Abstract

Objective A customized database system connecting different subsystems referring to all aspects of the radiosurgical process was developed to support quality control and research in a dedicated CyberKnife center. Methods Given the requirements of a user-friendly database system the medical practice management system (MPMS), a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), and the Accuray network including the SGI and the Multiplan workstations were to be integrated. Results A commercial database system (FileMaker Pro 8.5®) was used as a basic platform. Five major relations were implemented: basic patient data, medical patient data, technical treatment parameters, clinical follow-up data, and image documentation of treatment planning. Patient information from the MPMS is updated by automated import on a daily basis. Medical patient data is entered manually by trained medical assistants. The XML files containing the treatment parameters are transferred from the Accuray workstations to the database using a customized transforming (XSLT) script. Up to date the described database integrates 4700 basic patient datasets, 1900 medical plus 4300 technical datasets, 3500 follow-up datasets, and 9800 treatment plan screenshots. User-defined layouts allow simple and fast data access. Automated query scripts provide data overviews and summaries. Customized requests generate specific datasets to be submitted to statistical analysis for scientific purposes. Conclusion Correct data entry and the adoption into daily workflows were crucial. The here described data base system has proven to be a useful tool for clinical QA and scientific data analysis of Cyberknife procedures.