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The effect of dental artifacts, contrast media, and experience on interobserver contouring variations in head and neck anatomy.

Publication ,  Journal Article
O'Daniel, JC; Rosenthal, DI; Garden, AS; Barker, JL; Ahamad, A; Ang, KK; Asper, JA; Blanco, AI; de Crevoisier, R; Holsinger, FC; Patel, CB ...
Published in: Am J Clin Oncol
April 2007

OBJECTIVES: To investigate interobserver variability in the delineation of head-and-neck (H&N) anatomic structures on CT images, including the effects of image artifacts and observer experience. METHODS: Nine observers (7 radiation oncologists, 1 surgeon, and 1 physician assistant) with varying levels of H&N delineation experience independently contoured H&N gross tumor volumes and critical structures on radiation therapy treatment planning CT images alongside reference diagnostic CT images for 4 patients with oropharynx cancer. Image artifacts from dental fillings partially obstructed 3 images. Differences in the structure volumes, center-of-volume positions, and boundary positions (1 SD) were measured. In-house software created three-dimensional overlap distributions, including all observers. The effects of dental artifacts and observer experience on contouring precision were investigated, and the need for contrast media was assessed. RESULTS: In the absence of artifacts, all 9 participants achieved reasonable precision (1 SD < or =3 mm all boundaries). The structures obscured by dental image artifacts had larger variations when measured by the 3 metrics (1 SD = 8 mm cranial/caudal boundary). Experience improved the interobserver consistency of contouring for structures obscured by artifacts (1 SD = 2 mm cranial/caudal boundary). CONCLUSIONS: Interobserver contouring variability for anatomic H&N structures, specifically oropharyngeal gross tumor volumes and parotid glands, was acceptable in the absence of artifacts. Dental artifacts increased the contouring variability, but experienced participants achieved reasonable precision even with artifacts present. With a staging contrast CT image as a reference, delineation on a noncontrast treatment planning CT image can achieve acceptable precision.

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Published In

Am J Clin Oncol

DOI

EISSN

1537-453X

Publication Date

April 2007

Volume

30

Issue

2

Start / End Page

191 / 198

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Tonsillar Neoplasms
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Parotid Gland
  • Palatine Tonsil
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Observer Variation
  • Neck
  • Humans
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms
 

Citation

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MLA
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O’Daniel, J. C., Rosenthal, D. I., Garden, A. S., Barker, J. L., Ahamad, A., Ang, K. K., … Dong, L. (2007). The effect of dental artifacts, contrast media, and experience on interobserver contouring variations in head and neck anatomy. Am J Clin Oncol, 30(2), 191–198. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.coc.0000256704.58956.45
O’Daniel, Jennifer C., David I. Rosenthal, Adam S. Garden, Jerry L. Barker, Anesa Ahamad, K Kian Ang, Joshua A. Asper, et al. “The effect of dental artifacts, contrast media, and experience on interobserver contouring variations in head and neck anatomy.Am J Clin Oncol 30, no. 2 (April 2007): 191–98. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.coc.0000256704.58956.45.
O’Daniel JC, Rosenthal DI, Garden AS, Barker JL, Ahamad A, Ang KK, et al. The effect of dental artifacts, contrast media, and experience on interobserver contouring variations in head and neck anatomy. Am J Clin Oncol. 2007 Apr;30(2):191–8.
O’Daniel, Jennifer C., et al. “The effect of dental artifacts, contrast media, and experience on interobserver contouring variations in head and neck anatomy.Am J Clin Oncol, vol. 30, no. 2, Apr. 2007, pp. 191–98. Pubmed, doi:10.1097/01.coc.0000256704.58956.45.
O’Daniel JC, Rosenthal DI, Garden AS, Barker JL, Ahamad A, Ang KK, Asper JA, Blanco AI, de Crevoisier R, Holsinger FC, Patel CB, Schwartz DL, Wang H, Dong L. The effect of dental artifacts, contrast media, and experience on interobserver contouring variations in head and neck anatomy. Am J Clin Oncol. 2007 Apr;30(2):191–198.

Published In

Am J Clin Oncol

DOI

EISSN

1537-453X

Publication Date

April 2007

Volume

30

Issue

2

Start / End Page

191 / 198

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Tonsillar Neoplasms
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Parotid Gland
  • Palatine Tonsil
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Observer Variation
  • Neck
  • Humans
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms