title: Interactive X-ray and proton therapy training and simulation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  External beam X-ray therapy (XRT) and proton therapy (PT) are effective and widely accepted forms of treatment for many types of cancer. However, the procedures require extensive computerized planning. Current planning systems for both XRT and PT have insufficient visual aid to combine real patient data with the treatment device geometry to account for unforeseen collisions among system components and the patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 3D surface representation (S-rep) is a widely used scheme to create 3D models of physical objects. 3D S-reps have been successfully used in CAD/CAM and, in conjunction with texture mapping, in the modern gaming industry to customize avatars and improve the gaming realism and sense of presence. We are proposing a cost-effective method to extract patient-specific S-reps in real time and combine them with the treatment system geometry to provide a comprehensive simulation of the XRT/PT treatment room.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The X3D standard is used to implement and deploy the simulator on the web, enabling its use not only for remote specialists' collaboration, simulation, and training, but also for patient education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An objective assessment of the accuracy of the S-reps obtained proves the potential of the simulator for clinical use.
authors.affiliation: Computer Science and Information Technology, Armstrong State University, Savannah, GA, USA. Felix.Hamza-Lup@armstrong.edu.
authors.forename: Felix G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Hamza-Lup
authors.affiliation: Computer Science and Information Technology, Armstrong State University, Savannah, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Shane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farrar
authors.affiliation: Computer Science and Information Technology, Armstrong State University, Savannah, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leon
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D061766:Proton Therapy; D014964:X-Ray Therapy
keywords: E-learning; Proton therapy; Radiation therapy; X-ray therapy; X3D