Table 1.
Software characteristics
| MITK- ModelFit | UMM Perfusion | Rocketship | DCEMRI.jl | PMI | DATforDCEMRI | 3DSlicer PkModeling | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Linux, Mac OS, Windows | Mac OS | Linux, Mac OS, Windows | Linux, Mac OS, Windows | Windows | Linux, Mac OS, Windows | Linux, Mac OS, Windows |
| Language | C++ | C | Matlab | Julia | IDL | R | C++ |
| License | BSD | BSD | GNUGPL | MIT | GNU GPL | Creative Commons | Slicer (BSD like) |
| Advanced extensibility | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Fitting domain | Time, Frequency, anya | Time | Time | Time | Time | Time | Time |
| Eco-system | Yes (MITK) | Yes (OsiriX) | No | No | Yes (PMI) | No | Yes (3DSlicer) |
| Image modalities | DCE-MRI, DCE-CT, PET, dynamic MRI, dynamic CT, CESL/CEST,a | DCE-MRI | DCE-MRI | DCE-MRI | DCE-MRI, DSC-MRI, DCE-CT | DCE-MRI | DCE-MRI |
| Models | Tofts, Extended Tofts, 2CXM, 1TCM, 2TCM, Brix, Three-step linear (3SL), Semi-quantitative metrics (BAT, TTP, AUC, Cmax, Wash-in/Wash-out Slope, final uptake, mean residence time) | Extended Tofts, 1CP, 2CXM, 2C uptake model, two compartment filtration model (2FM) | Tofts, Extended Tofts, Fast Exchange Regime, 2CXM, Tissue uptake, Nested-model selection, Patlak, Semi-quantitative metrics (AUC) | Tofts, Extended Tofts, Plasma Only | Uptake models, Steady-state, Patlak, Model-free deconvolution, Tofts, Extended Tofts, 2CXM, 2C filtration model for kidney, Dual-inlet models for Liver, Semi-quantitative metrics (Slope/Signal enhancement) | Tofts, Semi-quantitative metrics (AUC, MRT - mean residence time) | Tofts, Semi-quantitative metrics (AUC, slope) |
| Input / Output | DICOM, Analyze, NIFTI, NRRD, VTK, Raw data | DICOM | DICOM, Analyze, NIFTI, Raw data, Matlab data | Matlab data | DICOM, Raw data | R readable data formats | DICOM, Analyze, NIFTI, NRRD, VTK, Raw data |
| GUI | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Fit exploration | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yesb |
| PACS Support | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Automatization | Yes | Partiallyc | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Source | http://mitk.org/wiki/MITK | http://ikrsrv1.medma.uni-heidelberg.de/redmine/projects/ummperfusion | https://github.com/petmri/ROCKETSHIP | https://github.com/davidssmith/DCEMRI.jl | https://sites.google.com/site/plaresmedima/ | https://github.com/cran/DATforDCEMRI | https://www.slicer.org/wiki/Documentation/4.8/Modules/PkModeling |
aPossibility to extend framework to support other fitting domains
bPossibility to generate a 3D+t image that encode the voxel-wise model signal and to explore the image with the MultiVolumeExplorer
cPossibility to loop over all models and selected tissue ROIs for the loaded Data in the UMMPerfusion user interface
The selection of solutions represents well-known or relative similar solutions compared to our work in order to clarify the differences. The selection does not claim to be exhaustive. Commercial solutions are not included. Further R or Matlab are only included in context of concrete tools (DATforDCEMRI and Rocketship) and not as generic fitting environments on their own. The later would be a categorical error. R as well as Matlab can handle generic fitting problems or allow GUIs but by implementing an application from scratch and not by just using it of the shelf or extending an existing one. The following characteristics are assessed in the table: Operating system; Language (Programming language of the software); License (needed to regard if software is used/extended); Advanced extensibility (Indicates if software was designed to easily be extended with new models without the need to change the basis application or its programming logic; implies a advanced level of abstraction and decoupling); Fitting domain (Indicates which domains are supported for the fitting); Eco-system (indicates if software is embedded into image processing eco-system); Image modalities (medical image modalities that are supported be model and fitting techniques); Models (included pharmacokinetic models); Input / Output (most relevant data formats supported by the software); GUI (indicates if software offers a graphical user interface); Fit exploration (indicates if the software allows to interactively investigate the fit and signal curve per voxel/ROI); PACS Support (indicates if the software allows to use DICOM Q/R or receive data via DICOM Send); Automatization (indicates if the software can be used to automatize the analysis with no user interaction); Source (Link to the source codes or developer’s site)