CHOP’s Program in Advanced Imaging Research (PAIR) Is Bringing Science into Focus

By Lauren Ingeno

Medical imaging is the “language of translation” according to Timothy Roberts, PhD, vice chair of research in the Department of Radiology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computerized tomography (CT), ultrasound, and positron emission tomography (PET) scans have the power to detect disease, guide treatment, and answer complex research questions. However, it takes an expert to convert colorful pictures into clinically relevant information. 

“Images are rich in information. Being able to extract that information — that’s what image scientists do,” Dr. Roberts said. “I'm able to take a couple of MRIs, and with the appropriate bit of algebra, I can tell you about, say, your patient’s vascular permeability, which is important for understanding tumor progression.”

Dr. Roberts is leading a new research program at CHOP, the Program for Advanced Imaging Research (PAIR), which was announced in July. PAIR will connect investigators with advanced imaging tools and expertise, increasing access to some of the most sophisticated imaging, data-sharing, and analytic technology. It opens new doors for researchers to collaborate and answer unconventional research questions.

Central to PAIR’s mission is to provide researchers with the most cutting-edge imaging resources, such as two state-of-the-art magnetoencephalography (MEG) systems and a wearable MEG helmet. MEG devices are particularly useful for clinical research, as they offer five-dimensional images of brain activity at rest, under stimulation, and while performing tasks. 

Wearable MEG technology provides an ideal option for researchers working with

infants, toddlers, and patients with developmental disorders, who may have challenges staying still during imaging studies. A new grant from the National Institutes of Health awarded to Dr. Roberts, for example, will use wearable MEG to identify brain electrophysiological markers in children with autism spectrum disorder. 

Another key part of PAIR is the offering of a content management system — Flywheel — that will streamline data, store research projects, and serve as a matchmaking service, of sorts, between CHOP investigators who may never have crossed paths. Each research project programmed into Flywheel will be saved in perpetuity, allowing investigators to identify new imaging modalities and share compatible research interests. Once an investigator settles on a research question, a program navigator will help to remove some of the administrative hurdles that scientists can face when including advanced imaging in a clinical research project.

“The best thing we at PAIR can do is to find the appropriate imaging method for the appropriate clinical research question. By being an arm’s length from the clinic, we can spread science more broadly,” Dr. Roberts said. “We’ll be able to tailor, optimize, and evaluate imaging for any particular interest.”