bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
TH‐D‐BRB‐00: An Introduction to Research and Clinical Development Using Treatment Planning System APIs
Authors: Popple Richard 
Published: July 2016

Scripting capabilities and application programming interfaces (APIs) are becoming commonly available in modern treatment planning systems. These links to the treatment planning system (TPS) allow users to read data from the TPS, and in some cases use TPS functionality and write data back to the TPS. Such tools are powerful extensions, allowing automation of routine clinical tasks and supporting research, particularly research involving repetitive tasks on large patient populations. The data and functionality exposed by scripting/API capabilities is vendor dependent, as are the languages used by script/API engines, such as the Microsoft .NET framework or Python. Scripts deployed in a clinical environment must be commissioned and validated like any other software tool. This session will provide an overview of scripting applications and a discussion of best practices, followed by a practical introduction to the scripting capabilities of three commercial treatment planning systems.

Learning Objectives:
Understand the scripting capabilities available in several treatment planning systems
Learn how to get started using scripting capabilities
Understand the best practices for safe script deployment in a clinical environmentR. Popple, Varian Medical Systems has provided research support unrelated to the topic of this session.R. Cardan, Varian Medical Systems for grant research, product evaluation, and teaching honorarium.
TH‐E‐201‐02: Hands‐On Physics Teaching of Residents in Diagnostic Radiology
Authors: Zhang J. 
Published: July 2016

The ABR Core Examination stresses integrating physics into real‐world clinical practice and, accordingly, has shifted its focus from passive recall of facts to active application of physics principles. Physics education of radiology residents poses a challenge. The traditional method of didactic lectures alone is insufficient, yet it is difficult to incorporate physics teaching consistently into clinical rotations due to time constraints.Faced with this challenge, diagnostic medical physicists who teach radiology residents, have been thinking about how to adapt their teaching to the new paradigm, what to teach and meet expectation of the radiology resident and the radiology residency program. The proposed lecture attempts to discuss above questions. Newly developed diagnostic radiology residents physics curriculum by the AAPM Imaging Physics Curricula Subcommittee will be reviewed. Initial experience on hands‐on physics teaching will be discussed. Radiology resident who will have taken the BAR Core Examination will share the expectation of physics teaching from a resident perspective.The lecture will help develop robust educational approaches to prepare radiology residents for safer and more effective lifelong practice.

Learning Objectives:
Learn updated physics requirements for radiology residents
Pursue effective approaches to teach physics to radiology residents
Learn expectation of physics teaching from resident perspectiveJ. Zhang, This topic is partially supported by RSNA Education Scholar Grant
TH‐EF‐BRC‐03: Fault Tree Analysis
Authors: Thomadsen B. 
Published: July 2016

This Hands‐on Workshop will be focused on providing participants with experience with the principal tools of TG 100 and hence start to build both competence and confidence in the use of risk‐based quality management techniques. The three principal tools forming the basis of TG 100's risk analysis: Process mapping, Failure‐Modes and Effects Analysis and fault‐tree analysis will be introduced with a 5 minute refresher presentation and each presentation will be followed by a 30 minute small group exercise. An exercise on developing QM from the risk analysis follows. During the exercise periods, participants will apply the principles in 2 different clinical scenarios. At the conclusion of each exercise there will be ample time for participants to discuss with each other and the faculty their experience and any challenges encountered.

