Application
New Application Process
As of Sept 21, 2026 all CAMRIS applications must be submitted via Penn Medicine’s Imaging & Radiation Safety module within the Penn eIRB platform. Press the button below for a demo of the submission process or view step-by-step instructions in the CAMRIS Application Quick Reference Guide for Researchers.
Human subjects research involving MRI at Penn's main campus must be reviewed by the CAMRIS Committee. CAMRIS has no authority at Pennsylvania Hospital, Penn Presbyterian, MindCORE at Pennovation, or other ancillary locations. You do not need to apply to CAMRIS to perform research in those locations; please contact the local facility for instructions. Refer to the below Q&As regarding the CAMRIS application process.
As of Sept 21, 2026 all CAMRIS applications must be submitted via Penn Medicine’s Imaging & Radiation Safety module within the Penn eIRB platform. You must have a saved draft of an eIRB application before you can begin a CAMRIS application. You will also need a .pdf of the on-scanner MRI imaging protocol. If you need help acquiring this, submit a 'Request On-Scanner MRI Protocol Configuration or Modification' ticket at the CAMRIS Help Center. Follow the links below for helpful resources:
To apply for a CAMRIS Prodev award, you must have an IRB-approved study that has also been approved (or submitted for review) by the CAMRIS Committee. If you are seeking Prodev funding on a new IRB-application, apply via the CAMRIS application in eIRB. If your study was already approved by CAMRIS, you can apply for a Prodev award by submitting a ‘Request Protocol Development (Prodev) Funds’ ticket at the CAMRIS Help Desk. The CAMRIS Committee will review new applications during the monthly review meeting. Renewals and extensions will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Please refer to SOP 103: Project Development (Prodev) Funding for important details related to Prodev award eligibility.
CAMRIS is responsible for granting investigational device exemptions (IDEs) for IRB-approved human research studies using MRI research pulse sequences. Studies requiring an IDE exemption determination from CAMRIS should submit a ticket at the CAMRIS Help Center. CAMRIS will notify OCR and the PI if an IDE exemption is appropriate. Please refer to CAMRIS Policy 309: Risk Determinations and Investigational Device Exemptions for Research Pulse Sequences for more details.
Techdev is meant to support the development of novel MRI methods. Techdev is offered to Penn faculty who volunteer on the CAMRIS Committee. Labs that wish to perform techdev scanning routinely are required to create their own techdev protocols. CAMRIS will provide labs with an IRB protocol template, upon request. CAMRIS maintains a central techdev protocol that serves groups with infrequent scanning needs. For inquiries about accessing the CAMRIS-managed techdev protocol, submit an 'Ask a Question' ticket at the CAMRIS Help Center.
Please refer to SOP # 102: Technical Development (Techdev) for important details about techdev protocols and scanning.
If you would like to use a device in the MRI unit as part of your research, it will need approval from CAMRIS prior to use. To get started you will need a CAMRIS service center customer account. Please submit a 'Request Service Desk Account Creation' at the CAMRIS Help Center. Once your customer account is granted, click the log in button (located in the upper right-hand corner of the Help Center home page) and you will be taken to the standard PennKey login screen where you can enter your <pennkey@upenn.edu> username and password. (Note: you must login in with the @upenn.edu email and NOT your @pennmedicine email). Once logged in, you will have access to the device approval form. Please select the 'Request Device Approval' ticket and complete all fields. A member of the CAMRIS physics team will review your request and provide approval documentation.
The Small Animal Imaging Facility (SAIF) core manages small animal research study reviews. The application link is available on the SAIF website.
The Large Animal Imaging Facility (LAIF) manages large animal research study reviews. The application link is available on the LAIF webpage.
CAMRIS reviews modifications related to MR-specific procedures and risk. This includes changes to the MRI risk language in the ICF document, patient population, and MR-related activities such as equipment usage, contrast dosing, and MR time points. To submit a modification, press the "Amend" button at the top of your approved CAMRIS application in the Penn Medicine Imaging & Radiation Safety module within the Penn eIRB platform. Briefly summarize the changes being made in the open field text box, and then proceed to change your application reponses, as necessary.
Note: You do not need to file a modification form for MRI sequence changes only. If you need assistance making a change to the sequences associated with your on-scanner imaging protocol, please submit a CAMRIS Help Center ticket to request on-scanner MR protocol modifications. Additionally, you do not need to submit a CAMRIS modification form for administrative changes related to funding information and study staff on approved protocols. Those changes can be entered directly into the CAMRIS billing system (PBR) by following these instructions:
The CAMRIS Review Committee meets on a monthly basis to discuss MRI research applications. Meetings are generally held on the first Monday of each month. In general, CAMRIS requires submissions to be received approximately 2 weeks prior to the monthly review committee meeting. Please see CAMRIS Dates for meeting dates and submission deadlines.
If you received CAMRIS approval and are having difficulty booking a study visit on the CAMRIS Calendar, please ensure: (1) funding is linked, and (2) you are added as a study staff member, in the CAMRIS Billing Tool (PBR). Please visit our Scheduling page for additional instructions. If you continue to experience issues, file an 'Ask a Question' ticket at the CAMRIS Help Desk.
No, CAMRIS does not require Continuing Review (CR).
However, the CAMRIS Calendar is reliant on the approval date listed in eIRB. You must be diligent about filing your CR paperwork with the IRB well in advance of the expiration date, or your scanning privileges may be revoked. This is especially important for studies with reliance agreements where Penn is not the primary site. You must submit a copy of the CR approval letter from the central IRB to eIRB. When the Penn IRB receives your submission, they will update the expiration date. You may not scan under a different protocol while you await eIRB expiration date updates. Email Patrick Stanko (pstanko@upenn.edu) with questions about reliance agreements.
Additionally, each year, study teams are required to ensure their funding information and study staff are up to date in the CAMRIS billing system (PBR) in order to continue scanning. Instructions for adding study staff and linking funding are available here: