Clinical Scripting and Automation Workshop
June 5, 2024 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
About the workshop
In-house software (whether stand-alone or integrated with vendor software environment) developed by medical physicist is increasingly used to improve productivity and quality/safety in radiotherapy. Vendor training and community forums have greatly reduced the technical learning curve of scripting and programing. However, success in automation also resulted in growing complexity, creating systems and structural challenges difficult for individuals and institutions.
The workshop is an opportunity for medical physicists to network, share experiences, and overcome challenges associated with developing and implementing automation software solutions. Participant interaction and discussion will be encouraged.
Target audience
Medical physicists who are involved in (or are interested in) developing and implementing automation software solutions in clinical environment. There are no restrictions on the vendor scripting environment; all participants are welcome.
Goals and learning objectives
The overall goal of the workshop is to encourage national-level networking and discussions on the challenges faced when implementing in-house software into the clinical environment.
At the conclusion of the workshop, participants should have the following:
- An overview of the scripting and automation projects across Canada
- An understanding of the challenges and some possible solutions
- Ideas and inspiration to bring back and incorporate into their work
Speaker Bios
 | Dr. Rex Cardan, PhD Dr. Rex Cardan is an experienced Clinical Medical Physicist with demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. Strong developer in .NET with a focus on applications in radiation oncology. Research professional skilled in 3D imaging, Radiation Safety, Clinical Research, and Medical Physics. His interests include building software toolsets for research and clinical use, DICOM programming, building and testing frameworks for collision avoidance and the use of computer vision in radiotherapy. |
 | Dr. Karl Otto, PhD Dr. Karl Otto is CEO of Limbus AI, a company that builds machine learning based software for radiation therapy. Karl's career focus has been on developing radiation therapy technology that has a high clinical impact. He's sometimes referred to as "Mister VMAT" due to his development of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy, which was the basis for Varian's RapidArc treatment planning and delivery system. VMAT is now the most common form of radiation treatment globally. Karl has explored several pathways in his career as a medical physicist including clinical practice, academic research and industry. In his current role at Limbus AI he leads the team in developing AI based organ segmentation software that is used in over 400 clinics and for segmenting over 500,000 scans annually. |
 | Dr. Andrew Hope, MD (virtual) Dr. Andrew Hope is a radiation oncologist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His clinical focus is on treatment of patients with head and neck or lung cancers. His research interests include prediction, mitigation, and management of normal tissue toxicities from radiation therapy; use of artificial intelligence in medicine; and advanced modelling techniques. |
Sponsors
The workshop is made possible with the generous support of
Program
Find a current program here. Refer to the COMP ASM program for session times.
The workshop will aim to address the following topics:
- Automation change management
- Multi-institutional implementation
- Administrative support model
- Planning automation
- Data mining and analytics
Registration
Register for the workshop as an optional add-on purchase during your COMP ASM registration. The registration fees are as follows:
| COMP Member Rate | Non-Member Rate | |
| Early Bird Registration (Until May 8, 2024) | $80 | $100 |
| Regular Registration | $100 | $120 |
Spots are limited to ensure the number of participants is conducive to discussions while ensuring representation across the country. If registrations are waitlisted, the team will re-evaluate and strive to accommodate as many on the waitlist as feasible.
Rapid presentation (optional)
Participants will have the option to present their work during a rapid presentation session, contributing to an overview of the automation landscape in Canada.
Registered participants will receive a link to submit a short abstract. Abstracts will be reviewed by the organizing committee and participants will be notified of abstract acceptance.
Organizing team
- Michael Ayles (Maisonneuve-Rosemont)
- Nick Chng (BCCA Centre for the North)
- Michael Lamey (The Ottawa Hospital)
- Derek Liu (Cross Cancer Institute)
- Hali Morrison (Tom Baker Cancer Centre)
- Tony Tadic (Princess Margaret Hospital)
Contact Derek Liu: compautomation2024@gmail.com