Biomedical subjects

F U Rosenberger

Publications and source records attributed to F U Rosenberger.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1996

Real-time 3D dose calculation and display: a tool for plan optimization.

PURPOSE: Both human and computer optimization of treatment plans have advantages; humans are much better at global pattern recognition, and computers are much better at detailed calculations. A major impediment to human optimization of treatment plans by manipulation of beam parameters is the long time required for feedback to the operator on the effectiveness of a change in beam parameters. Our goal was to create a real-time dose calculation and display system that provides the planner with immediate (fraction of a second) feedback with displays of three-dimensional (3D) isodose surfaces, digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs), dose-volume histograms, and/or a figure of merit (FOM) (i.e., a single value plan score function). This will allow the experienced treatment planner to optimize a plan by adjusting beam parameters based on a direct indication of plan effectiveness, the FOM value, and to use 3D display of target, critical organs, DRRs, and isodose contours to guide changes aimed at improving the FOM value. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We use computer platforms that contain easily utilized parallel processors and very tight coupling between calculation and display. We ported code running on a network of two workstations and an array of transputers to a single multiprocessor workstation. Our current high-performance graphics workstation contains four 150-MHz processors that can be readily used in a shared-memory multithreaded calculation. RESULTS: When a 10 x 10-cm beam is moved, using an 8-mm dose grid, the full 3D dose matrix is recalculated using a Bentley-Milan-type dose calculation algorithm, and the 3D dose surface display is then updated, all in < 0.1s. A 64 x 64-pixel DRR calculation can be performed in < 0.1 s. Other features, such as automated aperture calculation, are still required to make real-time feedback practical for clinical use. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that real-time plan optimization using general purpose multiprocessor workstations is a practical goal. Parallel processing technology provides this capability for 3D planning systems, and when combined with objective plan ranking algorithms should prove effective for optimizing 3D conformal radiation therapy. Compared to our earlier transputer work, multiprocessor workstations are more easily programmed, making software development costs more reasonable compared with uniprocessor development costs. How the dose calculation is partitioned into parallel tasks on a multiprocessor work station can make a significant difference in performance. Shared-memory multiprocessor workstations are our first choice for future work, because they require minimum programming effort and continue to be driven to higher performance by competition in the workstation arena.

Computer Graphics↗

PubMed1993

Advances in 3-dimensional radiation treatment planning systems: room-view display with real time interactivity.

PURPOSE: We describe our 3-dimensional (3-D) radiation treatment planning system for external photon and electron beam 3-D treatment planning which provides high performance computational speed and a real-time display which we have named "room-view" in which the simulated target volumes, critical structures, skin surfaces, radiation beams and/or dose surfaces can be viewed on the display monitor from any arbitrary viewing position. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We have implemented the 3-D planning system on a graphics superworkstation with parallel processing. Patient's anatomical features are extracted from contiguous computed tomography scan images and are displayed as wireloops or solid surfaces. Radiation beams are displayed as a set of diverging rays plus the polygons formed by the intersection of these rays with planes perpendicular to the beam axis. Controls are provided for each treatment machine motion function. Photon dose calculations are performed using an effective pathlength algorithm modified to accommodate 3-D off-center ratios. Electron dose calculations are performed using a 3-D pencil beam model. RESULTS: Dose distribution information can be displayed as 3-D dose surfaces, dose-volume histograms, or as isodoses superimposed on 2-D gray scale images of the patient's anatomy. Tumor-control-probabilities, normal-tissue-complication probabilities and a figure-of-merit score function are generated to aid in plan evaluation. A split-screen display provides a beam's-eye-view for beam positioning and design of patient shielding block apertures and a concurrent "room-view" display of the patient and beam icon for viewing multiple beam set-ups, beam positioning, and plan evaluation. Both views are simultaneously interactive. CONCLUSION: The development of an interactive 3-D radiation treatment planning system with a real-time room-view display has been accomplished. The concurrent real-time beam's-eye-view and room-view display significantly improves the efficacy of the 3-D planning process.

Computer Systems↗

PubMed1993

Use of transputers for real time dose calculation and presentation for three-dimensional radiation treatment planning.

PURPOSE: Real-time 3-dimensional dose calculation will allow display of isodose contours and other metrics for a planner to assess plan effectiveness during plan development, facilitating optimization. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Parallel processing provides an effective means to calculate 3-dimensional dose distribution in real-time while plan parameters are being chosen and adjusted. An array of 20 transputers and a high performance graphics workstation have demonstrated the feasibility of real-time 3-dimensional beam parameter specification, dose calculation, and dose-distribution presentation for evaluation. A mesh connected set of processors using surface processors to generate and terminate rays, and ray processors to calculate ray attenuation and dose distribution has been developed to efficiently utilize large numbers of processors and provide good load sharing, even for small beams that intersect only a small part of the volume. RESULTS: Our feasibility study has calculated dose distribution by the Effective Path Length method in about one second per beam for a treatment volume of 56,400 voxels. We expect to reduce the total time for computation, communication, and display, with even larger volumes, to less than one second. The number of processors can easily be increased for larger treatment volumes or more accurate and computation-intensive dose-calculation algorithms. Transputers provide an elegant and economical method for harnessing up to hundreds of powerful general-purpose processors for computational tasks including dose calculation and isodose contour generation. The same distributed-memory parallel-processing configuration is also suitable for calculation of isodose contours and dose-volume histograms for plan evaluation, automatic calculation of apertures and filters as beam parameters are manipulated, and more accurate dose calculation algorithms that incorporate the effects of scatter. CONCLUSION: Parallel processors can efficiently provide real-time calculation of the information necessary to evaluate treatment plans as they are developed allowing the planner to optimize the plan based on dose distribution and its effects on tumor control and complications.

Humans↗