METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR THE PLANNING AND DELIVERY OF RADIATION TREATMENTS

摘要

Methods and apparatus are provided for planning and delivering radiation treatments by modalities which involve moving a radiation source along a trajectory relative to a subject while delivering radiation to the subject. In some embodiments the radiation source is moved continuously along the trajectory while in some embodiments the radiation source is moved intermittently. Some embodiments involve the optimization of the radiation delivery plan to meet various optimization goals while meeting a number of constraints. For each of a number of control points along a trajectory, a radiation delivery plan may comprise: a set of motion axes parameters, a set of beam shape parameters and a beam intensity.

主权项

1. A method for planning delivery of radiation dose to a target region within a subject, the method comprising:
iteratively optimizing, by a processor, a simulated dose distribution relative to a set of one or more optimization goals comprising a desired dose distribution in the subject over an initial plurality of control points along a trajectory which involves relative movement between a radiation source and the subject; after reaching one or more initial termination conditions:
specifying, by the processor, an increased plurality of control points along the trajectory, the increased plurality of control points comprising a larger number of control points than the initial plurality of control points; anditeratively optimizing, by the processor, a simulated dose distribution relative to the set of one or more optimization goals over the increased plurality of control points to thereby determine a radiation delivery plan; the radiation delivery plan capable of causing a radiation delivery apparatus to deliver radiation in accordance with the radiation delivery plan.