Systems and methods for global optimization of treatment planning for external beam radiation therapy

• US 20030138077A1
• Filed: 01/13/2003
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Lee, Eva K.
• Granted Patent: US 6,741,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1031 using a specific method of dose optimization
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 378/901 Computer tomography program or processor

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing an optimal treatment plan for delivering a prescribed radiation dose to a predefined target volume within a patient using an external beam radiation delivery unit are provided. The systems have an interface which is adapted to receive information related to a prescribed radiation dose, a predefined target volume within a patient, and parameters associated with an external beam delivery unit. The systems also have a treatment plan modeling processor which is adapted to receive all of the input data and develop a dose calculation optimization model defining a global system. The systems also have an optimization processor which is adapted to determine an optimal treatment plan based on the dose calculation optimization model and all the input data. The methods involve (1) receiving information related to the prescribed radiation dose, the predefined target volume, and parameters associated with the external beam delivery unit, (2) developing a dose calculation optimization model based on a plurality of variables corresponding to the information which define a global system, and (3) outputting an optimal treatment plan based on the dose calculation optimization model and the information.

Claims

1. A method of providing an optimal treatment plan for delivering a prescribed radiation dose to a predefined target volume within a patient using an external beam radiation delivery unit, comprising:

a. receiving information related to (1) the prescribed radiation dose, (2) the predefined target volume, and (3) a plurality of parameters associated with the external beam delivery unit;

b. developing a dose calculation optimization model based on a plurality of variables corresponding to the information which define a global system; and

c. producing an optimal treatment plan based on the dose calculation optimization model and the information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of variables corresponding to the information is a 0/1 indicator variable.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein developing a dose calculation optimization model involves constraining at least one of the plurality of variables corresponding to the information within a predefined limit.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein outputting the optimal treatment plan is further based on a predefined clinical objective.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the external beam delivery unit is a conventional linear accelerator used in arcing radiosurgery and the plurality of variables corresponding to the information includes (1) a target point location variable t, (2) a collimator size variable C, (3) a gantry initial angle variable θ

_i, (4) a gantry end angle variable θ

_e, (5) a couch angle variable φ

, (6) a predefined target volume point variable P, and (7) an arc variable α

being a function of t, C, θ

_i, θ

_e, φ and

the predefined clinical objective comprises the expression;

Minimize

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the optimal treatment plan to a visual evaluation system where information related to the optimal treatment plan may be displayed.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising implementing the optimal treatment plan on the patient using the external beam delivery unit.

8. A system for providing an optimal treatment plan for delivering a prescribed radiation dose to a predefined target volume within a patient using an external beam delivery unit, comprising:

a. a means for receiving information related to (1) the prescribed radiation dose, (2) the predefined target volume, and (3) a plurality of parameters associated with the external beam delivery unit;

b. a means for developing a dose calculation optimization model based on a plurality of variables corresponding to the information which define a global system; and

p1 c. a means for determining an optimal treatment plan based on the dose calculation optimization model and the information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of variables corresponding to the information is a 0/1 indicator variable.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the dose calculation optimization model contains constraints on at least one of the plurality of variables corresponding to the information within a predefined limit.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for determining an optimal treatment plan is further adapted to incorporate a predefined clinical objective.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the external beam delivery unit is a conventional linear accelerator used in arcing radiosurgery and the plurality of variables corresponding to the information includes (1) a target point location variable t, (2) a collimator size variable C, (3) a gantry initial angle variable θ

_i, (4) a gantry end angle variable θ

_e, (5) a couch angle variable φ

, (6) a predefined target volume point variable P, and (7) an arc variable α

being a function of t, C, θ

_i, θ

_e, φ and

the predefined clinical objective comprises the expression;

Minimize

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising a means for visually evaluating the optimal treatment plan.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising a means for implementing the optimal treatment plans on the patient.

15. A system for providing an optimal treatment plan for delivering a prescribed radiation dose to a predefined target volume within a patient using an external beam radiation delivery unit, comprising:

a. an interface which is adapted to receive information related to (1) the prescribed radiation dose, (2) the predefined target volume, and (3) a plurality of parameters associated with the external beam delivery unit;

b. a treatment plan modeling module which is adapted to receive the information and develop a dose calculation optimization model containing a plurality of variables corresponding to the information which define a global system; and

c. a global optimization module which is adapted to determine an optimal treatment plan based on the dose calculation optimization model and the information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of variables corresponding to the information is a 0/1 indicator variable.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the dose calculation optimization model further contains constraints on at least one of the plurality of variables corresponding to the information within a predefined limit.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the dose calculation optimization model incorporates a predefined clinical objective.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the external beam delivery unit is a conventional linear accelerator used in arcing radiosurgery and the dose calculation optimization model includes (1) a target point location variable t, (2) a collimator size variable C, (3) a gantry initial angle variable θ

_i, (4) a gantry end angle variable θ

_e, (5) a couch angle variable φ

, (6) a predefined target volume point variable P, and (7) an arc variable α

being a function of t, C, θ

_i, θ

_e, φ and

the predefined clinical objective comprises the expression;

Minimize

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising a visual evaluation functionality which is adapted to display information related to the optimal treatment plan.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising the external beam delivery unit which is adapted to implement the optimal treatment plan on the patient.

22. A computer-readable medium having a computer program for use by an external beam delivery unit having a plurality of parameters to determine an optimal treatment plan for delivering a prescribed radiation dose to a predefined target volume within a patient, the computer-readable medium comprising:

a. a first portion of code which receives information related to (1) the prescribed radiation dose, (2) the predefined target volume, and (3) a plurality of parameters associated with the external beam delivery unit and which develops a dose calculation optimization model based on a plurality of variables corresponding to the information which define a global system; and

b. a second portion of code which receives the dose calculation optimization model and provides an optimal treatment plan.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein at least one of the plurality of variables corresponding to the information is a 0/1 indicator variable.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the dose calculation optimization model constrains at least one of the plurality of variables corresponding to the information within a predefined limit.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the dose calculation optimization model incorporates a predefined clinical objective.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the wherein the external beam delivery unit is a conventional linear accelerator used in arcing radiosurgery and the plurality of variables corresponding to the information includes (1) a target point location variable t, (2) a collimator size variable C, (3) a gantry initial angle variable θ

_i, (4) a gantry end angle variable θ

_e, (5) a couch angle variable φ

, (6) a predefined target volume point variable P, and (7) an arc variable a being a function of t, C, θ

_i, θ

_e, φ and

the predefined clinical objective comprises the expression;

Minimize