3D treatment planning system-Pinnacle system

The treatment planning system is key for the success of external beam radiotherapy, directly impacting the quality of treatment plans and accuracy of dose calculation in the plans. In this article, we provided an overview of the Pinnacle treatment planning system for external beam planning, including 3-dimensional (3D) conformal plans, step-shoot intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plans, and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans. We discussed dose calculation algorithm and other utilities, including image fusion, plan documentation, and adaptive planning. Based on our many years of clinical experience with the system, the aim of this article is to provide readers with a summary of this particular planning system.