ScreenBee^©

-- The Screen Capturing and Image Transferring Utility for Remote Image Reviewing within R&V System in Radiation Therapy Clinics

Figure 1 The Graphical User Interface of ScreenBee.

What is ScreenBee?

This application is initiated by the motive to review remotely in IMPAC 3D image registration of KVCT with MVCT on Tomotherapy delivery console. It takes snapshots of either entire screen or a specific region and transfers them via DICOM connection to record and verify (R&V) system in a radiation therapy clinic. Because it is designed and developed in compliance with DICOM standard, it should work with other R&V systems as well, such as VARIS (or ARIA), LANTIS and so on. In spite of the fact that it was originally designed for Tomotherapy delivery console, it should work on any computer with Microsoft Windows NT/2000/XP wherever the screen is desired to be seen and reviewed remotely in a timely fashion.

Helical Tomotherapy is an evolutionary concept that takes Intensity-Modulated Radiation Threapy (IMRT) to the next level. It not only provides the means to deliver IMRT treatments but also to perform real-time imaging and treatment analysis. Daily three-dimensional Mega-Voltage Computed Tomograph (MVCT) acquired prior to treatment delivery is registered with planning Kilo-Voltage CT (KVCT) so that inter-fraction motion is compensated. Unfortunately, this system lacks the feature to communicate with R&V system in radiation therapy clinic (Figure 2). The image registration result is either approved by radiation oncologist at the console or on the printout. For aggressive radiation therapy clinics with cutting edge technologies, ScreenBee was made to send IGRT images on screen to any R&V system helping your clinics move towards digital solutions so that the clinic workflows become more efficient and  smooth with permanent records (Figure 3). It is fully compliant with DICOM standard. In the case of Tomotherapy, ScreenBee can also be installed on the treatment planning workstation so that plan statistics, fractionation scheme (Figure 7) and QA result (Figure 8) can be sent to R&V system smooth your clinic workflow.

Figure 2 Tomotherapy and R&V system. The dotted line represents meaningful communication.

Figure 3 Tomotherapy communicates with R&V system through ScreenBee.

Who needs ScreenBee?

Since it is initially developed for Tomotherapy IGRT system, any clinic in need for remote image reviewing feature for Tomotherapy treatment unit should be the possible user. It is also designed for those who want to send images on some computer screens to R&V system. It significantly improves the safety and efficiency of the radiation management processes as well as consolidation of the entire patient’s medical record within the same location in the R&V systems. It also acts as a key integral component of the facility on its way toward the digital and paperless future.

ScreenBee can also be used as a conventional screen dumper since it provides the user with "Save As" and "Copy to Clipboard" functions so that screen captures can be saved to true color image files or be pasted into any documents, such as those of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and so on.

How ScreenBee works?

It is very straightforward. ScreenBee allows the user to capture the image on the screen and encode it and send it to R&V system via DICOM connection. The automated two-week patient list help the user enter patient's registration information so that images are associated with right patient automatically. Figure 4 illustrates building blocks of ScreenBee.

Figure 4 ScreenBee modules.

 Sample Images in IMPAC

Figure 5 shows a sample screen snapshot of Tomotherapy delivery console.  When it is sent to R&V system, IMPAC for example, patient's anatomy is correctly reproduced (Figure 6).

Figure 5 A sample screen snapshot of Tomotherapy delivery console.

Figure 6 The sample image viewed within IMPAC

Figure 7 The statistics and fractionation scheme of Tomotherapy plan viewed within IMPAC.

Figure 8 The patient-specific QA report viewed within IMPAC.

Download the Latest Version

ScreenBee is constantly evolving. The users are advised to check our website periodically and have your systems upgraded if there is a newer version. The latest version is 1.5, Build 320. To download the whole package, please click here.

Installation Steps

1. Create a directory as the home directory for ScreenBee, “C:\Clinic\ScreenBee” for instance.
2. Unzip the downloaded package in the home directory of ScreenBee.
3. Double click the executable “ScreenBee.exe” and follow the prompts to get a license.

License Types

There are two kinds of licenses as follows,

1. Permanent license. That is what we strongly recommended. The user is provided with full unleashed functions plus free upgrades.
2. Temporary license. It is time-limited license ( 1 to 3 months). ScreenBee functions exactly the same as the permanently licensed version as long as the license stays valid. Anyone who is interested in this product can request a time-limited license for temporary use.

How to Contact Us

For the license and technical support, please contact
 

Yulong Yan PhD
Tel: (501) 526 6591
Fax: (501) 686 7285
Email: YanYulong@uams.edu
 

For sales information, please contact

Dawn Bolt, MHSA
Tel: (501) 526 6157
Fax: (501) 686 7285
Email: BoltDawnM@uams.edu