Application Process and Forms

CSIC Study Application Process

All research studies that utilize imaging services at Emory’s Center for Systems Imaging Core (CSIC) must adhere to Emory’s Office of Research Administration policies governing human and animal subject research and must have an approved IRB or IACUC protocol (as applicable for the study).

To initiate CSIC core services, the Principal Investigator (or study coordinator) must submit the following documents:

  • Completed CSI Study Application (see below) which provides summary information and SpeedType to be used for core service billing
  • Study Protocol, plus
    • MRI protocol or MRI site guide for MRI studies
    • PET Imaging Guide for PET studies
    • CT protocol for CT only studies
  • Approved IRB or IACUC letter (as applicable) with expiration date
  • Informed Consent Form (clean copy - for human studies only)
  • EHSO Human Use of Radiation Approval Form (for PET studies only)

Protocol profiles are not added to the CSIC scheduling system until the application form and all required documents are received and reviewed by applicable CSIC program director/technologists to confirm that CSIC can support the study protocol. 

As a service core, CSIC charges a fee for all core imaging services. Additional fees for radiopharmaceuticals produced by CSIC’s Radiopharmacy, or other add-on services used in support of protocol imaging services, are added to monthly invoices as applicable. See the CSIC rate table for current imaging core services rates.

CSIC Study Application Forms

For further information about CSIC imaging service processes (application, onboarding, appointment scheduling, and billing/invoicing), please see our service line imaging user guides.

CSIC Study Types

There are three categories of imaging studies performed at the Center for Systems Imaging:

  • Funded Study (FS) - grant/sponsor funded Emory Principal Investigator study that utilizes CSIC core service lines in support of research needs. All uses of CSIC service lines for a funded study are billable to the Speedtype provided by the PI.
  • Pilot Study (PS) - provides up to 10 hours of non-billable scanner time, radiopharmaceutical production, or limited data analysis to allow for innovation, testing of new protocols, and for Emory PIs, or researchers within the Georgia Core Research Alliance Institutions, to gather data/imaging that may be needed to support grant submissions. Requires approval of the CSIC review committee (Director and Program Directors). See Pilot Study Policy for additional information.
  • Technical Development Study (TDS) - provides an approved number of non-billable scanner use for CSIC director, CSIC Program Directors, or CSIC core affiliated faculty to: 1) develop, refine, or validate methodology for the express purpose of creating an imaging service or methodology that can be used to expand or enhance CSI core services, or 2) test new hardware/software on a core device that will be implemented for use in funded CSI core studies. Requires approval of the CSI review committee (Director and Program Directors). Approved maximum scan hours will be determined by the committee. See Technical Development Study Policy for additional information.