Milling Machine Software Submitted to FDA June 11, 2001
Math Resolutions has developed a new program to manufacture compensating filters. This is in keeping with the new interest in using compensators to achieve IMRT when a multi-leaf collimator is not available. Previously a program was developed in 1984, revised in 1989, and eventually was sold to Elekta.
This new program takes advantage of the increased computer speed and memory to accurately model the surface being developed from passing a ball end mill over the compensator material. The program will use the largest ball end tool to cut the surface including a fine close cut. However, the tool never penetrates the design surface. The program then works on specific areas using smaller ball end tools, where the larger tool may not have fit. Milling a compensator (as sculpturing any surface would) remains a time consuming process, typically taking one to three hours. By pouring a single blank a milling machine with 35 by 25 cm of travel can cut in a single operation all the compensators for six to ten fields depending upon the field sizes. The user also now has control of a
parameter that specifies the tolerance to which the surface is to be cut and this effects the milling time. The program input file also has a flag for surfaces specified on either the source side of the compensator or the patient side, and for surfaces that are not specified on divergent rays. The design surface is shown in a 3D room perspective view. Patient orientation information may be scribed around the perimeter of the working area and holes drilled to lock position.
* Software will be written on a demand basis to convert specifications in terms of transmission to thickness.
Be sure to look for news about this software sometime in September on our website.
Non-Compete With Elekta Ended
April 27, 2001
When Elekta purchased Render Plan 3-D from us, part of the sales agreement was a non-compete clause, which lasted 4 years. That non-compete time is now over.
Radiological Image Display
System: System 2100
This Spring Math
Resolutions put on sale System 2100.
The program is to serve as a foundation for specific applications in
radiology and radiation therapy treatment planning. System 2100 has features worth noting:
· There is an advanced set of outlining tools.
· Contours may be projected from other parallel planes.
· Contours may be edited or spliced.
· A point reduction algorithm is included to reduce the number of contour points, which is helpful for moving specific points and adding new points.
· There are also three auto-contouring tools.
· Another important feature is the ability to combine volumes, subtract volumes and add or subtract a margin. The margin is found by convoluting a ball with the radius of the margin with the surface of the volume. The space swept out is either added or subtracted from the volume. This feature gives a true three-dimensional margin to outlined volumes.
· An advanced graphics feature is our triangle simplification algorithm. This proprietary algorithm reduces the number of triangles needed to represent a surface. This means less memory for displaying volumes in 3D room perspective views. This is particularly important since more than one image set may be displayed.
· Multiple image sets may be fused together. Three fusion techniques are provided: using common stereotactic frames, common points, and common surfaces.
· The stereotactic frame support is generic with the user specifying the end points of the location rods. This means that the software can handle any stereotactic frame as long as the locating device consists of fixed rods.
Shown below is an auto-generated skin surface with a cutting plane and a bone isosurface.
New Quality Control Technique
In May Math Resolutions
announced a new concept for quality control in radiation therapy with a product
called “Dosimetry Check”. The
dosimetry, treatment plan, and accelerator devices are quality controlled by
making a measured image of each treatment port. The measured image is then used as the input for each beam to a
pencil beam dose calculation algorithm that computes the dose distribution for
both 2D planes and 3D volumes. Any
large mistake will show up easily upon comparison to the treatment plan. This technique, Dosimetry Check, adds
a feed back loop by which mistakes will become evident. This creates a new level of quality
assurance and confidence that intended plans are being carried out
successfully.
This process is
particularly valuable for the required quality control of IMRT treatments,
saving your labor.
Dose difference is shown in red tint for comparison of planned dose to Dosimetry Check results.
C++ Software Library for the Radiological Sciences
Math Resolutions announces that its C++ library is available for projects in medical imaging and radiation therapy. Use of this library eliminates the need to duplicate all the image handling, contouring, and volume construction algorithms. It also provides an expandable user interface concept.
Treatment Planning
Our present work can be built upon to create a full function external beam treatment-planning program. As Dosimetry Check is multi-plan, multi-image set, treatment planning will simply be built upon those concepts.
We would like to hear from you as to what features you would most like to see in a first release.
Email
us at support@mathresolutions.com.
Math Resolutions, LLC
5975 Gales Lane
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 997-9578