The following is an overview of the RCET system.

The technology developed at the RCET enables users to share multimodality imaging data, radiation therapy planning, and delivery data, and conventional database objects in a distributed environment. Our technology is designed to enable clinical trial groups to implement more advanced and comprehensive clinical protocols. For example, one can design a protocol, which includes multi-modality electronic imaging and planning data from different phases of treatment. We also recognize that it is neither efficient nor cost effective to bring together radiation oncologists, radiologists and other professionals to a single location to evaluate study cases. We are acutely aware that patient data security and confidentiality must be enforced throughout the review process. An environment where remote collaboration on clinical data review and protocol design could occur is also envisioned. In this environment, the desire for the ability to edit the clinical data while preserving the original data submission is also recognized. The value of a centralized repository of electronic patient data stored in a relational database for retrospective analysis is also acknowledged. Finally, the rapid pace of technology development in radiation oncology prompted us to consider the proliferation of voluminous patient electronic data and focus on the automation of data submission to conserve personnel resources.

With these considerations the RCET System was designed to meet the following criteria

1. Reviewers do not have to be physically present in QA centers to review protocol cases.
2. Submitted clinical data needs to be made available rapidly for review.
3. All types of imaging and radiation therapy data objects are accepted, archived, and disseminated.
4. Patient confidentiality is maintained throughout the process.
5. Multiple-user secure access to the RCET database for collaborative review of case images and radiation therapy objects is provided.
6. Data objects need to be editable and the database must support data authoring and versioning (DAV) control.
7. Data mining of the RCET database is available for investigators.
8. The system needs to be largely automated such that the required personnel resources do not grow in proportion to the increase in patient related data as advances in radiation therapy occur.

With these design criteria in mind we undertook the development of the RCET System.

Web technology allows participants to easily enter and access case information in a unified database system. Once a patient is entered onto a clinical protocol, there is an extensive set of data that must be received, archived, categorized, analyzed, and disseminated by the RCET centralized database. Typically, a set of patient data includes 50-400 MB of imaging data, 1-10 MB of plan data, and extensive textual information on patient's history and physical. The principle design criterion is to implement a system, which functionally analyzes, stores, and presents the data on demand. In addition, the system must allow the participants to enter the patient information at any site and analyze it remotely on demand via web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer. The RCET System consists of three central tools that meet these goals: a centralized auto-archiving database, a web-based SOANS, and a suite of user-friendly client applications for clinical data preparation, submission, and review.

The following Diagram depicts the RCET tool sets in a set of components. Each component is designed to be used independent of other components. The development and distribution of each component is based on the immediacy of need for that component among the user community.