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A concept map that helps me to understand all the questions and the impact of a separate non-tumor lesion domain:

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Decision Tree for Non-tumor Lesion Modeling: Target vs Non-Target for Study Intervention
Decision Tree for Non-tumor Lesion Modeling: Target vs Non-Target for Study Intervention


Question 1: just because something is considered as a lesion, does that mean that it should be mapped to the lesion domains?


Example 1: Mapping the entire cardiovascular abnormality identification process in CV.

Two aneurysms are identified in the thoracic and abdominal regions, one is considered as "target" for study treatment and the other "non-target" for study treatment. 

CVREFID provides the unique identifier for each identified aneurysm.

CVLNKID will link the CV records to other domain datasets, such as RS and CC for disease response to treatment and clinical classification data (data not shown).

CVGRPID is used to group data for target and non-target aneurysms.

Dataset2


ROW

STUDYID

DOMAIN

USUBJID

CVSEQ

CVLNKIDCVGRPIDCVREFIDCVTESTCD

CVTEST

CVLOC

CVORRES

CVORRESUCVSTRESCCVSTRESNCVSTRESUCVRESLOCCVRLODTL

CVMETHOD

VISITNUM

VISIT

CVDTC

1ABCCVABC-1231

TRABNINDAbnormality IndicatorThoracic RegionY
YY

Case 1 - Subject has both TAA and AAA

The subject had CT scans performed on the chest and abdomen.

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titlecv.xpt
NamePR

...

Row

...

STUDYID

...

DOMAIN

...

USUBJID

...

PRTRT

...

VISIT

...

An evaluator examines the images of the thoracic and abdominal regions produced by the CT scan and decides whether TAA and AAA are present as well as their location. Modeling both TAA and AAA in the CV domain, note for viewing simplicity, some variables are omitted from the table below.

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titlecv.xpt
NameTU

...

Row

...

STUDYID

...

DOMAIN

...

USUBJID

...

TUGRPID

...

TUTEST

...

TUORRES

...

TULOC

...

TUMETHOD

...

VISITNUM

...

VISIT

...

TUDTC

...




CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27
2ABC

...

CVABC-1232

...

A1Target

...

TR- AneurysmABNEXAMExamination for AbnormalityThoracic RegionAneurysm

...

...


Aneurysm

...

Aneurysm
Thoracic

...

AortaAortic Arch to Descending aorta

CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27

...

3ABC

...

CVABC-1233

...



AR

...

ABNIND

...

Abnormality IndicatorAbdominal regionY
Y

...

Y


CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27
4ABC

...

CVABC-1234

...

Dissection Location/Identification

...

Target?

Identified


Non-TargetAR-AneurysmABNEXAMExamination for AbnormalityAbdominal regionAneurysm
AneurysmAneurysm
Infrarenal aortaproximal to the iliac bifurcation

...

CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27

...

5ABC

...

CVABC-1235A1

...

Target

...

TR- AneurysmABNROIDAbnormality (Role) Identification
Target for study intervention
Target for study interventionTarget for study intervention

...




CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27
6ABC

...

CVABC-1236

...


Non-TargetAR-Aneurysm

...

Target?

Identified

ABNROIDAbnormality (Role) Identification
Non-target for study intervention, monitor progression
Non-target for study intervention, monitor progressionNon-target for study intervention, monitor progression

...




CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27

...

7ABC

...

CVABC-1237A1TargetTR- AneurysmLENGTHLength
4

...

cm

...

4

...

4

...

cm

CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27
8ABC

...

CVABC-1238

...

Dissection Location/Identification

...

Target?

Identified

A1TargetTR- AneurysmMAXLDIAMaximal Luminal Diameter
5cm55cm

CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27
9ABCCVABC-1239
Non-TargetAR-AneurysmLENGTHLength
2cm22cm

...



CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27

...

titlecv.xpt
NameTR

...

