Major new cancer imaging network involving the ICR and The Royal Marsden established

Nine world-leading medical imaging centres from across the UK will come together to form an integrated network for standardising and validating the use of cutting-edge imaging techniques in cancer treatment.

The National Cancer Imaging Translational Accelerator (NCITA) establishes infrastructure for validating and adopting cancer imaging biomarkers as decision-making tools in clinical trials and NHS practice.

Open access to world-class facilities

The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, will form part of this exciting new initiative, which will provide clinical researchers from across the UK with open access to world-class clinical imaging facilities and expertise, as well a repository data management service, artificial intelligence (AI) tools and ongoing training opportunities.

The NCITA consortium, through engagement with NHS Trusts, pharmaceutical companies, medical imaging and nuclear medicine companies as well as funding bodies and patient groups, aims to develop a robust and sustainable imaging biomarker certification process, to revolutionise the speed and accuracy of cancer diagnosis, tumour classification and patient response to treatment.

Professor Dow-Mu Koh, Professor of Functional Cancer Imaging at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and Consultant Radiologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, who co-leads the NCITA network, said:

“We are delighted to be part of NCITA and are working collaboratively to undertake a multicentre imaging study using whole body MRI in patients with multiple myeloma.”

World-leading medical imaging centres

The other institutions that make up NCITA are University College London, University of Manchester, University of Oxford, King’s College London, Imperial College London, Cambridge University, Newcastle University and University of Glasgow. 

The initiative is funded by Cancer Research UK and will receive up to £10 million over five years and the lead investigators hope to expand and bring in new academic and industrial partnerships as NCITA develops.