Who We Are

The UC San Diego’s Imaging Data Evaluation and Analysis (IDEA) Center offers a wide variety of clinical research support services from image processing and analysis to study design and protocol development support. Our highly skilled researchers and staff are expertly trained in several types of image processing and analysis.

The IDEA Center is also comprised of the Optic Disc Reading Center (ODRC), which offers interpretation and analysis of fundus photography, including optic disc and retinal photographs, both digital and film.

Services

The IDEA Center offers a menu of services to meet clinical study-specific needs. Linda Zangwill, Ph,D. and the IDEA Center staff will work with the study’s sponsors to provide the optimum complement of services to ensure successful data transfer, management, processing of images and photographs.

Protocol Development:
• Assist developing imaging and photography protocols
• Develop and maintain data collection forms and study documents
• Provide study-specific manual of procedures
• Provide protocols and training for electronic transfer of images and photographs
• Provide study-specific information to instrument manufacturers to assist in upgrading or standardizing instruments across sites

What We Do

Our areas of expertise include, but are not limited to, the processing and quality review of Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy; Optical Coherence Tomography; time domain OCT, spectral domain; Scanning Laser Polarimetry; and fundus photography. We often work directly with the manufacturers and engineers of our imaging equipment and related software.
Services

Training and Certification:
• Training of study personnel
• Certification of study personnel

Quality Assessment:
• Review images and photographs for quality and adherence to protocol
• Provide quality control feedback to study centers
• Request repeated testing or data corrections to ensure data completeness and accuracy
• Test and pre-approve all instrument hardware and software upgrades

Data Handling:
• FDA, HIPAA and IRB compliant data handling
• Study-specific image quality and protocol adherence assessment
• In-house IT /computer programming specialists available to create and maintain secure databases and provide support for all study needs
• Efficient electronic transfer of images and data

Image Processing and Analysis:
• Review images for specific diagnoses and inclusion/exclusion criteria
• Provide progression analysis
• Provide statistical analysis
• Other Services
• Contact Linda Zangwill, Ph.D. to discuss services not listed above
• A companion reading center, VisFACT, is available to provide similar services for visual field tests.

Reading Center Studies

IDEA Center has provided reading center services for the following studies:

Sponsored by National Eye Institute:
• Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy Ancillary Study to the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study Ancillary Investigation (1995- 2010)
• Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma: Clinical Electrophysiology (2007-2009)
• European Glaucoma Prevention Study (EGPS) (2008-2011)
• Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study (DIGS) (1995-2016)
• African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study (ADAGES) (2002-2016)
• Medical Advice from Glaucoma Informatics (MAGI) (2002-2007)
• Predicting and Detecting Glaucomatous Progression Using Pattern Recognition (2012-2016)

Sponsored by Allergan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.:
• A 48-Month, Multi-Center, Randomized, Double-Masked Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness and Safety of Oral Memantine in Daily Doses of 20 MG and 10 MG in Patients with Chronic Open-Angle Glaucoma at Risk for Glaucomatous Progression. Protocol Number 192944-004.
• A 48-Month, Multi-Center, Randomized, Double-Masked Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness and Safety of Oral Memantine in Daily Doses of 20 MG and 10 MG in Patients with Chronic Open-Angle Glaucoma at Risk for Glaucomatous Progression. Protocol Number 192944-005.

Sponsored by TOPCON Corporation (2011):
• An age-stratified data collection study in adult males and females, ages 18 and above to establish a normative database using the 3D optical coherence Tomography 3D OCT-1000 Mark II

Sponsored by Nidek Co., Ltd (2011-2012):
• Comparative Study of the Nidek Optical Coherence Tomography RS-3000 and the RTVue OCT Predicate Device for the Measurements of Retinal and RNFL Thickness, Optic Disc Analysis, Pachymetry, Anterior Chamber Imaging and SLO Imaging.

Reading Center Personnel:
Linda Zangwill, PhD; Director, IDEA Center
Christopher Bowd, PhD; Director, VisFACT
Keri Dirkes, MPH; Supervisor, IDEA Center/ VisFACT
Maria Hunsicker; Coordinator, IDEA Center
Suzanne Vega, MPH; Coordinator, VisFACT/ IDEA Center
Dan Auerbach, MS; Supervisor, Computing Group
Ken Newel; Database Programmer
Manny Acera; IT Support

Scientific Advisory Board of our Reading Centers includes internationally recognized ophthalmologists and researchers including:
Christopher Bowd, PhD
Robert N. Weinreb, MD
Linda M. Zangwill, PhD