About our research group/lab
Our research
Core Lab for CT and MRI image analysis
LungAnalysis (LA) is an image analysis laboratory of the Erasmus Lung Imaging Group (ELIG). ELIG is a structured collaboration between the departments of Pediatric Pulmonology, Radiology & Nuclear Medicine and the Bio Imaging Group Rotterdam (BIGR) of the Erasmus MC which exists since 2005.
LA and ELIG are headed by their founder Prof. Dr. Harm Tiddens who is active in lung function-structure research since 1992.
Image analysis methods
LA has co-developed and validated advanced image analysis methods for chest Computed Tomography (CT) scans, and for chest Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans. Using these methods imaging related quantitative outcome measures are generated that are used in clinical research and in clinical drug studies. The number of projects for academic and industrial image analysis services by LA is growing fast. In addition, LA is increasingly providing quantitative image analysis of chest images for clinical care.
LungAnalysis Core Services
LungAnalysis has three core service activities:
- LA-E (LA-Erasmus MC): Image analysis for investigator initiated academic research activities.
- LA-IACL (LA-image analysis core lab): Image analysis core laboratory activities for the pharmaceutical industry.
- LA-PC (LA patient care): Image analysis for patient care for Erasmus MC and for (inter)national hospitals.
Image Analysis for Lung Diseases in clinical trials
LungAnalysis performs academic research and image analysis services for clinical trials for which lung CT or MR are clincial outcomes. This is to determine degree of lung disease for patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), congenital lung disorders (CLA), tracheomalacia, difficult to treat asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and neuromuscular disease (e.g. Pompe diseas).
Our projects
CT and MR Image Analysis for:
- Cystic Fibrosis research: Developing automated image analysis tools.
- SHIP-CT: Global multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial in young children with CF.
- STILPAD: Multicenter observational study focused on interstitial lung disease.
- iABC study: IMI project, randomized controlled bronchiectasis study.
- Generation R: Lung MRI of 4,000 birth cohort participants.
- FORMAT study: BPD studies, PCD studies, Asthma studies.
Key Publications
Reference Values for Central Airway Dimensions on CT Images of Children and Adolescents.
Kuo W1, Ciet P, Andrinopoulou ER, Chen Y, Pullens B, Garcia-Peña P, Fleck RJ, Paoletti M, McCartin M, Vermeulen F, Morana G, Lee EY, Tiddens HAWM, Normal Chest CT Study Group. (2018). AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2018 Feb;210(2):423-430.
Spirometer guided chest imaging in children: It is worth the effort!
Salamon E, Lever S, Kuo W, Ciet P, Tiddens HA. Pediatr Pulmonol. (2017). Pediatr Pulmonol. 2017 Jan;52(1):48-56.
Monitoring cystic fibrosis lung disease by computed tomography. Radiation risk in perspective.
Kuo W, Ciet P, Tiddens HA, Zhang W, Guillerman RP, van Straten M. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2014 Jun 1;189(11):1328-36.
Paediatric lung imaging: the times they are a-changin'.
Tiddens HAWM, Kuo W, van Straten M, Ciet P. Eur Respir Rev. (2018). Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2014 Jun 1;189(11):1328-36.
The use of chest magnetic resonance imaging in interstitial lung disease: a systematic review.
Romei C, Turturici L, Tavanti L, Miedema J, Fiorini S, Marletta M, Wielopolski P, Tiddens H, Falaschi F, Ciet P. (2018). Eur Respir Rev. 2018 Dec 19;27(150).
Multicentre chest computed tomography standardisation in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis: the way forward.
Kuo W, Kemner-van de Corput MP, Perez-Rovira A, de Bruijne M, Fajac I, Tiddens HA, van Straten M; ECFS-CTN/SCIFI CF study group. (2016). Eur Respir J. 2016 Jun;47(6):1706-17.
Collaborations
Collaboration within Erasmus MC
- Bio-Imaging Group Rotterdam (BIGR).
- ENT- department.
- Paediatric Surgery.
- Neonatal Intensive Care.
- Adult Pulmonology Department.
- Generation R.
Collaboration outside of Erasmus MC
- Princess Margaret Hospital. Perth, Western Australia.
- Queensland Children’s Medical Research Institute. Brisbane, Australia.
- Ningxia Medical University Hospital. Yinchuan, China.
- Thirona, Automated Medial Image Analysis. Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
- Fluidda, Functional Respiratory Imaging (FRI) research and development. Kontich, Belgium.
Funding & Grants
- Harm Tiddens: SSWO grant 2013-2018 “Visiting Professorship Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, University of Western Australia and Ningxia University, Yinchuan China”
- Harm Tiddens: Vertex, unconditional program grant (2016-2018) for the development of a bronchiectasis algorithm and for the analysis of chest CTs before and after Ivacaftor use.
- Harm Tiddens: SSWO Program Grant 2017-2022 “Lung magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in pediatric lung diseases”.
- Peter Sly (Brisbane), Steve Stick (Perth), Harm Tiddens, and consortium partners: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Clinical Research Award 2012-2022: “Multi-center, randomized, placebo-controlled study of azithromycin in the primary prevention of radiologically-defined bronchiectasis in infants with cystic fibrosis”.
- Harm Tiddens and Kors van der Ent (Utrecht): Dutch Cystic Fibrosis Foundation 2017-2022: “Standardized follow up for children with CF diagnosed by newborn screening” as part of the NCFS HIT-CF II program.
- Harm Tiddens: iABC (IMI grant) 2016–2021 Inhaled antibiotics in bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis.
- Harm Tiddens and Stephen Stick: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics 2016-2021. Saline Hypertonic in Preschoolers with cystic fibrosis and lung structure as measured by computed tomography (CT). SHIP-CT study.
- Harm Tiddens: Unconditional grant by Vectura. Chest CT and magnetic resonance imaging of small airway disease in severe asthma. (TARGET-study).
- Harm Tiddens and Eva van Rikxoort; PPP grant. Computer assisted diagnosis (CAD) for monitoring CF airway disease. The CAD-CAD project.
