Field Bounding Box for Dose Calculation Volume Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current radiation therapy treatment plan optimization process is time-consuming due to the extensive volume for which dose distribution is calculated at each iteration, leading to slow computation times.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves reducing the volume for which dose calculation/evaluation is performed by applying a field bounding box to crop the treatment volume at each radiation field, thereby minimizing the dose calculation volume and accelerating the optimization process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If dose distribution is calculated for the full treatment volume at each iteration, then measurement precision and reliability are maintained, but computation time becomes excessively long
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment volume is segmented into multiple sub-volumes based on radiation field geometry (bounding boxes). Each sub-volume corresponds to a specific radiation field's irradiation region. Dose calculation is performed separately for each sub-volume and then aggregated to obtain the total dose distribution, maintaining accuracy while reducing computational load per iteration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and calculates dose distribution only for the relevant sub-volumes that are actually affected by each radiation field, rather than calculating for the entire treatment volume. This extraction of necessary calculation regions eliminates redundant computations in areas not affected by the current field being optimized.
2Productivity
If the treatment volume is reduced for dose calculation, then computation time is reduced, but dose distribution accuracy may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The treatment volume is divided into field-specific sub-volumes using bounding boxes that precisely define each radiation field's irradiation region. This segmentation ensures that only the necessary portions of the treatment volume are included in calculations, maintaining accuracy for affected regions while excluding irrelevant areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The dose distributions calculated for individual field-specific sub-volumes are merged (summed) to reconstruct the complete dose distribution for the entire treatment plan. This combination ensures that the final dose distribution maintains full accuracy by aggregating contributions from all radiation fields.
3Reliability
If full treatment volume optimization is performed, then comprehensive dose distribution is achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming and tedious
Solution Approach 1:
The optimization process is segmented by radiation field, with each field's bounding box defining a separate sub-volume for calculation. This allows the optimization algorithm to work on smaller, manageable sub-problems sequentially or in parallel, significantly improving computational efficiency while maintaining overall plan quality through aggregation of results.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by calculating dose distribution only for the portions of the treatment volume that are actually affected by each radiation field. This avoids performing excessive calculations in regions that will not be influenced by the current field optimization, thereby improving efficiency without compromising the reliability of the final treatment plan.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for using a field bounding box to reduce the dose calculation volume in a treatment plan optimization process and thereby reduce the computation effort at each iteration of the optimization process.