Impact of the COVID-19 crisis on imaging in oncological trials.

Many imaging-based clinical trials, however, merely incorporate research imaging as an additional component to routine imaging or utilise images acquired for clinical care. Contacting patients prior to the imaging visit, enquiring about possible symptoms, should reassure them that safety procedures are enforced and that imaging examinations can be re-scheduled where needed. Moreover, as imaging studies may potentially reveal incidental findings suggestive of pandemic-related (COVID-19) infection, information from structured and timely review of imaging findings communicated early to patients within trials would further incentivise them to attend imaging sessions. Organisational issues - institution and department policies Trial-related imaging, currently delayed due to any "lockdown" strategy adopted in most countries and pandemic-related priorities, is delayed further by post-pandemic imaging capacity limits. [Extracted from the article]