Learning Objectives:
To review the principles of Process Mapping, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis and Fault Tree Analysis.
To gain familiarity with these three techniques in a small group setting.
To share and discuss experiences with the three techniques with faculty and participants.Director, TreatSafely, LLC. Director, Center for the Assessment of Radiological Sciences. Occasional Consultant to the IAEA and Varian.
TH‐EF‐204‐06: Closing
Authors: Borras C. 
Published: July 2016

Joanna E. Cygler, Jan Seuntjens, J. Daniel Bourland, M. Saiful Huq, Josep Puxeu Vaque, Daniel Zucca Aparicio, Tatiana Krylova, Yuri Kirpichev, Eric Ford, Caridad BorrasStereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT) utilizes small static and dynamic (IMRT) fields, to successfully treat malignant and benign diseases using techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). SRT is characterized by sharp dose gradients for individual fields and their resultant dose distributions. For appropriate targets, small field radiotherapy offers improved treatment quality by allowing better sparing of organs at risk while delivering the prescribed target dose. Specialized small field treatment delivery systems, such as robotic‐controlled linear accelerators, gamma radiosurgery units, and dynamic arc linear accelerators may utilize rigid fixation, image guidance, and tumor tracking, to insure precise dose delivery to static or moving targets. However, in addition to great advantages, small field delivery techniques present special technical challenges for dose calibration due to unique geometries and small field sizes not covered by existing reference dosimetry protocols such as AAPM TG‐51 or IAEA TRS 398. In recent years extensive research has been performed to understand small field dosimetry and measurement instrumentation. AAPM, IAEA and ICRU task groups are expected to provide soon recommendations on the dosimetry of small radiation fields. In this symposium we will: 1] discuss the physics, instrumentation, methodologies and challenges for small field radiation dose measurements; 2] review IAEA and ICRU recommendations on prescribing, recording and reporting of small field radiation therapy; 3] discuss selected clinical applications and technical aspects for specialized image‐guided, small field, linear accelerator based treatment techniques such as IMRT and SBRT.

Learning Objectives:
To learn the physics of small fields in contrast to dosimetry of conventional fields
To learn about detectors suitable for small fields
To learn about the role of Monte Carlo simulations in determination of small field output factors
To provide an overview of the IAEA small field dosimetry recommendations
To provide an overview of the content of the ICRU report on Prescribing, Reporting and Recording of Small Field Radiation Therapy.
To learn about special technical considerations in delivering IMRT and SBRT treatments
To appreciate specific challenges of IMRT implementationJ. Seuntjens, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; Canadian Institutes of Health Research
TH‐EF‐BRB‐08: Robotic Motion Compensation for Radiation Therapy: A 6DOF Phantom Study
Authors: Belcher AH , Liu X , Wiersma R 
Published: July 2016

Purpose:The high accuracy of frame‐based stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), which uses a rigid frame fixed to the patient's skull, is offset by potential drawbacks of poor patient compliance and clinical workflow restrictions. Recent research into frameless SRS has so far resulted in reduced accuracy. In this study, we investigate the use of a novel 6 degree‐of‐freedom (6DOF) robotic head motion cancellation system that continuously detects and compensates for patient head motions during a SRS delivery. This approach has the potential to reduce invasiveness while still achieving accuracies better or equal to traditional frame‐based SRS.Methods:A 6DOF parallel kinematics robotics stage was constructed, and controlled using an inverse kinematics‐based motion compensation algorithm. A 6DOF stereoscopic infrared (IR) marker tracking system was used to monitor real‐time motions at sub‐millimeter and sub‐degree levels. A novel 6DOF calibration technique was first applied to properly orient the camera coordinate frame to match that of the LINAC and robotic control frames. Simulated head motions were measured by the system, and the robotic stage responded to these 6DOF motions automatically, returning the reflective marker coordinate frame to its original position.Results:After the motions were introduced to the system in the phantom‐based study, the robotic stage automatically and rapidly returned the phantom to LINAC isocenter. When errors exceeded the compensation lower threshold of 0.25 mm or 0.25 degrees, the system registered the 6DOF error and generated a cancellation trajectory. The system responded in less than 0.5 seconds and returned all axes to less than 0.1 mm and 0.1 degree after the 6DOF compensation was performed.Conclusion:The 6DOF real‐time motion cancellation system was found to be effective at compensating for translational and rotational motions to current SRS requirements. This system can improve frameless SRS by automatically returning patients to isocenter with high 6DOF accuracy.
TH‐EF‐BRB‐11: Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy for Total Body Irradiation
Authors: Ouyang L , Folkerts M , Hrycushko B , Lamphier R , Lee H , Yan Y , Jiang S , Timmerman R , Desai N , Abulrahman R , Gu X 
Published: July 2016

