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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


  1. Dr. Hamed Zarei 

     Agatston-2.0 in CAC-zero and CAC-1-99 populations


  1. Dr. Reza Mirjalili 

     CAC scan-based, AI-enabled prediction of ASCVD, HF, AF & Stroke


  1. Dr. Amir Ghaffari

    CAC scan-based, AI-enabled coronary plaque analysis and Virtual CCTA

  1. Dr. Soroush Masrouri 

     CAC scan-based, AI-enabled prediction of aortic stenosis


  1. Dr. Mohammad Mozaffary  

     AI-enabled opportunistic lung cancer screening and prediction

  1. Dr. Zahra Heidari 

     Agentic AI for preventive medicine in 2030 and beyond


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:

  1. The current LDCT Mega Trial / LIFEMAP study-design framework

  2. The key unresolved protocol questions before finalization

  3. The provisional Steering Committee and disease-domain leadership structure

  4. The pilot phase and Go/No-Go concept

  5. The safety, governance, equity, and AI model oversight framework

  6. LUNGevity’s potential role as a nonprofit administrative, advocacy, and fundraising partner

  7. Initial funding sources and fundraising priorities

  8. Concrete next steps before the next meeting at ASPC.26 in Pheonix AZ

 




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