@article {Nioche1316, author = {Christophe Nioche and Fanny Orlhac and Sarah Boughdad and Sylvain Reuze and Michael Soussan and Charlotte Robert and Claire Barakat and Irene Buvat}, title = {A freeware for tumor heterogeneity characterization in PET, SPECT, CT, MRI and US to accelerate advances in radiomics}, volume = {58}, number = {supplement 1}, pages = {1316--1316}, year = {2017}, publisher = {Society of Nuclear Medicine}, abstract = {1316Objectives: Tumor heterogeneity characterization using image-derived biomarkers is gaining considerable interest in medical imaging and is the basis of radiomics. Retrospective studies demonstrate that some image-derived heterogeneity biomarkers (IDHB) have a prognostic value. Yet, there is a huge spread of results in terms of the relevant IDHB, image type to be used (US, CT, PET, MR, etc), tumor type, and task for which IDHB were shown useful. In addition, there is a lack of confirmatory studies in specific applications for which a prognostic value of IDHB has been reported. Our goal was to design a free, multi-platform and easy-to-use software enabling calculation of conventional as well as histogram-based, textural and shape features from PET, SPECT, MR, CT and US images to make these features accessible and accelerate advances in robust IDHB identification and in radiomics.Methods: A review of tools supporting IDHB calculation was conducted to set the specifications for a software overcoming the limitations of existing programs. Based on this review and to facilitate a broad dissemination of the software we made it independent of any commercial library. Developed in Java, the so-called LIFEx software reads DICOM and non DICOM images locally or over a network, including parametric images. Volumes of interest (VOI) previously drawn using other applications can be uploaded, or new VOIs can be drawn and manipulated directly using a user-friendly graphical interface integrated within the software. Several options are offered for IDHB calculation (eg, 2D vs 3D, image quantization parameters such as bin size, range of voxel values to be included, and number of bins) so that calculation methods reported in previous articles can be reproduced. Results are exported in Excel format files for post-processing. The software runs on Windows, MacOs and Linux, is distributed on www.lifexsoft.org with full documentation including IDHB explicit formulae, examples and includes a tutorial. User support is offered. The software has been extensively tested so far using PET, CT, MR and US images.Results: The LIFEx software has been downloaded by more than 180 users around the world, confirming the need for a free tool enabling IDHB calculation. By supporting the calculation of more than 40 IDHB previously investigated in the literature, it makes it possible to assess the relevance of these IDHB in clinical settings. Default calculation parameters, especially regarding the quantization step preceding IDHB calculation, have been set for PET, MR and CT based on published reports for user guidance but can be changed interactively. Results reported in the literature regarding the impact of these calculation parameters on IDHB values have been reproduced. Using this software and in collaboration with other imaging centers, we have derived complete and summary IDHB profiles in healthy liver, spleen, breast, muscle, fat, lung tissues based on large databases (\>400 patients) in PET, CT and MR, and for various tumor localizations (mostly breast, lung, cervix and gliomas). Processing of tumor IDHB is on-going in an attempt to consolidate previously published results regarding IDHB usefulness. New indices and options are being implemented based on feedback from many users, which make the software evolve over time as a function of advances in the field and users{\textquoteright} needs.Conclusion: The developed software spans a wide range of options for IDHB calculation and is freely available to anyone willing to assess IDHB usefulness on his/her own imaging data. Designed as a modular and upgradeable tool, it evolves partly based on users{\textquoteright} feedback. Its availability should facilitate collaborative work and multi-center evaluation of the benefit of IDHB in multimodality imaging and assist advances in radiomics. Research Support: ANR-11-IDEX-0003-02}, issn = {0161-5505}, URL = {https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/58/supplement_1/1316}, eprint = {https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content}, journal = {Journal of Nuclear Medicine} }