Purpose:To develop a modern, patient‐comfortable total body irradiation (TBI) technique suitable for standard‐sized linac vaults.Methods:An indexed rotatable immobilization system (IRIS) was developed to make possible total‐body CT imaging and radiation delivery on conventional couches. Treatment consists of multi‐isocentric volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) to the upper body and parallel‐opposed fields to the lower body. Each isocenter is indexed to the couch and includes a 180° IRIS rotation between the upper and lower body fields. VMAT fields are optimized to satisfy lung dose objectives while achieving a uniform therapeutic dose to the torso. End‐to‐end tests with a rando phantom were used to verify dosimetric characteristics. Treatment plan robustness regarding setup uncertainty was assessed by simulating global and regional isocenter setup shifts on patient data sets. Dosimetric comparisons were made with conventional extended distance, standing TBI (cTBI) plans using a Monte Carlo‐based calculation. Treatment efficiency was assessed for eight courses of patient treatment.Results:The IRIS system is level and orthogonal to the scanned CT image plane, with lateral shifts <2mm following rotation. End‐to‐end tests showed surface doses within ±10% of the prescription dose, field junction doses within ±15% of prescription dose. Plan robustness tests showed <15% changes in dose with global setup errors up to 5mm in each direction. Local 5mm relative setup errors in the chest resulted in < 5% dose changes. Local 5mm shift errors in the pelvic and upper leg junction resulted in <10% dose changes while a 10mm shift error causes dose changes up to 25%. Dosimetric comparison with cTBI showed VMAT‐TBI has advantages in preserving chest wall dose with flexibility in leveraging the PTV‐body and PTV‐lung dose.Conclusion:VMAT‐TBI with the IRIS system was shown clinically feasible as a cost‐effective approach to TBI for standard‐sized linac vaults.
TH‐EF‐BRA‐01: 5D Respiratory Motion Model Based Iterative Reconstruction Method for 4DCBCT
Authors: Liu J , Low D , Gao H 
Published: July 2016

Purpose:The 4DCBCT image reconstruction suffers from the insufficient number of projections and the error from projection binning. We have recently developed a 5D respiratory motion model based iterative reconstruction method (5D method) for 4DCBCT in a proof‐of‐concept 2D setting. The 5D method reconstructs a reference image and two time‐independent vector fields without projection binning, based on which any temporal phase at each projection can be generated. As a result, the 5D method needs fewer number of projections and is free from binning error. This work is to develop a 3D version of the 5D method.Methods:The 5D method is based on the 5D respiratory motion model, for which the tidal volume and airflow are measured together with projection data. To reconstruct a reference image and two time‐independent vector fields that are needed to generate any temporal phase for each projection, the 5D method is formulated as a optimization problem with total variation (TV) regularization on both reference image and vector fields. The problem is solved by the proximal alternating minimization algorithm, during which the split Bregman method is used to reconstruct the reference image, and the Chambolle's duality‐based algorithm is used to reconstruct the vector fields.Results:The proposed 5D method was validated in simulation based on measurements of a lung patient, in comparison with the state‐of‐art spatiotemporal‐TV‐based 4DCBCT iterative method. And the results suggest that the 5D method had significantly improved reconstruction image quality and reduced quantitative error.Conclusion:A novel iterative image reconstruction method for 4DCBCT based on 5D respiratory motion model has been developed with no projection binning requirement and improved reconstruction image quality.Jiulong Liu and Hao Gao were partially supported by the NSFC (#11405105), the 973 Program (#2015CB856000), and the Shanghai Pujiang Talent Program (#14PJ1404500).
TH‐EF‐BRA‐09: Direct Comparison of T2‐Based Respiratory‐Correlated 4DMRI Reconstructed from Simultaneous Internal Navigator and External Bellows
Authors: Li G , Olek D , Wei J , Kadbi M , Tyagi N , Zakian K , Mechalakos J , Deasy J , Hunt M 
Published: July 2016

