The Clinical Research Center: A Vital Part of the ACR Mission

The ACR's mission statement identifies five pillars of excellence. One of its pillars is research. ACR is recognized by many as supporting one of the premier research endeavors sponsored by a professional medical society of which the ACR Clinical Research Center is the largest component. The center is comprised of four entities: ACRIN®, RTOG®, QRRO®, and ACR Image Metrix™. The Clinical Research Center encompasses personnel with extensive clinical trial expertise, a state-of-the-art IT infrastructure, and an imaging and radiation oncology core laboratory. This research enterprise supports a global network of researchers in the conduct of medical imaging and radiation oncology clinical trials. This paper's focus is on the Clinical Research Center's value to the radiology and radiation oncology professions, to the practices engaged in the clinical research, and to our patients.