Evaluation of quantum contouring algorithms for treatment planning on MR abdominal images

Introduction: Quantum computing is increasingly being investigated for integration into medical radiology and healthcare applications worldwide. Given its potential to enhance clinical care and medical research, there is growing interest in evaluating its practical applications in clinical workflows. Methods: We developed an evaluation of quantum computing-based auto-contouring methods to introduce medical physicists to this emerging technology. We implemented existing quantum algorithms as prototypes tailored for specific quantum hardware, focusing on their application to auto-contouring in medical imaging. The evaluation was performed using a medical resonance imaging (MRI) abdominal dataset, comprising 102 patient scans. Results: The quantum algorithms were applied to the dataset and assessed for their potential in auto-contouring tasks. One of the quantum-based auto contouring methods demonstrated conceptual feasibility, practical performance is still limited by current available quantum hardware and scalability constraints. Discussion: Our findings suggest that while quantum computing for auto-contouring shows promise, it remains in its early stages. At present, artificial intelligence-based algorithms continue to be the preferred choice for auto-contouring in treatment planning due to their greater efficiency and accuracy. As quantum hardware and algorithms mature, their integration into clinical workflows may become more viable.