title: Consensus opinion on MRI simulation for external beam radiation treatment planning.
abstract: To determine the levels at which consensus could be reached regarding general and site-specific principles of MRI simulation for offline MRI-aided external beam radiation treatment planning.
  
  
  
  A process inspired by the Delphi method was employed to determine levels of consensus using a series of questionnaires interspersed with controlled opinion feedback.
  
  
  
  In general, full consensus was reached regarding general principles of MRI simulation. However, the level of consensus decreased when site-specific principles of MRI simulation were considered.
  
  
  
  These results indicate variability in MRI simulation approaches that are largely explained by the use of MRI in combination with CT.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, United States. Electronic address: epaulson@mcw.edu.
authors.forename: Eric S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Paulson
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sjoerd P M
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Crijns
authors.affiliation: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.affiliation: MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, United States.
authors.forename: Jihong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Glyn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Coutts
authors.affiliation: The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Uulke A
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: van der Heide
mesh_terms: D003697:Delphi Technique; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D058958:Organs at Risk; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: MR sim; MR simulation; MRI treatment planning