Adaptive Radiation Therapy Plan Generation via Parallel Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiation therapy plans fail to adapt to anatomical changes in tumors or surrounding tissues during treatment, risking healthy tissue exposure due to high radiation doses, and require rapid re-planning to maintain therapy efficacy.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for generating adaptive radiation therapy plans by performing image registration, determining regions of interest, and updating dose distributions in parallel, using processors to efficiently adjust treatment plans based on new imaging data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a conventional radiation therapy plan is used without adaptation, then the treatment plan can be generated quickly, but the healthy tissue is exposed to high radiation doses due to anatomical changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by acquiring images during treatment and performing image registration, ROI determination, and dose distribution calculation in advance before final plan approval. This allows the adaptive plan to be ready when needed, preventing healthy tissue exposure while maintaining quick delivery
Solution Approach 2:
The re-planning procedure is segmented into multiple parallel operations: image registration, ROI determination, dose distribution calculation, and plan optimization. These segmented tasks can execute simultaneously, reducing overall computation time and enabling rapid adaptive plan generation that protects healthy tissue
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a re-planning procedure is performed to adapt to anatomical changes, then healthy tissue exposure is reduced, but treatment delivery is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuity of useful action by performing multiple operations continuously in parallel rather than sequentially. Image registration, ROI determination, and dose calculation proceed simultaneously, eliminating idle time and ensuring rapid adaptive plan generation that does not delay treatment delivery
Solution Approach 2:
By performing image registration and dose distribution calculations in advance as preliminary actions, the system has the adaptive plan ready for immediate delivery, preventing treatment delays while still achieving the goal of reducing healthy tissue exposure through anatomical adaptation
3Productivity
If image registration and ROI determination are performed sequentially, then the processing is simpler to manage, but the adaptive plan generation takes longer
Solution Approach 1:
The processing operations are segmented into distinct modular tasks: image registration module, ROI determination module, and dose distribution module. Each module handles a specific function independently, making the complex parallel processing manageable while achieving rapid adaptive plan generation through simultaneous execution
Data Source
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AI summary
A method may include obtaining a first image related to one or more target objects generated by a first scan. The method may also include obtaining a first radiation therapy plan for treating the one or more target objects. The method may also include obtaining a second image related to the one or more target objects generated by a second scan. The second scan may be performed later than the first scan. The method may also include determining, based on the first radiation therapy plan, the first image, and the second image, a target radiation therapy plan to treat the one or more target objects. The target radiation therapy plan may be the first radiation therapy plan or a second radiation therapy plan associated with the second image, wherein at least a portion of the determining the target radiation therapy plan may be performed in parallel.