Implementation of a software for REmote COMparison of PARticlE and photon treatment plans: ReCompare.

PURPOSE To guarantee equal access to optimal radiotherapy, a concept of patient assignment to photon or particle radiotherapy using remote treatment plan exchange and comparison - ReCompare - was proposed. We demonstrate the implementation of this concept and present its clinical applicability. MATERIALS AND METHODS The ReCompare concept was implemented using a client-server based software solution. A clinical workflow for the remote treatment plan exchange and comparison was defined. The steps required by the user and performed by the software for a complete plan transfer were described and an additional module for dose-response modeling was added. RESULTS The ReCompare software was successfully tested in cooperation with three external partner clinics and worked meeting all required specifications. It was compatible with several standard treatment planning systems, ensured patient data protection, and integrated in the clinical workflow. CONCLUSION The ReCompare software can be applied to support non-particle radiotherapy institutions with the patient-specific treatment decision on the optimal irradiation modality by remote treatment plan exchange and comparison.

[1]  E. Yorke,et al.  Use of normal tissue complication probability models in the clinic. , 2010, International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics.

[2]  Stewart Bryant,et al.  Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) , 2015 .

[3]  J. Deasy,et al.  Multivariable modeling of radiotherapy outcomes, including dose-volume and clinical factors. , 2006, International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics.

[4]  Johannes A Langendijk,et al.  Selection of patients for radiotherapy with protons aiming at reduction of side effects: the model-based approach. , 2013, Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

[5]  A. Lühr,et al.  Concept for individualized patient allocation: ReCompare—remote comparison of particle and photon treatment plans , 2014, Radiation Oncology.

[6]  Frank Verhaegen,et al.  Results of a Multicentric In Silico Clinical Trial (ROCOCO): Comparing Radiotherapy with Photons and Protons for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer , 2012, Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.

[7]  P. Lambin,et al.  Design of and technical challenges involved in a framework for multicentric radiotherapy treatment planning studies. , 2010, Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

[8]  Steffen Greilich,et al.  Ion range estimation by using dual energy computed tomography. , 2013, Zeitschrift fur medizinische Physik.

[9]  Sasa Mutic,et al.  Standardizing naming conventions in radiation oncology. , 2012, International journal of radiation oncology, biology, physics.

[10]  B. Gino Fallone,et al.  A TCP‐NTCP estimation module using DVHs and known radiobiological models and parameter sets , 2004, Journal of applied clinical medical physics.

[11]  Todd Pawlicki,et al.  An evidence based review of proton beam therapy: the report of ASTRO's emerging technology committee. , 2012, Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

[12]  Colin G Orton,et al.  Point/Counterpoint: Within the next ten years treatment planning will become fully automated without the need for human intervention. , 2014, Medical physics.

[13]  Oleg S. Pianykh,et al.  Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) , 2017, Radiopaedia.org.

[14]  C. Grau.  The model-based approach to clinical studies in particle radiotherapy--a new concept in evidence based radiation oncology? , 2013, Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

[15]  O Jäkel,et al.  Relation between carbon ion ranges and x-ray CT numbers. , 2001, Medical physics.

[16]  P. Lambin,et al.  Predicting outcomes in radiation oncology—multifactorial decision support systems , 2013, Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology.

[17]  Eric Rescorla,et al.  HTTP Over TLS , 2000, RFC.

[18]  H. G. Miller,et al.  Part 1. Introduction and overview. , 2002 .