Apparatus and Method for Optimizing a Brachytherapy Radiation Treatment Plan

• US 20140275713A1
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers International AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Varian Medical Systems International AG (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Bask, Joni, Taiminen, Toni
• Granted Patent: US 10,449,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1001 using radiation sources introduced into or applied onto the body; brachytherapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1031 using a specific method of dose optimization
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1038 taking into account previously administered plans applied to the same patient, i.e. adaptive radiotherapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1047 with movement of the radiation head during application of radiation, e.g. for intensity modulated arc therapy or IMAT
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1048 Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1064 for adjusting radiation treatment in response to monitoring

Abstract

A control circuit optimizes a brachytherapy radiation treatment plan for a patient target volume by defining a radiation-control structure that conformally surrounds the patient target volume and then automatically removes part, but not all, of the radiation-control structure to control consideration of radiation sources that are not disposed within the patient target volume. By one approach the control circuit selectively removes parts of the radiation-control structure as a function of the geometry as corresponds to placement of one or more of the radiation sources. For many application settings it serves well for the radiation-control structure to represent a radiation-avoidance area.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a control circuit configured to optimize a brachytherapy radiation treatment plan for a patient target volume by;

defining a radiation-control structure that surrounds the patient target volume;

automatically removing part, but not all, of the radiation-control structure to control consideration of radiation sources that are not disposed within the patient target volume.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the brachytherapy radiation treatment plan presumes pre-placement of a plurality of radiation sources with respect to the patient target volume.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the control circuit is configured to automatically remove part, but not all, of the radiation-control structure as a function, at least in part, of geometry as corresponds to placement of at least some of the plurality of radiation sources.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radiation-control structure represents a radiation-avoidance area.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the radiation-avoidance area presents non-uniform radiation-avoidance preferences.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the non-uniform radiation-avoidance preferences comprise a gradient of radiation-avoidance preferences.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is configured to control consideration of the radiation sources that are not disposed within the patient target volume when optimizing the brachytherapy radiation treatment plan for the patient target volume.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the control circuit is configured to optimize the brachytherapy radiation treatment plan for the patient target volume with respect to at least one of:

a number of radiation-source applicators;

placement of at least one radiation-source applicators;

placement of at least one radiation source;

a radiation-source strength;

dwell time for radiation source irradiation exposure.

9. A method comprising:

by a control circuit configured to optimize a brachytherapy radiation treatment plan for a patient target volume;

defining a radiation-control structure that conformally surrounds the patient target volume;

automatically removing part, but not all, of the radiation-control structure to control consideration of radiation sources that are not disposed within the patient target volume.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the brachytherapy radiation treatment plan presumes pre-placement of a plurality of radiation sources with respect to the patient target volume.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein automatically removing part, but not all, of the radiation-control structure comprises automatically removing part, but not all, of the radiation-control structure as a function, at least in part, of geometry as corresponds to placement of at least some of the plurality of radiation sources.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the radiation-control structure represents a radiation-avoidance area.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the radiation-avoidance area presents non-uniform radiation-avoidance preferences.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the non-uniform radiation-avoidance preferences comprise a gradient of radiation-avoidance preferences.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein controlling consideration of the radiation sources that are not disposed within the patient target volume comprises controlling consideration of the radiation sources that are not disposed within the patient target volume when optimizing the brachytherapy radiation treatment plan for the patient target volume.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein optimizing the brachytherapy radiation treatment plan for the patient target volume comprises optimizing the brachytherapy radiation treatment plan for the patient target volume with respect to at least one of:

a number of radiation-source applicators;

placement of at least one radiation-source applicators;

placement of at least one radiation source;

a radiation-source strength;

dwell time for radiation source irradiation exposure.

17. A non-transitory memory having computer instructions stored therein, which computer instructions cause a corresponding processor to:

define a radiation-control structure that conformally surrounds the patient target volume;

automatically remove part, but not all, of the radiation-control structure to control consideration of radiation sources that are not disposed within the patient target volume.