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PLANNING AND EVALUATION
FOR PRE-CLINICAL RESEARCH

µ-RayStation* (Micro-RayStation) is a software platform for planning and evaluation in small animal irradiation research. μ-RayStation combines the power of RayStation for patient modelling, visualization and general workflow with the accuracy of Monte Carlo dose calculation specifically tailored for small animal irradiation. The system supports modelling of various small animal X-ray irradiators and enables fast, accurate and reproducible planning in small animal precision irradiation research.

*μ-RayStation is intended for pre-clinical research (in accordance with guidelines for ethical use of animals in research), and is not to be used for any clinical purpose.

  • Manual, semi-manual and automatic
    contouring tools
  • Rigid and deformable image registrations
  • X-ray irradiators with static and arc beams
  • Planning tools including prescriptions and automatic dose scaling
  • Accurate and fast GPU Monte Carlo dose calculations
  • Evaluation tools including DVH, dose statistics, robustness and biological models
  • Python scripting

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Data management

Import and export of DICOM data. All cases are stored in a dedicated searchable SQL database, making managing images, plans, contours, registrations, etc. easy. Both databases and individual cases can be backed up including all information in the system in one file.

Contouring

Various manual, semi-manual and automatic contouring tools, including smart brush, region growing, thresholding, contour interpolation, contour algebras, template contours, contour mapping and more.

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Deformable registration

Deformable registration in µ-RayStation enables the matching of anatomy and contours over multiple image data sets. The functionality enables fast workflows for fractional image segmentation as well as dose comparisons and accumulations over different images.

Treatment Planning

µ-RayStation supports planning for static and arc beams with both various fixed collimators and jaws/motorized variable collimator with X-ray tube-based irradiators, for example the SARRP/SmART systems. The user can set up prescriptions and inspect the plans in BEV/DRR/3D. Plan templates can be created to speed up planning.

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Fast and accurate Monte Carlo dose

µ-RayStation uses fast and accurate Monte Carlo dose calculations running on the GPU. This means that you can get a very accurate dose in a couple of seconds, enabling faster planning and more reliable dose data.

Support for various irradiators

Our generic and flexible irradiator modelling means that we support various X-ray tube-based small animal precision image-guided irradiators, including both commercially available as well as home-built systems.

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Python scripting

µ-RayStation users can create their own Python scripts to automate and extend the functionality found in the system. By using scripting, repetitive tasks can be automated, and data can be prepared and exported for a batches of cases. Scripting can also enable connectivity to other software/file formats.

Plan evaluation

In µ-RayStation, the plans can be evaluated in various way, including DVHs, line doses, dose differences, ROI dose statistics and clinical goals. Furthermore, dose can be computed on other images sets and deformed to between images. There is also robust and biological evaluation.

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Dose validation

The GPU MC dose in µ-RayStation has been extensively validated against both other MC codes (including EGSnrc and GATE) as well as measurements on real irradiators with excellent results, see "Scientific Publications" section below.

Scientific publications

Chiavassa, S., et al., (2020). Validation of the analytical irradiator model and Monte Carlo dose engine in the small animal irradiation treatment planning system µ-RayStation 8B https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6560/ab6155 
– For updated results using the GPU Monte Carlo, see R Nilsson and S Chiavassa. Appendix: Results GPU MC. 2020

Chiavassa, S., et al., (2108) µ-RayStation: an adaptation of RayStation 5 for small animal radiotherapy, Poster at ESTRO37 Barcelona. Link to poster

Poirier, Y., et al., (2020) Commissioning of Xstrahl SARRP in the µ-RayStation Treatment Planning System, Poster at Virtual AAPM 2020. Link to poster

White paper

Download and read about µ-RayStation