Implementation of an automated deep learning-based quality assurance tool for vertebral body identification in radiotherapy planning

Bone metastases affect a considerable proportion of patients with solid tumours, with high incidences especially among those with lung, prostate, or breast cancer.1,2 Metastases of the bone can have consequences such as pathological fractures, pain, and hypercalcaemia, and they can lead to considerable increases in morbidity and mortality.1 In the USA, the incidence rate of bone metastases is estimated to be as high as 400 000 per year, and about 350 000 patients die each year from bone metastases.