Longitudinal multi-centre brain imaging studies: guidelines and practical tips for accurate and reproducible imaging...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging research
• Brain disease research
• Clinical trials

Background:

• Brain imaging is crucial for understanding neurological diseases and serves as a benchmark for phenotypical data.
• Neuroimaging provides objective evidence for treatment outcomes in clinical trials.
• Multi-center studies enhance the generalizability and statistical power of neuroimaging research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the lack of practical guidelines for setting up and conducting large-scale neuroimaging studies.
• To help researchers avoid common pitfalls and data loss in neuroimaging research.
• To ensure the generation of valuable and usable data from neuroimaging studies.

Main Methods:

• The study outlines practical considerations and aspects of study design for neuroimaging research.
• Recommendations are categorized into seven key areas: planning, defining imaging endpoints, dummy runs, data acquisition, data anonymization and transfer, quality monitoring, and data sharing.
• A structured approach is proposed to manage workflow and analysis methods.

Main Results:

• The proposed guidelines cover critical stages from initial planning to data sharing.
• Specific recommendations address the development of imaging manuals, dummy runs, and quality monitoring.
• The methods emphasize data anonymization, secure transfer, and the use of structured data.

Conclusions:

• Implementing the outlined steps will lead to the generation of high-quality, usable neuroimaging data.
• These guidelines aim to prevent data wastage in large-scale brain imaging studies.
• Adherence to the recommendations will enhance the reliability and impact of neuroimaging research findings.