(Saturday, 4/4/2020) [Mountain Time (GMT-6)]
Purpose: To build a virtual reality app to allow patients to visualize the delivery of their own radiotherapy treatment plan.
Methods: We built a virtual reality application that runs on a commercially available untethered virtual reality headset that allows patients to view a virtual simulation of their own radiotherapy treatment plan being delivered on the linear accelerator in the treatment room.We created an automated software system that reads a standard DICOM-RT export from a clinical treatment planning system and plays the plan in real time on a life-size 'virtual linear accelerator'. The patient's target volumes and normal organ structures are converted into a 3D translucent 'virtual human' shown lying on the treatment table while visible yellow radiation beams are directed at the patient's target volumes. We designed a prospective clinical research study to show patients their own radiotherapy treatment plan in virtual reality prior to starting treatment to determine if this improves patient education and/or reduces anxiety about radiotherapy. Patients are given a pre- and post-experience questionnaire to assess their understanding of radiotherapy and their anxiety level.
Results: To date we have enrolled 24 patients out of our target goal of 75 patients. Each patient viewed their own radiotherapy plan in virtual reality prior to starting their actual radiotherapy treatment. The most common plans viewed have been 3D breast tangents and IMRT prostate plans. Initial feedback has been positive.
Conclusion: We have built a novel software system enabling patients to view their own radiotherapy treatment plan delivery in virtual reality that can be viewed on a commercially available virtual reality headset. We have a prospective clinical trial under way to determine if this experience improves patient understanding of their radiotherapy treatment and reduces patient anxiety.
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