Preclinical

            Clinical trials

            Quality/Outcomes

            Education 

 

 

The Duke Cardiovascular Imaging Center, directed by Pamela S. Douglas, MD, was formed in 2006 to enhance our clinical and academic programs in this strategically important component of cardiovascular medicine. The substantial strengths and expertise across the Duke University campus combine to create a unique enterprise with substantial ability to improve patient outcomes and to advance the science and clinical practice of cardiovascular imaging at Duke and across the globe. Key components include including the Duke Clinical Research Institute, the largest and most successful academic research organization in the world and our Cardiovascular Medicine program, consistently a top ten heart center, among other areas of excellence.

Mission Statement:  To improve patient outcomes and quality of life through research and education that improves the evidence, use, and value of cardiovascular imaging. 

·        To be a global leader in all stages of cardiovascular imaging development and application;

·        To assist in the optimal deployment of new and existing technologies, in order to ensure the performance of  cutting edge research and accessible, efficient, and cost-effective care, including::

The Duke CV Imaging Center builds on existing strengths and programs in all imaging modalities, within the medical center and across the University. It functions in a federated manner with independent components supported by a strong central core supplying strategic planning, business development and contracting, data and image access, education, platform development, imaging and trials tools, quality efforts, etc.

 

There are four general areas of focus:

 

1)      Preclinical, Phase -1 and Clinical imaging research focusing

          specifically on imaging

        a)      Technology/test development

        b)      Novel applications of imaging

        c)      Cross modality comparisons (imaging studies)

        d)      Improving imaging research

        e)      IT development

        f)       Molecular imaging

 

        This area is supported by ongoing collaborations between Cardiovascular Medicine Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering faculty among others. Ongoing studies include cross modality comparison studies, development of novel molecular and other metabolic imaging and imaging planning for the new Duke Phase I experimental medicine unit.

 

2)      Clinical trials in CV Imaging (Phase 2/3)

        a)     Core laboratories servicing DCRI coordinated trials

        b)     Core laboratories servicing others’ trials

        c)      Individual laboratory participation in clinical research

        

    As scientific leaders, Duke imaging investigators assist in trial design, act as principal investigator, make scientific presentations, author manuscripts and mentor young investigators. We are uniquely positioned to understand the operational, financial, and regulatory implications of numerous project designs, including those for primary imaging trials or in substudies.

        

    In addition to faculty expertise, this area is supported by ongoing services and expertise in scientific trials leadership, biostatistics, clinical events classification including a 24 hr. clinical helpline, data management, outcomes, health economics and quality of life studies, project management, regulatory services, safety surveillance, and site management and monitoring.

        

    Our Imaging Core Laboratories specialize in processing and analysis of imaging, laboratory, and electrocardiographic data from our own research projects or other databases. These laboratories provide standardized, objective assessments of such tests, which minimizes bias and variability in the results. All imaging research is in compliance with good practices wherever it is performed.

        

    Ongoing studies ranging from 40,000-patient international Phase III clinical trials to small single center pilot studies. These are funded by government grants, industry funds, and foundation monies

 

3)      Quality/Outcomes

        a)      Cost-effectiveness, utilization, and appropriateness studies

        b)      Research on methodologies to assess imaging outcomes

        c)      Policy

        

    The Duke Cardiovascular Imaging Center includes research groups at the forefront of health economics, quality of life, and outcomes research, representing the nation’s foremost collaborations of experts in these increasingly crucial aspects of clinical research. Our outcomes researchers lead the nation in the collection and analysis of economic and quality-of-life data for clinical research and have conducted large studies in a dozen therapeutic areas, including breast cancer, geriatrics, AIDS, and cardiovascular disease.

 

4)      Imaging education

        a)      Multimodality basic and advanced imaging GME programs  

        b)      Onsite and distance learning tools  

        c)      On site preceptorships/training

 

    The Duke Cardiovascular Imaging Center, as part of Duke University, considers education to be critical to improving the practice of medicine and, therefore, patient care. All faculty are actively involved with both formal and informal educational programs. We are NIH funded to develop the structural outline for combining all cardiovascular imaging data (and raw DICOM images) into a long-term database for investigation and education. Other ongoing projects include multimodality curriculum development and a 300 patient multimodality imaging library.

Director: Pamela Douglas

Co-Director: Manesh Patel

Modality Leadership: Sal Borges-Neto, Jamie Jollis, Robert Judd, Ray Kim

IT: Jimmy Tcheng

 

Pamela S. Douglas MD, MACC, FASE

Ursula Geller Professor of Research in Cardiovascular Diseases

Duke University Medical Center

PO Box 17969

Durham, NC 27715  

phone 919.681.2690

fax 919.668.7059