This initiative began in 2009 with development of a neuroimaging repository for the NIH-NIDDK research network; Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain (MAPP). This highly successful and ongoing project has demonstrated the feasibility and power of multisite neuroimaging in chronic pain, and provided the foundation for the expanded Multisite Data Core at the CNS.
The CNS Multisite Data Core has also become the neuroimaging hub for another national collaborative study from NIH-NIDDK; Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN). Several other projects including a multisite study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and international collaborations in functional GI disorders are also using the Multisite Data Core.
For all these projects the Data Core provides validated scanner protocols, scan uploading, archiving, quality control, and real-time reporting of database status through a specially designed, secure web interface and data system. MRI scans and associated clinical and biological ‘meta-data’ is packaged for downloading to analysis sites or analyses may be done at the CNS Neuroimaging and Bioinformatics Core (NIBC).