Purpose:To optimize T2‐based respiratory‐correlated 4DMRI for motion simulation, we evaluated the image quality after 4D reconstruction based on the two respiratory surrogates acquired independently and concurrently during the same breathing period.Methods:Both internal navigator and external bellows were employed simultaneously during a 4DMRI acquisition on seven volunteers scanned coronally and sagittally under an IRB‐approved protocol. The navigator was positioned at the right diaphragm dome while the bellows was placed at the upper abdomen. Using the navigator as the primary surrogate, prospective amplitude‐binning was used to fill respiratory bins and anatomic slices to complete the amplitud‐elocation table on the fly to reconstruct a single‐breath 4DMRI. Five bins in both inhalation and exhalation were used, forming a 10‐bin 4DMRI. Following the same binning method, a bellows‐based 4DMRI was then reconstructed retrospectively using a MATLAB programs developed for the rebinning and data analysis. The two surrogates were compared on 1D breathing waveforms and 4D image quality around the diaphragms. The waveform comparison included correlations in inhalation and exhalation, hysteresis analysis by ellipsoidal fitting, and histogram analysis for slice redistribution in bellows‐based bins. Image quality comparison between the navigator‐based and bellows‐based 4DMRI included motion artifact visualization and phase‐shift quantification at the right and left diaphragms.Results:The correlation between the navigator and bellows is usually higher in inhalation than exhalation. Their non‐linear relationship is represented using ellipsoidal fitting with minor‐to‐major‐axis ratio of 0.2–0.5 and by cross‐correlation with phase shifts (0.2–2). Overall, navigator‐based 4DMRI has superior image quality, although artifacts at anatomy distant to the navigator, such as the left diaphragm, are observed.Conclusion:This is the first time that two‐differently‐binned 4DMRI image sets from the same breathing period have been directly compared. Navigator‐based 4DMRI is generally superior to bellows‐based 4DMRI, making it clearly suitable for tumor delineation in future clinical applications.This study is in part supported by the NIH (U54CA137788/U54CA132378). Also, this research is collaborated with Philips Healthcare.
TH‐EF‐207A‐03: Photon Counting Implementation Challenges Using An Electron Multiplying Charged‐Coupled Device Based Micro‐CT System
Authors: Podgorsak A , Bednarek D , Rudin S , Ionita C 
Published: July 2016

Purpose:To successfully implement and operate a photon counting scheme on an electron multiplying charged‐coupled device (EMCCD) based micro‐CT system.Methods:We built an EMCCD based micro‐CT system and implemented a photon counting scheme. EMCCD detectors use avalanche transfer registries to multiply the input signal far above the readout noise floor. Due to intrinsic differences in the pixel array, using a global threshold for photon counting is not optimal. To address this shortcoming, we generated a threshold array based on sixty dark fields (no x‐ray exposure). We calculated an average matrix and a variance matrix of the dark field sequence. The average matrix was used for the offset correction while the variance matrix was used to set individual pixel thresholds for the photon counting scheme. Three hundred photon counting frames were added for each projection and 360 projections were acquired for each object. The system was used to scan various objects followed by reconstruction using an FDK algorithm.Results:Examination of the projection images and reconstructed slices of the objects indicated clear interior detail free of beam hardening artifacts. This suggests successful implementation of the photon counting scheme on our EMCCD based micro‐CT system.Conclusion:This work indicates that it is possible to implement and operate a photon counting scheme on an EMCCD based micro‐CT system, suggesting that these devices might be able to operate at very low x‐ray exposures in a photon counting mode. Such devices could have future implications in clinical CT protocols.NIH Grant R01EB002873; Toshiba Medical Systems Corp.
TH‐F‐202‐03: Advances in MRI for Radiation Therapy
Authors: Cai J. 
Published: July 2016

