Control apparatus for controlling radiotherapy irradiation system

• US 6,891,924 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2000
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoda, Kiyoshi, Aoki, Yukimasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruce, David V.
• Application Number:
  US09/521,217
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 378/64, 378/65, 378/901
• US Class Current: 378/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1031 using a specific method of dose optimization

Abstract

A control apparatus for a radiotherapy irradiation system in which a calculation time required for calculation to be performed after restrictions are modified is shortened. The control apparatus includes a unit for setting an initial solution indicating an initial irradiated beam weight, a unit for inputting restrictions according to a prescription, and a unit for setting an evaluation function under the restrictions. The control apparatus further includes a unit for iteratively calculating the evaluation function until the evaluation function is minimized and determining an irradiated beam weight optimizing irradiation, and unit for outputting an optimal solution indicating an optimal irradiated beam weight to the irradiation system. After restrictions are modified, a new evaluation function is set under the modified restrictions. An irradiated beam weight is then determined for optimizing irradiation. At this time, the initial solution setting unit adopts the previous optimal solution indicating an optimal irradiated beam weight, which is obtained before the restrictions are modified, as the initial solution indicating the initial irradiated beam weight.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for controlling a radiotherapy irradiation system, comprising:

an initial solution setting means for setting an initial solution indicating an initial irradiated beam weight;

restriction input means for inputting restrictions according to a prescription;

evaluation function setting means for setting an evaluation function under the restrictions;

iterative calculation means for iteratively calculating the evaluation function until the evaluation function is minimized and determining an irradiated beam weight optimizing irradiation; and

optimal solution output means for outputting an optimal solution indicating an optimal beam weight to the irradiation system,

wherein after the restrictions are modified, when setting an evaluation function under modified restrictions and determining an irradiated beam weight for optimizing irradiation, said initial solution setting means adopts the optimal solution indicating an optimal irradiated beam weight, obtained before the restrictions are modified, as an initial solution indicating the initial irradiated beam weight.

2. The control apparatus for controlling a radiotherapy irradiation system according to claim 1, wherein as the restrictions according to a prescription, a maximum absorbed dose and a maximum volume fraction to receive more than a predetermined dose are adopted for each normal tissue.

3. A control apparatus for controlling a radiotherapy irradiation system, comprising:

an initial solution setting means for setting an initial solution indicating an initial irradiated beam weight;

restriction input means for inputting restrictions according to a prescription;

evaluation function setting means for setting an evaluation function under the restrictions;

iterative calculation means for iteratively calculating the evaluation function until the evaluation function is minimized and determining an irradiated beam weight optimizing irradiation;

an optimal solution output means for outputting an optimal solution indicating an optimal irradiated beam weight to the irradiation system; and

restriction modifying means for judging from a dose distribution, which expresses or distribution of doses in relation to the optimal irradiated beam weight, whether the restrictions are satisfied relative to each human tissue, automatically modifying the restrictions when the restrictions are found unsatisfied relative to a human tissue, and instructing optimization of irradiation.

4. The control apparatus for controlling a radiotherapy irradiation system according to claim 3, wherein, after modifying the restrictions, when setting a new evaluation function under modified restrictions and determining an irradiated beam weight for optimizing irradiation, said restriction modifying means adopts the optimal solution indicating an optimal irradiated beam weight obtained before the restrictions are modified, as an initial solution indicating the initial irradiated beam weight.

5. The control apparatus for controlling a radiotherapy irradiation system according to claim 3, wherein as the restrictions according to a prescription, a maximum absorbed dose and a maximum volume fraction to receive more than a predetermined dose are adopted for each normal tissue.

6. The control apparatus for controlling a radiotherapy irradiation system according to claim 4, wherein as the restrictions according to a prescription, a maximum absorbed dose and a volume fraction to receive more than a predetermined dose are adopted for each normal tissue.

7. The control apparatus for controlling a radiotherapy irradiation system according to claim 3, wherein said restriction modifying means automatically modifies restrictions, which are a maximum absorbed dose and a maximum volume fraction to receive more than a predetermined dose, when at least one of the restrictions is found unsatisfied relative to a normal tissue, and simultaneously modifies both the restrictions that are the maximum absorbed dose and the maximum volume fraction to more than the predetermined dose.

8. The control apparatus for controlling a radiotherapy irradiation system according to claim 4, wherein said restriction modifying means automatically modifies restrictions, which are a maximum absorbed dose and a volume ratio at which a volume dose is at least equal to a predetermined dose, when at least one of the restrictions is found unsatisfied relative to a normal tissue, and thus simultaneously modifies both restrictions that are the maximum absorbed dose and the maximum volume fraction to more than the predetermined dose.

9. The control apparatus for controlling a radiotherapy irradiation system according to claim 5, wherein said restriction modifying means automatically modifies restrictions, which are a maximum absorbed dose and a volume ratio at which a volume dose is at least equal to a predetermined dose, when at least one of the restrictions is found unsatisfied relative to a normal tissue, and thus simultaneously modifies both restrictions that are the maximum absorbed dose and the maximum volume fraction to more than the predetermined dose.

10. The control apparatus for controlling a radiotherapy irradiation system according to claim 6, wherein said restriction modifying means automatically modifies restrictions, which are a maximum absorbed dose and a maximum volume fraction to receive more than a predetermined dose, when at least one of the restrictions is found unsatisfied relative to a normal tissue, and simultaneously modifies both restrictions that are the maximum absorbed dose and the maximum volume fraction to more than the predetermined dose.

11. A control apparatus for controlling a radiotherapy irradiation system, comprising:

initial solution setting means for setting an initial solution indicating an initial irradiated beam weight;

restriction input means for inputting restrictions according to a prescription;

evaluation function setting means for setting an evaluation function under the restrictions;

iterative calculation means for iteratively calculating the evaluation function until the evaluation function is minimized and determining an optimal irradiated beam weight optimizing irradiation; and

optimal solution output means for outputting an optimal solution indicating an optimal irradiated beam weight to said irradiation system,

wherein a restriction weight r_i (i=0, 1, . . . ,n) to be input as one of the restrictions for each human tissue is divided by volume V_i of the human tissue, and regarded as a new restriction weight in order to calculate the evaluation function, where i=0 refers to a tumor while each of i=1, . . . ,n refers to respective normal organs at risk.