-centre initiative. All results matched the required level of specification and each had their performance characterised. Differences in performance were found between different system types and cameras of the same type. Imaging protocols for each site were modified to match their individual characteristics to produce comparable high-quality SPECT images.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A framework has been designed to produce high-quality data for multi-centre SPECT studies. This framework has been successfully applied to a pan-European initiative to acquire a healthy control dopamine transporter image database.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nuclear Medicine, UCLH NHS Foundation Trust and University College London, London, UK. john.dickson@uclh.nhs.uk
authors.forename: John Caddell
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dickson
authors.forename: Livia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tossici-Bolt
authors.forename: Terez
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sera
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Nijs
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Booij
authors.forename: Maria Claudia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bagnara
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seese
authors.forename: Pierre Malick
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Koulibaly
authors.forename: Umit Ozgur
authors.initials: UO
authors.lastname: Akdemir
authors.forename: Cathrine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jonsson
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koole
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raith
authors.forename: Markus Nowak
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Lonsdale
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: Felicia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zito
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tatsch
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D009683:Nuclear Medicine; D011786:Quality Control; D012015:Reference Standards; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014326:Tropanes
chemical_list: D014326:Tropanes; C087552:2-carbomethoxy-8-(3-fluoropropyl)-3-(4-iodophenyl)tropane
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