MRI has excellent soft tissue contrast and can provide both anatomical and physiological information. It is becoming increasingly important in radiation therapy for treatment planning, image‐guided radiation therapy, and treatment assessment. It is critically important at this time point to educate and update our medical physicists about MRI to prepare for the upcoming surge of MRI applications in radiation therapy. This session will review important basics of MR physics, pulse sequence designs, and current radiotherapy application, as well as showcase exciting new developments in MRI that can be potentially useful in radiation therapy.

Learning Objectives:
To learn basics of MR physics and understand the differences between various pulse sequences
To review current applications of MRI in radiation therapy.To discuss recent MRI advances for future MRI guided radiation therapyPartly supported by NIH (1R21CA165384).; W. Miller, Research supported in part by Siemens Healthcare; G. Li, My clinical research is in part supported by NIH U54CA137788. I have a collaborative research project with Philips Healthcare.; J. Cai, jing cai
TH‐E‐209‐00: Radiation Dose Monitoring and Protocol Management
Authors: Palmer Matthew 
Published: July 2016

Radiation dose monitoring solutions have opened up new opportunities for medical physicists to be more involved in modern clinical radiology practices. In particular, with the help of comprehensive radiation dose data, data‐driven protocol management and informed case follow up are now feasible.Significant challenges remain however and the problems faced by medical physicists are highly heterogeneous. Imaging systems from multiple vendors and a wide range of vintages co‐exist in the same department and employ data communication protocols that are not fully standardized or implemented making harmonization complex.Many different solutions for radiation dose monitoring have been implemented by imaging facilities over the past few years. Such systems are based on commercial software, home‐grown IT solutions, manual PACS data dumping, etc., and diverse pathways can be used to bring the data to impact clinical practice. The speakers will share their experiences with creating or tailoring radiation dose monitoring/management systems and procedures over the past few years, which vary significantly in design and scope.Topics to cover: (1) fluoroscopic dose monitoring and high radiation event handling from a large academic hospital; (2) dose monitoring and protocol optimization in pediatric radiology; and (3) development of a home‐grown IT solution and dose data analysis framework.

Learning Objectives:
Describe the scope and range of radiation dose monitoring and protocol management in a modern radiology practice
Review examples of data available from a variety of systems and how it managed and conveyed.
Reflect on the role of the physicist in radiation dose awareness.
TH‐E‐209‐01: Fluoroscopic Dose Monitoring and Patient Follow‐Up Program at Massachusetts General Hospital
Authors: Liu B. 
Published: July 2016

Radiation dose monitoring solutions have opened up new opportunities for medical physicists to be more involved in modern clinical radiology practices. In particular, with the help of comprehensive radiation dose data, data‐driven protocol management and informed case follow up are now feasible.Significant challenges remain however and the problems faced by medical physicists are highly heterogeneous. Imaging systems from multiple vendors and a wide range of vintages co‐exist in the same department and employ data communication protocols that are not fully standardized or implemented making harmonization complex.Many different solutions for radiation dose monitoring have been implemented by imaging facilities over the past few years. Such systems are based on commercial software, home‐grown IT solutions, manual PACS data dumping, etc., and diverse pathways can be used to bring the data to impact clinical practice. The speakers will share their experiences with creating or tailoring radiation dose monitoring/management systems and procedures over the past few years, which vary significantly in design and scope.Topics to cover: (1) fluoroscopic dose monitoring and high radiation event handling from a large academic hospital; (2) dose monitoring and protocol optimization in pediatric radiology; and (3) development of a home‐grown IT solution and dose data analysis framework.

Learning Objectives:
Describe the scope and range of radiation dose monitoring and protocol management in a modern radiology practice
Review examples of data available from a variety of systems and how it managed and conveyed.
Reflect on the role of the physicist in radiation dose awareness.