Sneha Kumari Verma MS, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Brent Julius Liu PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Ruchi Deshpande MS, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Sophia Chun, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Daila S. Gridley PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Many US combat personnel have sustained nervous tissue trauma during service, which causes Neuropathic pain that is difficult to manage. In select patients, synapse lesioning can provide significant pain control. Our goal is to determine the effectiveness of using Proton Beam radiotherapy for treating spinal cord injury (SCI) related neuropathic pain as an alternative to invasive surgical lesioning. The research is a joint collaboration of USC, Spinal Cord Institute VA Healthcare System, Long Beach, and Loma Linda University. 

This is the first system of its kind that integrates preclinical data, from animal studies and research related human studies, on one web-based platform with standardized DICOM data objects. It supports integration and standardization of imaging informatics data in DICOM format; clinical evaluation forms outcomes data and treatment planning data from the Treatment planning station (TPS) utilized to administer the radiation dose in DICOM-RT format. In addition, it supports evaluation of SCI subjects for recruitment into the clinical study, which includes the development, and integration of digital forms and tools for automatic subject evaluation and classification of SCI pain as well as a rules-based decision tree. For evaluation and development purposes of the overall system, data sets from 10 human and 5 animal studies will be used and integrated into the system. 

This imaging informatics system is capable of integrating different datasets like patient recruitment, preclinical studies and patient related studies - all accessible via web-based platform. In this computer exhibit we will show design of DICOM standard database that incorporate preclinical data with patient related studies on a web-based platform and a fully developed graphical interface for a pain classification tool, as well as viewing patient recruitment and preclinical studies. 

We present a medical informatics system capable of integrating various data objects, such as patient recruitment information; preclinical studies, treatment related information utilizing the DICOM standard and implemented on single web-based platform.  

Verma, S, Liu, B, Deshpande, R, Chun, S, Gridley, D, Imaging Informatics System Utilizing DICOM Objects for Treating Pain in Spinal Cord Injury Patients Utilizing Proton Beam Radiotherapy.  Radiological Society of North America 2013 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, December 1 - December 6, 2013 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2013/13020842.html