title: Digital radiotherapy simulator.
abstract: We describe a prototype digital radiotherapy simulator which consists of a conventional simulator gantry, digital spot imager, and image correction and reconstruction software. The ability of the digital spot imager to acquire a diagnostic quality image directly in digital format during simulation offers unique possibilities in clinical practice. Applications include prescription of multileaf collimator, on-line patient setup verification, remote consultation and treatment planning. In addition, we discuss the possibility of using the digital simulator as a volume-CT scanner capable of obtaining three-dimensional anatomical information in a single scan.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Seattle 98195-6043, USA.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Lindsley
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Stelzer
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Griffin
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D003199:Computer Systems; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D009862:Online Systems; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D018787:Radiation Oncology / Q000295:instrumentation; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D011873:Radiology Information Systems; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019114:Remote Consultation; D012984:Software; D013679:Technology, Radiologic / Q000295:instrumentation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods