ImSimQA is software designed to aid physicists test a range of medical imaging and radiotherapy applications, such as rigid and elastic image fusion algorithms, and IGRT and 4D imaging systems. It is ideal for training in image fusion, auto segmentation, 3D margin growing and CT/MR/PET imaging.

ImSimQA provides a toolkit of 15 virtual phantoms that can be extensively edited and transformed, before being converted to DICOM CT, MR & PET simulated images. With the ability to add noise, change density, change slice spacing and re-orientate, the phantom DICOM images are then exported to the test application, minimizing the use of the real scanner and increasing the efficiency of testing. Real DICOM images can also be imported into ImSimQA for editing, without having to re-scan.

ImSimQA provides test phantoms for:

• 3D image registration-fusion algorithms
• CT:CT, CT:MR and CT:PET image registration
• RTPlanning, VSim and IGRT software
• 4D planning and gating systems
• Rigid & deformable image registration scenarios
• Controllable and customisable test image data for auto-contouring/segmentation, auto-margining and branching ROI algorithms
• Geometric image reconstruction of MLC and 3D beam displays

ImSimQA Technical Specification

• Requires standard desktop or laptop PC with Windows 2000, XP or Vista operating system
• Requires single processor board with at least 1GB RDRAM and DVD ROM
• Imports DICOM-3 images from CT, MR, PET/SPECT tilted or axials, with equal or non-equal slice spacing
• Exports DICOM-3 images as CT, MR, PET/SPECT
• Supports import of phantom polygon models in VRML 2.0 ASCll file format
• Supports standalone licensing with software key

The Problem with Image Fusion QA

Accurate image registration is critical. Image fusion algorithms are often regarded as being a “black box”. Acquiring CT, MR & PET test data for quality control & quality assurance is time consuming. Testing with hard phantoms is limited and often expensive. Testing image registration and fusion algorithms with a hard phantom permits only a limited range of variables to be evaluated. Set-up accuracy of a hard phantom on the scanner, through a range of transformations can be less than 100% accurate. The range of set-up and imaging variables would require a variety of phantoms and many hours of scanner time, often not possible in a busy clinical environment.

Why ImSimQA?

A toolkit of 15 virtual phantoms, fully editable and transformable. 4D and deformed phantoms are available, without leaving your PC! Once a phantom set-up is created to match your clinical scenario, DICOM-3 image series in simulated CT, MR & PET formats are created by ImSimQA, ready for export to the TPS, or V-Sim system to be tested. ImSimQA is cost effective, practical and provides an infinite range of test scenarios – and not just for image fusion.

ImSimQA Image Fusion Test Protocol

Guides you through all the variables that need to be tested, provides you with examples of test image data, and describes how testing can be performed in ImSimQA.