QIBA Processes

The QIBA Process to Achieve Standards-based Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers

Optimal patient care, clinical research and new therapy development require efficient and valid methods to quantify the results of biomedical imaging. QIBA accelerates the development and adoption of hardware and software standards needed to achieve accurate and reproducible quantitative results from imaging methods.

Stakeholders from the clinical research community, imaging equipment manufacturers, the pharmaceutical industry, government and medical informatics companies collaborate through QIBA to identify needs, barriers, and solutions to develop and test consistent, reliable, valid, and achievable quantitative imaging results across imaging platforms, clinical sites, and time.

The Three Steps of the QIBA Process

1.   Define the clinical question and proposed biomarker to be addressed. 
2.   Production of Protocol and Profile
3. Profile Validation, Promulgation and Maintenance  

  For more process details please see the full Description of QIBA Process.
 

 The QIBA Approach

QIBA follows a defined, coordinated process for solutions development and adoption.

1.   Identify Sources of Error and Variation in Quantitative Results from Imaging Methods. Stakeholders work to identify problems leading to error or variability in quantitative results from imaging methods.
2.   Specify Potential Solutions. Stakeholders identify potential strategies and infrastructure for error mitigation and collaborate on development of hardware, software, and protocol solutions, documenting them in the form of QIBA profiles.
3.   Test Solutions. Vendors and researchers implement QIBA solutions to assess their feasibility and efficacy.
4.   Promulgate Solutions. Validated solutions are disseminated and implemented through vendor adoption, research integration and clinical education.

For more information, please see the QIBA Fact Sheet for reference.