10ABCCVABC-12310
Non-TargetAR-AneurysmMAXLDIAMaximal Luminal Diameter
2.5cm2.52.5cm

CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27


The TU/TR/RS domains were created for tumors which in themselves don't belong in any body system domains (tumor can grow and spread to any place), hence they are in their own domains. At some point, non-tumor lesion was added to TU/TR. SDTM now has body-system domains, it then begs the question whether a separate non-tumor lesion domain is needed, when most "lesions" and things that could be considered as lesions, can go into their respective body-system domains. Can the body system domains offer the "unique lesion identifier" through the use of, GRPID, REFID, or other identifier variables?


Question 2: how do you map lesions that are non-target for study treatment?

TU/TR/RS were originally built to assess tumor response to "study" treatment. Both "target" and "non-target" tumors receive the same study treatment, are then tracked and evaluated.  "Target" and "non-target" tumor properties are mapped to TR and their responses to treatment are mapped to RS. Depending on the criteria used,  "Target" and "non-target" tumor responses to treatment are evaluated a little differently.  "Non-target" in the tumor context, does NOT mean, "not treated by study intervention".

In the CV data element projects, non-target is used to describe a lesion that will NOT be treated by a study intervention. Such a lesion may be untreated, managed by a non-study drug, or treated with a non-study device or procedure. This type of data has also been mapped into TU and TR, is this correct? If TU/TR are built to house lesion response to study treatment type of data, then I think the CV modeling is incorrect, and if so, how do we deal with it?


Example 2: Observed abnormality that's a lesion, but "non-target" for study intervention, it is not treated and continuously monitored.

A small aneurysm is revealed by the abdomen CT scan. This aneurysm is small and is considered as "non-target" for study intervention, it is untreated and continuously monitored. Not sure whether this can be mapped to TU/TR, hence mapped to CV.

Dataset wrap
titlecv.xpt
Namecv


Dataset2
hi3TURESLOC
hi2styleyellow
hi3styleBOLD


ROW

STUDYID

DOMAIN

USUBJID

CVSEQCVGRPIDCVLNKGRPCVLNKIDCVTESTCD

CVTEST

CVLOC

CVORRES

CVORRESUCVSTRESCCVSTRESNCVSTRESUCVRESLOCCVRLODTL

CVMETHOD

...

Row

...

STUDYID

...

DOMAIN

...

USUBJID

...

TRLNKID

...

TRTEST

...

TRORRES

...

TRLOC

...

VISITNUM

VISIT

CVDTC


CVTUFLAG
1ABCCVABC-1231

AR

...

ABNINDAbnormality IndicatorAbdominal regionY
YY

...




CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27

2ABCCVABC-1232

...

NON-TARGET
AR-AneurysmABNEXAMExamination for AbnormalityAbdominal regionAneurysm

...

...


Aneurysm

...

Aneurysm
Infrarenal aortaproximal to the iliac bifurcation

CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27

...



3ABCCVABC-1233

...

NON-TARGET
AR-AneurysmABNROIDAbnormality (Role) Identification
Non-target for study intervention, monitor progression
Non-target for study intervention, monitor progressionNon-target for study intervention, monitor progression

...




CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27

Case 2 - Subject has AAA but TAA is not found

The subject had a MRI performed on the torso (trunk).

Question:

  1. I wonder what the LOC truly is in this procedure, or whether you need a value in PRLOC at all, because essentially, you are doing a Chest MRI, followed by abdominal MRI (or vise versa) - the MRI scans and take cross-sectional pictures of your chest and abdomen. If the scanning is done on the same day in one visit, would you consider the scan of the chest a separate procedure from the scan of the abdomen? This is why for diagnostic procedures (not invasive procedure), I think the location where the procedure is done is irrelevant. When we say Chest CT, or Chest MRI, does this mean the CT scan is done on the chest (hence PRLOC), or does it mean that the purpose of the CT scan is to scan and create images of the chest? I think this is where the confusion is.

...

titlecv.xpt
NamePR

...

Row

...

STUDYID

...

DOMAIN

...

USUBJID

...

PRTRT

...

VISIT

...



