Drawing pad compatibility with planning software

[pikachu]

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Anyone using a drawing pad with stylus to contour? I am looking at the Wacom Intuos Draw (basic entry level drawing pad). The product info says 'works with most graphics software' but I wanted to know if anyone had experience using this or other similar products and knows whether it would interface with Eclipse. Thanks!

 

[scarbrtj]

It is, as is basically any "drawing pad," basically a glorified mouse. It will not "interface with Eclipse" per se, but it will move a cursor to desired locations and pass mouse clicks. I.e., you can use it in Eclipse. It *does* interface in a deeper fashion with programs like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, where pressure sensitivity inputs (for stroke widths, brush opacity, "airbrushing," etc.) can be used. I have been using a Wacom display since ~2005, and AFAIK I was the first guy in the world to proselytize the approach (using it instead of a mouse in Eclipse).

 

[medgator]

AFAIK I was the first guy in the world to proselytize the approach (using it instead of a mouse in Eclipse).

What do you see as the advantages to it?

 

[scarbrtj]

Only advantage is, I like it better than a mouse (I was a dabbling graphic artist before I was a rad onc).

 

[pikachu]

Thanks, I couldn't tell if "interfaces with most graphics software" implied "but not with non-graphics-specific programs". I am starting to get some mild nerve compression symptoms in my hand which I think are probably due to repetitive stress from contouring, so I am hoping the stylus will be a more ergonomically friendly setup. I think it will also be easier to use when contouring on my laptop.

 

[scarbrtj]

I figure if I get carpal tunnel I always have this option:

 

[Palex80]

I personally like to switch between mouse and pen contouring.
Wacom has brought out some magnificent displays and with prices going down they are not a lot more expensive than a good LCD monitor.
Wacom Global

We have a special mount for them which allows us to position them at angles of 0° to almost 90°, meaning we can contour on a flat surface with the pen or use them as normal monitor with the mouse. If you can afford a height adjustable table and a good chair, it will greatly improve your contouring experience. You can contour while standing or sitting, which is good for your back and your neck. Don't forget to have someone who knows their business to consult you about good lighting.
I believe that we (radiation oncologists) should invest more in these things. We have no problem giving out hundreds of thousands of dollars/euros for linac equipment, but won't invest a few thousand every 5 years for some decent contouring-related hardware and furniture.

When I switched clinics 10 years ago, I was shocked to find out that the mouse of the PC used for contouring was an ancient model with catastrophic accuracy, which made contouring very frustrating. Every person coursed that mouse but noone wanted to invest 30 dollars to buy a decent mouse, since the IT guys said "It works, why switch it?" I bought a gaming mouse, still works like a charm.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Can I just say, is interpolating every other slice (as per that video) on what appears to be a lung SBRT standard practice? I draw every single slice for anything being treated with stereotactic technique.

Cool concept though, if you're more comfortable with a stylus than a mouse. My Counter-Strike days have made me quite familiar with mouse movements for the most part. Maybe when I'm an attending I'll upgrade to a gaming mouse for contouring like Palex lol.

 

[Palex80]

Gaming non-cordless mouses are excellent for contouring!

Get yourself a Logitech G402, it's great!
You can adjust the sensitivity with buttons directly on the mouse. So when you are contouring something less critical (like bowel) you can just set it at low sensitivity and use less motion to contour more with less accuracy. And when you want to include every tiny "foot" of you early stage NSCLC in the lung window, you can set sensitivity to high.
Works like a charm and costs something like 30 dollars.

 

[scarbrtj]

Can I just say, is interpolating every other slice (as per that video) on what appears to be a lung SBRT standard practice? I draw every single slice for anything being treated with stereotactic technique.

Cool concept though, if you're more comfortable with a stylus than a mouse. My Counter-Strike days have made me quite familiar with mouse movements for the most part. Maybe when I'm an attending I'll upgrade to a gaming mouse for contouring like Palex lol.

Yes, it's standard practice. For me. The addition of a PTV margin that is larger than your slice thickness makes every-other-slice interpolation of course a moot point. And who cares if you contour every slice or not. If the interpolation perfectly matches what you would have contoured, then again it's a moot point. But keep in mind, whether you contour every slice or not, there's much "interpolation" going on. First and foremost at the image viewing level. Your CT scan view is not a "true" view, per se, of the anatomy. Without interpolation you'd have a very blocky, pixelated-ish image (ie that "tumor edge" you think you see has been algorithmically assisted to be there in the location you see it). There has been mathematical enhancement at the scan level, and in your treatment planning system, before the image "hits your eyes." This, as far as we know, is OK.

 

[scarbrtj]

When I switched clinics 10 years ago, I was shocked to find out that the mouse of the PC used for contouring was an ancient model with catastrophic accuracy, which made contouring very frustrating. Every person coursed that mouse but noone wanted to invest 30 dollars to buy a decent mouse, since the IT guys said "It works, why switch it?" I bought a gaming mouse, still works like a charm.

A bad mouse can drive you batty. Back when 3DCRT was first appearing, we had those trackball mechanical mice. The ones that got hairballs and dirt stuck up in their interiors over time requiring disassembly and cleaning of the mouse once it got so unresponsive you could no longer tolerate it.