Multi-center planning study of radiosurgery for intracranial metastases through Automation (MC-PRIMA) by crowdsourcing prior web-based plan challenge study

BACKGROUND: Planning radiosurgery to multiple intracranial metastases is complex and shows large variability in dosimetric quality among planners and treatment planning systems (TPS). This project aimed to determine whether autoplanning using the Muliple Brain Mets (AutoMBM) software can improve plan quality and reduce inter-planner variability by crowdsourcing results from prior international planning study. METHODS: Twenty-four institutions autoplanned with AutoMBM on a five metastases case from a prior international planning competition from which population statistics (means and variances) of 23 dosimetric metrics and resulting composite plan score (maximum score = 150) of other TPS (Eclipse, Monaco, RayStation, iPlan, GammaPlan, MultiPlan) were crowdsourced. Plan results of AutoMBM and each of the other TPS were compared using two sample t-tests for means and Levene's tests for variances. Plan quality of AutoMBM was correlated with the planner' experience and compared between academic and non-academic centers. RESULTS: AutoMBM produced plans with comparable composite plan score to GammaPlan, MultiPlan, Eclipse and iPlan (127.6 vs. 131.7 vs. 127.3 vs. 127.3 and 126.7; all p > 0.05) and superior to Monaco and RayStation (118.3 and 108.6; both p 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: By plan crowdsourcing prior international plan challenge, AutoMBM produces high and consistent plan quality independent of the planning experience and the institution that is crucial to addressing the technical bottleneck of SRS to intracranial metastases

Multi-center planning study of radiosurgery for intracranial metastases through Automation (MC-PRIMA) by crowdsourcing prior web-based plan challenge study

Background: Planning radiosurgery to multiple intracranial metastases is complex and shows large variability in dosimetric quality among planners and treatment planning systems (TPS). This project aimed to determine whether autoplanning using the Muliple Brain Mets (AutoMBM) software can improve plan quality and reduce inter-planner variability by crowdsourcing results from prior international planning study. Methods: Twenty-four institutions autoplanned with AutoMBM on a five metastases case from a prior international planning competition from which population statistics (means and variances) of 23 dosimetric metrics and resulting composite plan score (maximum score = 150) of other TPS (Eclipse, Monaco, RayStation, iPlan, GammaPlan, MultiPlan) were crowdsourced. Plan results of AutoMBM and each of the other TPS were compared using two sample t-tests for means and Levene\u27s tests for variances. Plan quality of AutoMBM was correlated with the planner\u27 experience and compared between academic and non-academic centers. Results: AutoMBM produced plans with comparable composite plan score to GammaPlan, MultiPlan, Eclipse and iPlan (127.6 vs. 131.7 vs. 127.3 vs. 127.3 and 126.7; all p \u3e 0.05) and superior to Monaco and RayStation (118.3 and 108.6; both p \u3c 0.05). Inter-planner variability of overall plan quality was lowest for AutoMBM among all TPS (all p \u3c 0.05). AutoMBM\u27s plan quality did not differ between academic and non-academic centers and uncorrelated with planning experience (all p \u3e 0.05). Conclusions: By plan crowdsourcing prior international plan challenge, AutoMBM produces high and consistent plan quality independent of the planning experience and the institution that is crucial to addressing the technical bottleneck of SRS to intracranial metastases

Patient Doses in Ct Examinations in 18 Countries: Initial Results from International Atomic Energy Agency Projects

The purpose of this prospective study at 73 facilities in 18 countries in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe was to investigate if the CT doses to adult patients in developing countries are higher than international standards. The dose assessment was performed in terms of weighted computed tomography dose index (CTDIw) and dose length product (DLP) for chest, chest (high resolution), lumbar spine, abdomen and pelvis CT examinations using standard methods. Except in one case, the mean CTDIw values were below diagnostic reference level (DRL) while for DLP, 17 % of situations were above DRLs. The resulting CT images were of adequate quality for diagnosis. The CTDIw and DLP data presented herein are largely similar to those from two recent national surveys. The study has shown a stronger need to create awareness and training of radiology personnel as well as monitoring of radiation doses in many developing countries so as to conform to the ALARA principle