4ABCCVABC-1234NON-TARGET
AR-AneurysmLENGTHLength
2cm22cm

CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27

5ABCCVABC-1235NON-TARGET
AR-AneurysmMAXLDIAMaximal Luminal Diameter
2.5cm2.52.5cm

CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27



Nsvmeta
DomainCV


VariableLabelTypeRoleOrigin
CVTUFLAGFlag for TU, TR or RS DatatextNon-Standard Record QualifierCRF




Example 3: Observed abnormality that's also a lesion and "target" for study intervention

The chest CT revealed a large aneurysm in the thoracic aorta which is "target" for study intervention. Note the use of the NSV TUFLAG to show that this abnormality is also considered as a target lesion for study intervention, tracking and/or disease response to treatment assessment. When the TUFLAG is marked with Y, measurements of the lesion should be represented in TU, TR and/or RS.

Dataset wrap
titlecv.xpt
Namecv

...


Dataset2

...

tableidCV 2


ROW

STUDYID

DOMAIN

USUBJID

CVSEQ

CVGRPIDCVLNKGRPCVLNKIDCVTESTCD

CVTEST

CVLOC

CVORRES

CVSTRESCCVSTRESNCVRESLOCCVRLODTL

CVMETHOD

...

Row

...

STUDYID

...

DOMAIN

...

USUBJID

...

TUGRPID

...

TUTEST

...

TUORRES

...

TULOC

...

VISITNUM

VISIT

...

CVDTC

...


CVTUFLAG
1ABC

...

CVABC-

...

1231

...



TRABNINDAbnormality Indicator

...

Thoracic regionYYY

CT SCAN

...

1BASELINE2020-04-27

2ABC

...

CVABC-

...

1232

...

TARGETA1TR-AneurysmABNEXAMExamination for AbnormalityThoracic regionAneurysmAneurysm

...

Aneurysm

...

...

Thoracic AortaAortic Arch to Descending aorta

CT SCAN

...

1BASELINE2020-04-27

3ABC

...

CVABC-

...

1233TARGET

...

A1TR-Aneurysm

...

ABNROIDAbnormality (Role)

...

Identification
Target

...

Identified

...

for study interventionTarget for study interventionTarget for study intervention

CT SCAN

...

1BASELINE2020-04-27

...


Y

...

4ABC

...

CVABC-

...

1234

...



TR

...

ABNIND

...

Abnormality IndicatorThoracic regionYY

...

Y

...



CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27

5ABC

...

CVABC-

...

1235

...

Target?

Identified

...

NameTR

...

TARGETA1TR-AneurysmABNEXAMExamination for AbnormalityThoracic regionAneurysm decreased in sizeAneurysm decreased in size

Aneurysm decreased in size

Thoracic AortaAortic Arch to Descending aorta

CT SCAN

3VISIT 22020-05-27



Nsvmeta
DomainCV


VariableLabelTypeRoleOrigin
CVTUFLAGFlag for TU, TR and/or RS DatatextNon-Standard Record QualifierCRF



Shows the TU representation of the target lesions:

Dataset wrap
titlecv.xpt
NameTU


Dataset2


Row

STUDYID

DOMAIN

USUBJID

TUSEQTULNKIDTUTESTCD

TUTEST

TULOC

TULOCDTL

TUORRES

TUSTRESC

TUMETHOD

VISITNUM

VISIT

TUDTC

1ABCTUABC-1231TR-Aneurysm
Lesion (Role) IdentificationThoracic AortaAortic Arch to Descending aortaTargetTarget

CT SCAN

1BASELINE2020-04-27



Show the diameter measurements of the target lesion in TR at two visits:

Dataset wrap
titlecv.xpt
NameTR


Dataset2


Row

STUDYID

DOMAIN

USUBJID

TRSEQTRLNKIDTRTESTCD

TRTEST

TRORRES

TRORRESU

...

TRSTRESC

...

TRSTRESN

...

TRSTRESU

VISITNUM

VISIT

...

TUDTC

...

1ABCTRABC-

...

1231

...

TR-AneurysmLENGTHLength4cm44cmcmBASELINE2020-04-27
2ABCTRABC-1232TR-AneurysmMAXLDIAMaximal Luminal Diameter5cm55cmcm

...

