Computer-aided medical decision making in radiotherapy

Radiology. 1977 May;123(2):441-6. doi: 10.1148/123.2.441.

Abstract

Radiotherapy departments are becoming sophisticated in working with computers for isodose computations, treatment machine verifications and administrative and medical records. The next step lies in computer-assisted medical decision making. The logic for a patient's diagnostic work-up and treatment protocol can be stored in a computer. It can then be used as an aid in making the diagnosis, in prescribing the treatment and for quality control. For patients who fit established protocols the computer can select and list treatment using the logic of that protocol. Such a system has been implemented for the postoperative radiotherapy of breast cancer on a trial basis. Its potential usefulness is illustrated by results in 25 consecutive patients. Physician acceptance and costs of the program are under investigation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Computers*
  • Costs and Cost Analysis
  • Decision Making*
  • Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted
  • Humans
  • Patient Care Planning
  • Radiotherapy*