title: Multicentre analysis of treatment planning information: technical requirements, possible applications and a proposal.
abstract: Digital data from 3-D treatment planning computers is generally used for patient planning and then never considered again. However, such data contains enormous quantities of information regarding patient geometries, tissue outlining, treatment approaches and dose distributions. Were such data accessible from planning systems from multiple manufacturers, there would be substantial opportunities for undertaking quality assurance of radiotherapy clinical trials, prospective assessment of trial outcomes and basic treatment planning research and development. The technicalities of data exchange between planning systems are outlined, and previous attempts at producing systems capable of viewing and/or manipulating imaging and radiotherapy digital data reviewed. Development of a software system for enhancing the quality of Australasian clinical trials is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Newcastle Mater Hospital, LB 7, Hunter Region Mail Centre, Newcastle, New South Wales 2310, Australia. Martin.Ebert@health.wa.gov.au
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ebert
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blight
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haworth
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cornes
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Joseph
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011873:Radiology Information Systems / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D012984:Software