Method for Biological Modulation of Radiation Therapy

• US 20110180731A1
• Filed: 01/20/2011
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (University of Wisconsin System)
• Original Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (University of Wisconsin System)
• Inventors: Welsh, James Sherman
• Granted Patent: US 8,613,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/492.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/103 Treatment planning systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1031 using a specific method of dose optimization

Abstract

A method for the biological modulation of external beam radiation therapy, in which the temporal and spatial patterning of imparted dose is modified to maximize the dose rate to the target volume while minimizing the dose rate to healthy tissues surrounding the target volume, is provided.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a radiation therapy system in order to deliver radiation to a planned target volume, the steps comprising:

a) obtaining an image of a subject;

b) identifying, in the obtained image of the subject, the planned target volume (PTV);

c) identifying, in the obtained image of the subject, normal tissues adjacent the PTV;

d) classifying each identified normal tissue adjacent the PTV;

e) selecting a prescribed dose to be imparted to the PTV;

f) determining, using the prescribed dose and information about a location and classification of each identified normal tissue and the identified PTV, a spatiotemporal dose rate distribution that maintains a selected dose rate to the PTV and a lower effective dose rate to the identified normal tissues, such that normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) is reduced; and

g) directing the radiation therapy system to irradiate the PTV according to the determined spatiotemporal dose rate distribution.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 in which the determined spatiotemporal dose rate distribution identifies an order in which a radiation source that forms a part of the radiation therapy system is to be moved through each of a plurality of gantry angles.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 in which the determined spatiotemporal dose rate distribution identifies a duration of time in which the radiation source delivers radiation to the subject at each of the plurality of gantry angles.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 in which the radiation therapy system is at least one of an x-ray therapy system, an electron therapy system, a gamma ray therapy radiation system, and a hadron therapy system.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 in which the radiation therapy system is at least one of an image-guided x-ray therapy system, an image-guided electron therapy system, and an image-guided gamma ray therapy system.

6. The method as recited in claim 4 in which the radiation therapy system is a tomotherapy system.

7. The method as recited in claim 4 in which the hadron therapy system is at least one of a proton beam therapy system, a heavy ion beam therapy system, and a neutron beam therapy system.

8. A method for producing a radiation therapy treatment plan, the steps comprising:

a) providing an image of a subject;

b) identifying, in the provided image of the subject, a planned target volume (PTV) that is to receive treatment;

c) identifying, in the provided image of the subject, normal tissues adjacent the PTV;

d) classifying each identified normal tissue adjacent the PTV;

e) selecting a prescribed dose to be imparted to the PTV; and

determining, using the prescribed dose and information about a location and classification of each identified normal tissue and the identified PTV, a radiation therapy treatment plan that, when employed by a radiation therapy system, maintains a selected dose rate to the PTV and a lower effective dose rate to the identified normal tissues such that normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) is reduced.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 in which step c) includes segmenting the provided image.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 in which step f) includes determining a spatiotemporal dose rate distribution.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 in which the spatiotemporal dose rate distribution determined in step f) defines an order in which a radiation source that forms a part of a radiation therapy system is to be moved through each of a plurality of treatment positions.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 in which each of the plurality of treatment positions define a position and an orientation of a radiation beam delivered by a radiation therapy system.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 in which the spatiotemporal dose rate distribution determined in step f) defines a duration of time during which a radiation therapy system delivers radiation to the subject at a given radiation treatment location.

14. The method as recited in claim 10 in which the spatiotemporal dose rate distribution determined in step f) defines a duration of time during which a radiation therapy system delivers radiation to the subject at a given radiation treatment location.