AbstractID: 9507 Title: Open-source DICOM and GUI tools for treatment planning
research
Treatment planning research is hampered by the lack of convenient tools for researchers
to share clinical treatment planning data and research results. We will report on our
progress integrating the DICOM-RT toolbox [Spezi et al, Phys Med Biol 47:4223-4232,
2002] with a Matlab-based treatment planning research tool CERR [Deasy et al, Med
Phys, in press]. Current versions of Matlab provide highly convenient tools for
manipulating DICOM information. The Matlab ‘structure’ datatype is essentially an
array with named fields which can contain arbitrarily heterogeneous data. This is ideal
for implementing keyword-based descriptions of radiotherapy or image data, as used by
the DICOM and the RTOG archive standards. The DICOM-RT toolbox, also based on
Matlab, implements the DICOM-RT protocol for transferring common radiation therapy
treatment planning objects, such as CT images, dose distributions and other plan
parameters. CERR also provides axial, coronal, sagittal, and 3-D viewers as well as
DVH dose analysis tools and RTOG import capability. We are in the process of adding
dose calculation capabilities to CERR. CERR is based on the RTOG keyword format
whereas DICOM-RT is based on the International Electrotechnical Commission
Radiotherapy Equipment Standard 1217. Nevertheless, the necessary conversions are
straightforward. We expect that a combined DICOM-RT/CERR system will provide
many unique capabilities. In particular, it would allow for comparisons of treatment
planning results from a wide-range of clinical systems which can either export plans in
DICOM-RT or RTOG archive format.
Supported by CMS, Inc., and NIH grant R29 CA85181