Oncology information technology system provider IMPAC Medical Systems Inc. said this week that the DICOM-RT Treatment Machine interface (DTMI) standard will be used at the Proton Therapy Center at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer to connect IMPAC's oncology management system with Hitachi Ltd.'s Proton Beam Therapy System.

The DTMI standard is being developed specifically for radiation oncology to allow transmittal of data and images between the various systems and devices required in radiation therapy, said IMPAC.

Currently under construction at M.D. Anderson, the Proton Beam Therapy Center marks the first implementation of the standard.