Troubleshooting Plan Study Issues

Is there a size limit for uploaded RT Dose files?

Yes. Currently, there is a limit on the file size currently supported by ProKnow for uploaded DICOM RT Dose files. That limit is roughly 100 MB (which is a very large dose file) and as a rule of thumb, you should aim for a dose file that is 50 MB or smaller provided you still meet the plan and dose requirements.

What can be the cause of a very large RT Dose file? Well, if you calculate dose at very high resolution (say, less than 2 mm), your TPS may produce a very large dose grid and therefore a large exported DICOM RT Dose file. Or, if the bounding box on your dose grid covers a very large patient volume (far larger than all targets and critical structures), then this also increases the size of the dose files.

If your exported RT Dose is near 100 MB (or larger), then you should try to minimize it without losing accuracy. The easiest solution is to reduce the calculation region's bounding box size (i.e. grid extents) to cover all the targets and critical anatomy, but not necessarily cover the entire patient volume defined by the CT scan or external contour. Or, if you have dose grid resolution (i.e. grid spacing) of < 1 mm, there is no added value in terms of resolution or DVH calculation, so if your TPS allows you can increase the grid spacing to 1-2 mm, which is sufficient for most plans, even those with small target and/or OAR volumes.

What should I do when I encounter an error when I upload my plan or dose?

If the error message describes an error during the upload itself (i.e., before the file is processed and validated), try removing your uploads using the red "Remove Uploads" button and try uploading your files again. If that doesn't work, please send us a message with the error message you're receiving.

If the error message describes invalid DICOM data, please verify that you have uploaded the correct file. Once you have verified that you have uploaded the correct file, we encourage you to reach out to your TPS vendor for assistance. You may also send us a message (if possible, please send us your plan and dose files so that we may test your files in our test environment).

Why is ProKnow reporting metric values that are different from what my software reports?

Every TPS has its own technology (i.e. software algorithm) to take radiotherapy objects such as dose and structures and, from them, estimate dose volume histogram (DVH) and other important stats. For more information on this topic, please read our How ProKnow DVH Values Are Calculated article.