title: Introducing new technologies into the clinic.
abstract: Introducing new technologies into radiation oncology clinical practices poses very specific logistical dilemmas. How do we determine that a new technology's dose distribution is better than the 'standard' and what are the methods that can be applied to easily compare the 'new' with the 'old'? We consider how the benchmark dose-volume histogram (DVH) can serve as a conceptual model to approach these issues. Comparing dosimetric differences using benchmark DVHs helps a 'global' comparison of the area under the curve that is intuitive, relatively efficient and easily implemented. These concepts, applied in prostate cancer in this communication, have wider applications in other disease sites and in the introduction of technologies beyond intensity-modulated radiation therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Davis Cancer Center, Sacramento, Calif. , USA.
authors.forename: Srinivasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vijayakumar
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Narayan
authors.forename: Claus Chunli
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boerner
authors.forename: Rojymon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: Mathew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mathai
authors.forename: Rick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harse
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Purdy
mesh_terms: D019985:Benchmarking; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D050397:Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed