IROC are Global leaders in Imaging and Radiation Oncology Clinical Trial Quality Assurance
IROC is funded by the NCI as a member of the National Clinical Trials Network. IROC’s mission is to provide integrated radiation oncology and diagnostic imaging quality control programs in support of the National Cancer institute’s National Clinical Trials Network thereby assuring high quality data for clinical trials designed to improve the clinical outcomes for cancer patients worldwide.
IROC’s mission
Provide integrated radiation oncology and diagnostic imaging quality control programs in support of the NCI’s NCTN Network thereby assuring high quality data for clinical trials designed to improve the clinical outcomes for cancer patients worldwide.
The QA programs at IROC Houston are designed to assure NCI and the NCTN Groups that institutions participating in NCTN clinical trials deliver prescribed radiation doses that are clinically comparable and consistent.
We accomplish this by assessing the institution’s radiotherapy programs, helping the institutions implement remedial actions, assisting the NCTN Groups by reviewing protocols and QA procedures, and informing the community of our findings.
Why IROC?
The National Cancer Institute called for quality assurance (QA) imaging and radiotherapy core services centers to be an integral component of its National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN). The opportunity brought together QA leaders and specialists to establish the Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core (IROC): a single, coordinated program designed to support the NCTN groups carry out rigorous oncologic multi-center clinical trials.
Specifically, IROC’s charge is to provide:
- Scientific expertise in advanced medical imaging, radiotherapy, and information technology to support establishment of appropriate QA procedures
- Consultation to the NCTN groups in the development of research protocols early on in the process to assist with hypothesis generation and trial design that can be supported by effective QA programs
- Resources for the efficient collection, qualification, analysis, archive and transfer of images, radiotherapy plans and associated clinical data
- Qualification and credentialing policies and to help ensure the delivery of appropriate protocol-specified radiotherapy and advanced imaging.
In addition to supporting NCTN research activities, IROC may be called upon to carry out quality assurance activities for other NCI-sponsored research.