BASELINE2020-04-27

...

3ABCTRABC-

...

The problem with the way TU is set up now, which is originally designed for tumor identification and response evaluation, and you only care about "already identifed tumor masses", is that it only allows the creation of an positive record. It doesn't allow the creation of a "pertinent negative" record. If I were to model case 2 in TU the way TU is designed now, I would lose the ability to present the negative record for Thoracic Region as shown above because an aneurysm is not identified in this region.

...

titlecv.xpt
NameTU

...

1233TR-AneurysmLENGTHLength2cm22cmcmVISIT 22020-05-27
4ABCTRABC-1234TR-AneurysmMAXLDIAMaximal Luminal Diameter3cm33cmcmVISIT 22020-05-27




What goes into TULOC?

After all this, i struggle with what values should go into TULOC. When a CT scans the chest, it produces cross-sectional images of the chest/thorax and everything in it. You can view the images in three angles: a) axial view (you are looking at the picture of the thorax from the direction of head to toe), b) the coronal view (you are looking at the images of the thorax as if you are standing in front of the person),  c) sagittal view (you are looking at the picture of the thorax from the side). Hence TULOCs are populated with Thoracic Region and Abdominal Region for now. Especially in the axial view, as you move from cross-sectional images of the thorax to images of the abdomen, you are looking at sectioned images of the thoracic region to abdominal region, there is no mistake about which region you are looking at because the anatomy of both regions are so different and clearly sperpated. I think it is not wrong to populate TULOC with chest and abdomen as well, they are just not the most precise anatomical terms.

Image Added

Info
titleQuestions and Thoughts

Imaging modality for the CV-imaging project:

Coronary angiography:

  1. Done on the chest area, the probe rotates around the chest of the subject, but there is no such a thing as "chest Coronary angiography", it is simply called Coronary angiography.
  2. Creates images of the entire coronary artery system.
  3. We don't record PRLOC = chest for this procedure

Thransthoracic Echocardiogram (TTE):

  1. Done on the chest and upper abdominal wall. The transducer is placed on various parts of the chest and upper belly to create ultrasonic views different views of the heart. Again, there is no such a thing as chest TTE.
  2. Creates images of the heart.
  3. We don't record PRLOC = Chest and upper abdomen for this procedure

Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE):

  1. Transducer is inserted into the Esophagus.
  2. Creates images of the heart.
  3. We don't record PRLOC = Esophagus

Cine Angiography:

  1. Done on the chest, again the probe is placed on top of the chest.
  2. Creates images of the entire coronary artery system.

In addition, i just recently took a family member to have a Thyroid Ultrasound:

  1. The ultrasound probe moved around her neck
  2. Creates images of the thyroid gland. In this case would you argue that PRLOC is thyroid or neck?

Referring to Richard M's email:

LOC in the interventions class is "Anatomical focus of an intervention - at which part of the body an intervention is being made". This also my understanding as well.

  • The "injection" intervention has an anatomical focus - the anatomical site of injection.
  • Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (also known as angioplasty with stent), has an anatomical location where the procedure occurs, intervenes and alters the abnormal structure of the location - i.e. in the RIGHT POSTERIOR DESCENDING ARTERY (PRLOC), the angioplasty breaks up the blockage and inserts a stent.
  • Brachytherapy places radioactive material inside a location of the body to kill cancer cells, e.g. prostate. The procedure occurs, intervenes and alters the abnormal structure of the location.

It is easy to pinpoint a location for invasive/treatment type interventions and this aligns with my understanding of how PRLOC should be used.

However, for "diagnostic imaging" procedures, where the imaging probe is placed (i.e. neck, chest, abdomen, head, etc.), Is this really the location where a intervention is "made"?

...

Row

...

STUDYID

...

DOMAIN

...

USUBJID

...

TUGRPID

...

TUTEST

...

TUORRES

...

TULOC

...

TUMETHOD

...

VISITNUM

...

VISIT

...

TUDTC

...

Target?

Identified

...

Target?

Identified

...