1. 2017 ESR survey on research in imaging in Europe
This survey of the Research Committee of the ESR was intended to draw a global picture of the research performed in radiology in Europe and was targeted at department chairs

2. Main topics 1: Preclinical research and small animal imaging
3: Organization of clinical research in department
Add message: The survey was sent out to ESR’s 24,327 Full Radiologist Members on September 29, It had 3 main topics.
We received 585 responses to the survey, of which 253 were completed.

3. Distribution of 253 answers by country
Italy 34
Greece 9
Croatia 5
Spain 24
Sweden
Norway
Russian Federation 19
Romania 7
Poland
France 18
Bosnia and Herzegovina 6
Austria 4
Germany 14
Netherlands
Denmark
Turkey
Switzerland
Slovenia
United Kingdom
Belgium
Add message: The 253 completed surveys provided us with information from 20 different countries

4. Q5. Please indicate the type of your institution
Add message: The majority of responses (ca. 68%) came from university hospital radiologists.

5. Results
1: Preclinical research

6. Q7. In which field of experimental research are you involved?
Add message: The respondents indicated that over half of preclinical research in radiology is within the field of image processing

7. Preclinical Animal Platform
Internal department: 44
Institution: 25
TOTAL: 69/253 = 27%
Add message: approximately a quarter of respondents have access to an animal platform. Interestingly, many have an internal platform despite the additional costs associated with this for the department.

8. Q11. If the department or institution has an animal imaging facility, which imaging device(s) is/are available?
Add message: The most common imaging instrument for preclinical research is MRI - 90% of the 71 respondents to this question reported having access to MRI.

9. Q13. What are your sources of funding for preclinical research
Q13. What are your sources of funding for preclinical research? Please indicate percentage of all sources (sums adding up to 100%)
Answer choices
Average % reported
Number of responses
Institutional funding 45
206
National funding by government 29
169
National funding by non-profit organisations 15
121
European funding (such as Horizon 2020, IMI, etc.) 12
111
Industry funding 21
141
Non-European funding 4 78
Non-identified funding 42
101
Total responses: 249
Add message: funding comes mostly from institutional sources, national organisations, industry, and, finally the Europe Union.

10. Q17. Is your department involved in a PhD programme?
Add message: Of the departments that are involved in a PhD programme, 95% have between 1 and 10 students per year.

11. Q19. What training do the applicants have?
Add message: Of the 143 respondents that replied to this question, almost 80% reported that their PhD students are medical doctors.

12. Results 2: Clinical research
Add message: most answers (68%) came from university hospital radiologists.

13. Q21. What kind of clinical research do you perform? Type of study:
Add message: Clinical research focuses mainly on diagnostic studies (ca. 82%), image processing (ca. 53%), and instrumental research (ca. 48%).

14. Q22. What kind of clinical research do you perform
Q22. What kind of clinical research do you perform? Type of patient cohorts:
Add message: Clinical research appears to be roughly evenly distributed between retrospective and prospective studies.

15. Q23. What are your sources of funding for clinical research
Q23. What are your sources of funding for clinical research? Please indicate percentage of all sources (sums up to 100%):
Add message: As in preclinical research, the largest sources of funding are institutional sources, national organisations, industry, and, finally the Europe Union. 248/253 respondents answered this question. Although the question asked for responses totalling 100%, the nature of estimating such figures explains why the final results do not add up to 100%.

16. Q25. In which field does your institution participate in clinical trials with imaging as a primary or secondary endpoint?
Add message: 175/253 respondents answered this question. As could be expected, oncological, neuro, and cardiovascular were the main fields for clinical research with imaging as an end point.

17. Q30. What kind of imaging modality is involved?
Add message: Of the 175/253 respondents to this question, MRI and/or CT were indicated to be the most commonly employed modalities in clinical research.

18. Results
3: Organization of clinical research in department

19. Q26. How is the participation in your department organised?
Add message: 175/253 respondents answered this question. They indicated that, in most cases, the research protocol is conducted alongside the clinical routine.

20. Clinical research unit
Approximately 50% of respondents have access to a clinical research unit.

21. Q33. Is there research personnel dedicated specifically to imaging in your department (excluding physicians and full-time researchers), such a Clinical Research Assistants (CRAs), physicists, statisticians, etc.?
Add message: 30% of the imaging departments have dedicated personnel to organize and manage imaging for clinical research

22. Q34. How is your research department composed?
Add message: 77 respondents answered this question (many gave no answer as they did not have imaging research units). Those that did answer indicated that imaging research units are equally composed of radiographers, physicists, CRAs, and statisticians.

23. Q35. Would your department be willing to undergo a site qualification process in view of participation in clinical trials with imaging as a primary endpoint?
Add message: Given the right circumstances, approximately three-quarters of respondents would be willing to participate in a site qualification process.

24. Conclusions 253 respondents
25% of respondents have access to preclinical imaging (MRI)
55% of respondents are involved in a PhD programme
Research in Imaging 68%
Neuro / onco / CV
MRI CT
30% of respondents have dedicated research personel
75% of respondents would potentially be willing to participate in site qualification
Add message: The survey was completed by 253 respondents from 20 countries across Europe. Of those, a quarter reported having access to preclinical imaging (MRI) and over half reported their department being involved in a PhD programme. 68% of the respondents reported involvement in research on imaging and, of those, the majority focused on cardiovascular, oncology, and neuro subjects, using MRI and CT preferentially. Around one third of respondents reported their department having dedicated research personnel and just over half expressed willingness to participate in a site qualification process, with a further fifth of respondents expressing willingness depending on conditions.