Radiomics workflow definition & challenges - German priority program 2177 consensus statement on clinically applied radiomics
Insights into Imaging, vol. 15, pp. 124
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Achieving a consensus on a definition for different aspects of radiomics workflows to support their translation into clinical usage. Furthermore, to assess the perspective of experts on important challenges for a successful clinical workflow implementation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The consensus was achieved by a multi-stage process. Stage 1 comprised a definition screening, a retrospective analysis with semantic mapping of terms found in 22 workflow definitions, and the compilation of an initial baseline definition. Stages 2 and 3 consisted of a Delphi process with over 45 experts hailing from sites participating in the German Research Foundation (DFG) Priority Program 2177. Stage 2 aimed to achieve a broad consensus for a definition proposal, while stage 3 identified the importance of translational challenges. RESULTS: Workflow definitions from 22 publications (published 2012-2020) were analyzed. Sixty-nine definition terms were extracted, mapped, and semantic ambiguities (e.g., homonymous and synonymous terms) were identified and resolved. The consensus definition was developed via a Delphi process. The final definition comprising seven phases and 37 aspects reached a high overall consensus (> 89% of experts "agree" or "strongly agree"). Two aspects reached no strong consensus. In addition, the Delphi process identified and characterized from the participating experts' perspective the ten most important challenges in radiomics workflows. CONCLUSION: To overcome semantic inconsistencies between existing definitions and offer a well-defined, broad, referenceable terminology, a consensus workflow definition for radiomics-based setups and a terms mapping to existing literature was compiled. Moreover, the most relevant challenges towards clinical application were characterized. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Lack of standardization represents one major obstacle to successful clinical translation of radiomics. Here, we report a consensus workflow definition on different aspects of radiomics studies and highlight important challenges to advance the clinical adoption of radiomics. KEY POINTS: Published radiomics workflow terminologies are inconsistent, hindering standardization and translation. A consensus radiomics workflow definition proposal with high agreement was developed. Publicly available result resources for further exploitation by the scientific community.
Authors 45
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Ralf Omar Floca corresponding
German Cancer Research Center · Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg
Affiliation as printed
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Division of Medical Image Computing, Heidelberg, Germany. r.floca@dkfz-heidelberg.de
National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology NCRO, Heidelberg Institute for Radiation Oncology HIRO, Heidelberg, Germany. r.floca@dkfz-heidelberg.de
Pattern Analysis and Learning Group, Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany. r.floca@dkfz-heidelberg.de
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Division of Medical Image Computing, Heidelberg, Germany
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German Cancer Research Center · Heidelberg University · National Center for Tumor Diseases · German Center for Lung Research
Affiliation as printed
Faculty of Bioscience, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Division of Medical Image Computing, Heidelberg, Germany
National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), NCT Heidelberg, a partnership between DKFZ and University Medical Center Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
Translational Lung Research Center (TLRC), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Heidelberg, Germany
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Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg
Affiliation as printed
Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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TUM Klinikum · Technical University of Munich
Affiliation as printed
Department of Neuroradiology, TU Munich University Hospital, Munich, Germany
TranslaTUM - Central Institute for Translational Cancer Research, TU Munich, Munich, Germany
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Heidelberg University · Medizinische Fakultät Mannheim
Affiliation as printed
Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
Mannheim Institute for Intelligent Systems in Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Helmholtz Imaging, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
Intelligent Medical Systems, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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University of Freiburg · University Medical Center Freiburg
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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German Cancer Research Center · Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg
Affiliation as printed
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Division of Medical Image Computing, Heidelberg, Germany
Pattern Analysis and Learning Group, Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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Heidelberg University · Medizinische Fakultät Mannheim
Affiliation as printed
Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
Mannheim Institute for Intelligent Systems in Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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University of Cologne · University Hospital Cologne
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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German Cancer Research Center · Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg
Affiliation as printed
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Division of Medical Image Computing, Heidelberg, Germany
Pattern Analysis and Learning Group, Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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University of Würzburg · Universitätsklinikum Würzburg
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin · German Centre for Cardiovascular Research · Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin · Freie Universität Berlin · Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Affiliation as printed
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Radiology, Berlin Institute of Health, DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), and DKTK (German Cancer Consortium), both partner sites Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Radiology, Berlin Institute of Health, DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), and DKTK (German Cancer Consortium), both partner sites Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung · Technical University of Munich
Affiliation as printed
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Medicine, School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Munich partner site, Heidelberg, Germany
Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine & Health, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, München, Germany
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University of Freiburg · University Medical Center Freiburg
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Technical University of Munich
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine & Health, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, München, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · University of Cologne · University Hospital Cologne
Affiliation as printed
Center of Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Bonn, Cologne & Duesseldorf, Germany
Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-3), Research Center Juelich (FZJ), Juelich, Germany
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Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine
Affiliation as printed
Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS, Bremen, Germany
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Universität Ulm · University Hospital Ulm
Affiliation as printed
Division of Experimental Radiology, Department for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
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University of Bremen · Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine
Affiliation as printed
Faculty 3, Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS, Bremen, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
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Universitätsklinikum Tübingen · German Center for Diabetes Research · University of Tübingen
Affiliation as printed
German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Tübingen, Germany
Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
Section on Experimental Radiology, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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University of Cologne · University Hospital Cologne
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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LMU Klinikum · Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Affiliation as printed
Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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University of Cologne · University Hospital Cologne
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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University of Freiburg · University Medical Center Freiburg
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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University of Freiburg · University Medical Center Freiburg
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Universitätsklinikum Tübingen · University of Tübingen
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
Department of Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Molecular Imaging, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-4), Research Center Juelich (FZJ), Juelich, Germany
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Universitätsklinikum Tübingen · German Center for Diabetes Research · University of Tübingen
Affiliation as printed
German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Tübingen, Germany
Institute for Diabetes Research and Metabolic Diseases (IDM) of the Helmholtz Center Munich at the University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
Section on Experimental Radiology, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine
Affiliation as printed
Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS, Bremen, Germany
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University of Freiburg · Heidelberg University · University Medical Center Freiburg · University Hospital Heidelberg
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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University of Freiburg · University Medical Center Freiburg
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz · University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Affiliation as printed
Department of Neuroradiology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Universitätsklinikum Tübingen · University of Tübingen
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Universitätsklinikum Tübingen · University of Tübingen
Affiliation as printed
Section on Experimental Radiology, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
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University of Bonn · University Hospital Bonn
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Heidelberg University · Medizinische Fakultät Mannheim
Affiliation as printed
Mannheim Institute for Intelligent Systems in Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Forschungszentrum Jülich · Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
Affiliation as printed
Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Division of Radiology, Heidelberg, Germany
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University of Freiburg · University Medical Center Freiburg
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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German Cancer Research Center · Heidelberg University · University Hospital Heidelberg
Affiliation as printed
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Heidelberg, Division of Medical Image Computing, Heidelberg, Germany
Pattern Analysis and Learning Group, Department of Radiation Oncology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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University of Freiburg · University Medical Center Freiburg
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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