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NCICT: NCI dosimetry system for Computed Tomography

Screenshot of NCICT display, part of NCIDose tools Enlarge

Over the last three decades, the number of computed tomography (CT) examinations conducted annually has grown exponentially such that CT imaging currently represents about a quarter of the collective effective radiation dose received by the U.S. population. To address this public health concern, it is important to have tools to assess and monitor radiation exposures from CT scans. NCICT, the National Cancer Institute dosimetry system for Computed Tomography,1-2 is a comprehensive cutting-edge CT organ dose calculator.

Robust Science

The program provides absorbed doses to major radiosensitive organs and tissues calculated using the characteristics of patients and CT scan parameters. NCICT combines several cutting-edge technologies, including a library of advanced computational human phantoms, the detailed simulation of x-rays from a reference CT scanner, and a user-friendly graphical interface. The simulated dose results for pediatric and adult phantoms have been rigorously validated through comparison with experimental measurements conducted using physical anthropomorphic phantoms combined with dosimeters.3-5

State-of-the-art Phantoms

NCICT incorporates a state-of-the-art library of phantoms that represent just about any patient, including the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) reference pediatric and adult phantom series, a library of 370 pediatric and adult male and female phantoms at various heights and weights, and eight pregnant phantoms containing detailed fetus models at various gestations.6

Hassle-free Installation

NCICT is a standalone software that runs on a personal computer. Users do not need an internet connection to upload sensitive patient data to a central server. NCICT uses a comprehensive pre-calculated dose database, so the program does not use up many computing resources on a user's computer. NCICT is available for multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, and LINUX.

Versatile Dose Calculation Modes

NCICT features two computation modes: Graphical User Interface (GUI) mode and Batch Calculation mode. The GUI mode allows the user to enter interactively patient and CT scanner data for rapid organ dose calculations. The Batch Calculation mode is also available to compute organ doses for a large number of patients by importing a set of parameters from a formatted text file. The Batch Calculation mode also runs by text command, making it easy to connect NCICT with existing databases.

Extensively Tested

NCICT was rigorously tested by over 200 beta users whose feedback was incorporated into several revisions. The software has been used by hundreds of users worldwide and has resulted in many research publications.

How to Access This Resource

Non-Commercial Research Use

There is no charge to use these resources for non-commercial research purposes. Please submit a Software Transfer Agreement form to Dr. Choonsik Lee.

Commercial Use

Contact Dr. Kevin Chang of the NCI Technology Transfer Center to discuss the licensing process for commercial use.

For answers to questions and other support, join the NCI Hub - Group: NCI Dose Forum.

Selected References

  1. Lee C, Kim KP, Bolch WE, Moroz BE, Les Folio. NCICT: a computational solution to estimate organ doses for pediatric and adult patients undergoing CT scans. J Radiol Prot. 2015.

    [PubMed Abstract]

  2. Lee C, Yeom YS, Folio L, CT organ dose calculator size adaptive for pediatric and adult patients. Biomed Phys Eng Express. 2022

    [PubMed Abstract]

  3. Long DJ, Lee C, Tien C, et al. Monte Carlo simulations of adult and pediatric computed tomography exams: Validation studies of organ doses with physical phantoms. Med Phys. 2013.

    [PubMed Abstract]

  4. Dabin J, Mencarelli A, McMillan D, Romanyukha A, Struelens L, Lee C. Validation of calculation algorithms for organ doses in CT by measurements on a 5 year old paediatric phantom. Phys Med Biol. 2016.

    [PubMed Abstract]

  5. Giansante L, Martins JC, Nersissian DY, et al. Organ doses evaluation for chest computed tomography procedures with TL dosimeters: Comparison with Monte Carlo simulations. J Appl Clin Med Phys. 2018.

    [PubMed Abstract]

  6. Maynard MR, Maynard MR, Geyer JW, et al. The UF family of hybrid phantoms of the developing human fetus for computational radiation dosimetry. Phys Med Biol. 2011.

    [PubMed Abstract]
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