The TOPAS Tool for Particle Simulation, a Monte Carlo Simulation Tool for Physics, Biology and Clinical Research

2009年由NCI资助推出的用于PArticle模拟的TOPAS工具是一个突破性的软件项目 它打破了限制癌症研究和治疗的可用性障碍。改进 放射治疗和成像需要了解亚原子粒子如何穿过装置和组织。 这种运动的最精确计算遵循蒙特卡罗（MC）方法。然而，MC的辛勤工作 专门的计算机编程技术限制了少数专家的使用。 TOPAS为每位物理学家提供了可靠、经过实验验证且易于使用的MC工具。 不需要编程知识，TOPAS提供了几乎无限的灵活性。它使临床 应用（例如高精度患者剂量计算）和前沿研究（例如四维 用于探测器开发的飞行时间模拟），而其设计则促进机构间合作。 2013年，在第二个NCI奖上，TOPAS从最初的质子治疗物理学扩展到 包括辐射生物学。TOPAS在质子治疗物理学和生物学中被广泛接受， 24个国家的121个机构的用户，但从事其他放射治疗方式和医疗服务的用户， 但图像缺乏这样的工具。我们致力于满足这些需求，创建唯一完全集成的平台， 先进的放射治疗，包括多模态治疗和广泛的图像引导。我们将： 具体目标1：增强TOPAS环境，以实现用户友好的交互式建模和仿真 ·扩展对多处理器、集群、云和网格环境的支持 ·提高I/O与其他医学物理标准的兼容性 ·提高计算速度和图形用户界面 具体目标2：扩展TOPAS的转化和临床应用能力 ·放射治疗和成像组件库，简化复杂治疗、QA和屏蔽的模拟 ·用于辐射防护和临床前研究的生物模型 ·成像系统和患者模拟，包括更复杂的患者模型 具体目标3：为所有用户社区维护TOPAS ·响应底层软件包和操作系统的变化 ·扩展自动化回归测试系统以进行质量控制 具体目标4：通过充分参与ITCR计划活动传播TOPAS ·通过在主要会议和网站上举办讲习班，传播TOPAS ·通过在线用户论坛、网络培训和每年两次的面对面培训提供用户支持 ·发展TOPAS用户协作，启动项目以满足授标后确定的关键用户需求， 维护用户交换定制和扩展的存储库，将TOPAS迁移到开源

The TOPAS TOol for PArticle Simulation, launched on NCI funding in 2009, is a breakthrough software project that struck down a usability barrier that was limiting cancer research and treatment. Improvements to radiotherapy and imaging require understanding how subatomic particles travel through apparatus and tissue. The most precise calculations of such motion follow the Monte Carlo (MC) method. Yet MC's painstaking specialized computer programming techniques had limited its availability to a small number of specialists. TOPAS brings a reliable, experimentally validated and easy-to-use MC tool within reach of every physicist. Requiring no programming knowledge, TOPAS provides nearly unlimited flexibility. It enables both clinical applications (e.g. high precision patient dose calculation) and cutting edge research (e.g. four dimensional time-of-flight simulations for detector developments), while its design promotes inter-institutional collaboration. In 2013, on a second NCI award, TOPAS was expanded from its initial focus on proton therapy physics to also cover radiation biology. TOPAS has been widely accepted in proton therapy physics and biology with 272 users at 121 institutions in 24 countries, but those working on other radiotherapy modalities and medical imaging lack such a tool. We seek to address these needs, creating the only fully integrated platform for advanced radiotherapy including multi-modality treatments and a broad range of image guidance. We shall: Specific Aim 1: Enhance the TOPAS Environment for User-Friendly Interactive Modeling and Simulation · Expand support for multi-processor, cluster, cloud and grid environments · Improve I/O compatibility with other medical physics standards · Improve computational speed and Graphical User Interface Specific Aim 2: Extend TOPAS Capabilities for Translational and Clinical Applications · Library of radiotherapy and imaging components, simplify simulation of complex therapy, QA and shielding · Biological models for radiation protection and pre-clinical research · Imaging systems and patient simulation, including more complex patient models Specific Aim 3: Maintain TOPAS for all User Communities · Respond to changes in underlying software packages and operating systems · Expand automated regression testing system for quality control Specific Aim 4: Disseminate TOPAS with Full Participation in ITCR Program Activities · Disseminate TOPAS through workshops at key conferences and web site · Provide user support through online user forum, web-based training and twice-yearly in-person trainings · Develop TOPAS user collaboration, initiate projects to address key user needs identified post-award, maintain depository for users to exchange customizations and extensions, move TOPAS to open source