Method and device for determining an irradiation plan for a particle irradiation system

• US 10,634,624 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Elsasser, Thilo, Gemmel, Alexander, Hansmann, Thomas, Rietzel, Eike
• Primary Examiner(s): Quigley, Kyle R
• Application Number:
  US14/401,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20150100250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,588 Days
• Field of Search: 702 31, 702 89, 702127, 702150, 702189, 2504921, 703 5
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1031 using a specific method of dose optimization
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 23/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of wave or particle radiation, e.g. X-rays or neutrons, not covered by groups G01N3/00 – G01N17/00, G01N21/00 or G01N22/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/02 Dosimeters G01T1/15 takes precedence

Abstract

The device relates to a method and a device (10) for determining an irradiation plan for a particle irradiation unit (20). In the method, a target volume (6) within a test object (14; 18) is irradiated with a particle beam (16) using the particle irradiation unit (20) according to the irradiation plan. The radiation plan is determined in order to apply the energy of the particle beam (16) according to a predetermined dose distribution in the target volume (6), the target volume (6) and the predetermined dose distribution being pre-set. When determining the irradiation plan, irradiation duration is also taken into account, the irradiation plan being determined such that the irradiation duration is as short as possible.

Claims

1. A method for determining and using an irradiation plan for a particle irradiation system, the method comprising:

defining a target volume within a test object and a predetermined dose distribution;

determining the irradiation plan in order to apply an energy of a particle beam in accordance with the predetermined dose distribution in the target volume, wherein the irradiation plan specifies a number of particles of a specific energy to be applied at a point in the target volume within the test object; and

irradiating, with the particle irradiation system, the target volume within the test object with the particle beam as a function of the irradiation plan,

wherein the irradiation plan is determined as a function of a defined maximum irradiation time at an isoenergy layer in the target volume and as a function of an efficiency factor of the particle irradiation system, the efficiency factor being based on a ratio of a measured intensity of the particle irradiation system to an intensity of the particle irradiation system prescribed in the irradiation plan, and

wherein determining the irradiation plan comprises determining the irradiation plan such that the irradiation time is minimized.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the irradiation plan is determined with the aid of an optimization method, the optimization method determining a measure as a function of a difference between the predetermined dose distribution and an actual dose distribution, and of the irradiation time,

wherein the optimization method determines the irradiation plan with the aid of a best measure, and

wherein when the measure is better, the better the predetermined dose distribution corresponds to the actual dose distribution and the shorter the irradiation time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the irradiation time further corresponds to a total irradiation time of the irradiation plan.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the total irradiation time T is determined as follows

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the irradiation time TSp_i of the ith spill is determined as follows

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the slope has a first slope value, and the y-axis intercept has a first intercept value when the number of particles is less than a threshold value for the number of particles,

wherein the slope has a second slope value, and the y-axis intercept has a second intercept value when the number of particles is greater than the threshold value for the number of particles,

wherein the first slope value is positive, and the second slope value is negative, and

wherein the second intercept value is a linear function of the efficiency factor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the efficiency factor EffF_i for the ith spill is determined as follows

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the efficiency factor EffF is determined as follows

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the efficiency factor EffF is determined as follows

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the efficiency factor is improved when a total irradiation time is shortened by more than a prescribed timing threshold.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a maximum number of spills for the isoenergy layer.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising a maximum total irradiation time.

13. A device for determining and using an irradiation plan, the device comprising:

an input device;

a computer in communication with the input device;

an output device in communication with the computer; and

a particle irradiation system,

wherein the particle irradiation system is operable to irradiate a target volume within a test object with a particle beam as a function of the irradiation plan,

wherein the input device is operable to define the target volume and a predetermined dose distribution, and

wherein the computer is configured to determine the irradiation plan in order to apply energy of the particle beam in accordance with the predetermined dose distribution in the target volume, wherein the irradiation plan specifies a number of particles of a specific energy to be applied at a point in the target volume within the test object,

wherein the output device is configured to output the irradiation plan to the particle irradiation system, and

wherein the computer is configured to determine the irradiation plan as a function of a defined maximum irradiation time at an isoenergy layer in the target volume and as a function of an efficiency factor of the particle irradiation system, the efficiency factor being based on a ratio of a measured intensity of the particle irradiation system to an intensity of the particle irradiation system prescribed in the irradiation plan, and wherein the irradiation plan is determined such that the irradiation time is minimized.

14. A system comprising a device for determining and using an irradiation plan, the device comprising:

an input device;

a computer in communication with the input device;

an output device in communication with the computer; and

a particle irradiation system,

wherein the particle irradiation system is operable to irradiate a target volume within a test object with a particle beam as a function of the irradiation plan,

wherein the input device is operable to define the target volume and a predetermined dose distribution, and

wherein the computer is configured to determine the irradiation plan in order to apply energy of the particle beam in accordance with the predetermined dose distribution in the target volume, wherein the irradiation plan specifies a number of particles of a specific energy to be applied at a point in the target volume within the test object,

wherein the output device is configured to output the irradiation plan, and

wherein the computer is configured determine the irradiation plan as a function of a defined maximum irradiation time at an isoenergy layer in the target volume and as a function of an efficiency factor of the particle irradiation system, the efficiency factor being based on a ratio of a measured intensity of the particle irradiation system to an intensity of the particle irradiation system prescribed in the irradiation plan, and wherein the irradiation plan is determined such that the irradiation time is minimized.

15. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a program executable by a programmable controller of a particle irradiation system to determine and use an irradiation plan for the particle irradiation system, the program comprising instructions, the instructions comprising:

defining a target volume within a test object and a predetermined dose distribution;

determining the irradiation plan in order to apply an energy of a particle beam in accordance with the predetermined dose distribution in the target volume, wherein the irradiation plan specifies a number of particles of a specific energy to be applied at a point in the target volume within the test object; and

irradiating, with the particle irradiation system, the target volume within the test object with the particle beam as a function of the irradiation plan,

wherein the irradiation plan is determined as a function of a defined maximum irradiation time at an isoenergy layer in the target volume and as a function of an efficiency factor of the particle irradiation system, the efficiency factor being based on a ratio of a measured intensity of the particle irradiation system to an intensity of the particle irradiation system prescribed in the irradiation plan, and

wherein determining the irradiation plan comprises determining the irradiation plan such that the irradiation time is minimized.

16. A non-transitory electronically readable data carrier on which there is stored electronically readable control information configured such that when the non-transitory electronically readable data carrier is used in a controller of a particle irradiation system, the electronically readable control information determines and uses an irradiation plan for the particle irradiation system, the electronically readable control information comprising:

defining a target volume within a test object and a predetermined dose distribution;

determining the irradiation plan in order to apply an energy of a particle beam in accordance with the predetermined dose distribution in the target volume, wherein the irradiation plan specifies a number of particles of a specific energy to be applied at a point in the target volume within the test object; and

irradiating, with the particle irradiation system, the target volume within the test object with the particle beam as a function of the irradiation plan,

wherein the irradiation plan is determined as a function of a defined maximum irradiation time at an isoenergy layer in the target volume and as a function of an efficiency factor of the particle irradiation system, the efficiency factor being based on a ratio of a measured intensity of the particle irradiation system to an intensity of the particle irradiation system prescribed in the irradiation plan, and

wherein determining the irradiation plan comprises determining the irradiation plan such that the irradiation time is minimized.