4th LDCT Mega Trial / LIFEMAP Study Design Meeting SCCT.26 - San Diego
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 5 hours ago
Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 2:00-3:00 PM PST LDCT Mega Trial - Preventive Imaging Agentic AI vs Usual CareLIFEMAP Research Group
Meeting Objective: To review recent AI-CVD and Agatston-2.0 research progress, discuss the latest LDCT Mega Trial / LIFEMAP study design, evaluate key unresolved protocol questions, introduce LUNGevity as a potential nonprofit administrative and advocacy partner, and begin discussion of funding sources and fundraising plans.
1. Opening Remarks
Dr. Morteza Naghavi
Dr. Arthur Agatston
2:00-2:10 PM
Welcome and purpose of the 4th LDCT Mega Trial Design Meeting
Brief recap of the LDCT Mega Trial / LIFEMAP vision
Framing the trial as a large-scale, pragmatic randomized study of preventive imaging agentic AI versus usual care
Goal of this meeting: move toward final study design, governance structure, administrative platform, and fundraising strategy
2. HeartLung.AI Research Fellows: Trial-Relevant CVD and Lung Cancer Research Updates
Six presentations, 5 minutes each
2:05-2:35 PM
AI-CVD Research Update on
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Each presentation briefly addresses AI-enabled CT biomarkers for risk phenotyping, and care pathways in the trial.
3. Questions on AI-CVD Updates and Transition to Study Design
Moderated by Dr. Naghavi
2:35-2:42 PM
Clarifying questions from the group
Relevance of AI-CVD findings to the trial intervention arm
How AI-derived imaging biomarkers can support multi-disease prevention from a single LDCT scan
4. Latest LDCT Mega Trial / LIFEMAP Study Design
2:42-2:52 PM
Brief presentation of the current proposed study design:
Target population and eligibility criteria
Randomization: usual care versus LIFEMAP preventive imaging agentic AI
Baseline LDCT plus AI phenotyping in the intervention arm
AI-guided personalized prevention plan with physician approval gate
Proposed follow-up duration and outcome ascertainment
Primary endpoint options: all-cause mortality, MACE, late-stage lung cancer, COPD hospitalization, fragility fracture, and cost-effectiveness
Secondary endpoints: LDL-C reduction, BP control, statin initiation, nodule follow-up adherence, DXA referral, healthcare utilization, QALYs, productivity, equity, and quality of life
Pilot phase concept: feasibility validation before full-scale 100,000-person enrollment
Go/No-Go criteria before mega-trial launch: technical performance, EHR integration, physician workflow, patient acceptance, safety, and operational readiness
5. Open Discussion: Final Study Design Questions
All participants
2:52-3:05 PM
Key discussion questions:
Trial Steering Committee
Should the trial have disease-domain co-leads for lung cancer, CVD, COPD, metabolic/liver disease, bone/body composition, health economics, and equity?
What should be the final primary endpoint hierarchy?
Should the trial use multiple co-primary endpoints, or should it prioritize one primary composite with key secondary endpoints?
What is the minimum AI-CVD / LDCT biomarker panel required for the intervention arm?
Should the pilot phase include 500 or 1,000 participants?
What Go/No-Go criteria should be mandatory before launching the full mega trial?
How should downstream care pathways be standardized while preserving physician judgment and avoiding unnecessary testing?
How should safety, AI-attributed adverse events, equity monitoring, model governance, and clinical events adjudication be structured?
6. LUNGevity Overview and Potential Role
Andrea Ferris, President and CEO, LUNGevity
3:05-3:18 PM
Suggested focus:
Overview of LUNGevity’s mission, programs, infrastructure, and early lung cancer initiatives
Experience in research support, patient advocacy, screening awareness, policy, community engagement, and health equity
Potential fit as a nonprofit administrative, advocacy, patient-engagement, and fundraising partner for the LDCT Mega Trial
LUNGevity’s perspective on what would be needed to evaluate partnership feasibility
Potential operating models: administrative partner, fiscal sponsor, co-sponsor, patient-advocacy partner, fundraising partner, or broader nonprofit trial platform
7. Trial Administration, Governance, and Nonprofit Structure
Group discussion
3:18-3:28 PM
Topics:
Role of LUNGevity relative to academic PI institutions, imaging cores, data coordinating centers, and the scientific steering committee
Trial administration needs: contracts, donor management, site coordination, patient/community engagement, communications, policy outreach, and reporting
Governance structure: Steering Committee, Executive Committee, Scientific Advisory Committee, DSMB, Clinical Events Committee, Equity Committee, and Fundraising Committee
Conflict-of-interest management and preservation of scientific independence
Public-domain principles for study design, data governance, and publication strategy
8. Funding Sources and Fundraising Plan
Group discussion
3:28-3:40 PM
Discussion points:
Philanthropic funding strategy
Federal, foundation, and public-private funding opportunities
High-net-worth donor and family foundation outreach
Industry participation with appropriate safeguards
Disease-domain funding pillars: lung cancer, CVD, COPD, osteoporosis/fracture prevention, metabolic/liver disease, health equity, and AI-enabled prevention
Near-term funding needs: protocol finalization, pilot phase, data coordinating center, site planning, regulatory/ethics preparation, and donor-facing materials
Materials needed: executive summary, study-design synopsis, budget, slide deck, governance plan, and philanthropic case statement
9. Action Items and Next Steps
Dr. Naghavi
3:40-3:45 PM
Proposed next steps:
Identify provisional PI/co-PI structure
Circulate revised study-design summary after the meeting
Define LUNGevity’s potential role and next due-diligence questions
Establish a small governance and administration working group
Establish a fundraising working group
Refine the pilot phase and Go/No-Go criteria
Prepare donor-facing materials
Schedule the next LDCT Mega Trial / LIFEMAP planning meeting
Expected Meeting Outcomes
By the end of the meeting, the group will align on:
The current LDCT Mega Trial / LIFEMAP study-design framework
The key unresolved protocol questions before finalization
The provisional Steering Committee and disease-domain leadership structure
The pilot phase and Go/No-Go concept
The safety, governance, equity, and AI model oversight framework
LUNGevity’s potential role as a nonprofit administrative, advocacy, and fundraising partner
Initial funding sources and fundraising priorities
Concrete next steps before the next meeting at ASPC.26 in Pheonix AZ














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