Iso-Dose Line Prescription for Brain Metastases Radiotherapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for multiple brain metastases treatment planning lack support for iso-dose line prescriptions and risk structure sparing, limiting dose prescription to a single value and failing to control dose constraints effectively, especially for vital organs.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that acquires patient and target data, determines beam shaping device configurations, and optimizes treatment plans using iso-dose line prescriptions and risk structure sparing, allowing for dynamic conformal arcs with adjustable margins and arc-weights to ensure precise dose delivery to metastases while minimizing dose to normal tissue and vital organs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single dose prescription value is used for multiple brain metastases, then the treatment planning process is simpler, but dose homogeneity across different metastases cannot be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the treatment planning into separate iso-dose line prescriptions for each metastasis target. Instead of applying a single dose value to all targets, the system allows independent dose specification for each metastasis, enabling precise control of dose homogeneity while maintaining manageable complexity through structured segmentation of the planning process.
2Device complexity
If dose constraints to risk structures are not controlled, then the treatment planning is less complex, but vital organs receive excessive radiation dose
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality control by allowing different dose constraints to be specified for different risk structures. Each vital organ can have its own dose limit parameters, enabling the system to protect sensitive structures with appropriate dose restrictions while maintaining overall treatment plan feasibility without excessive complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If iso-dose line prescriptions with multiple dose values are implemented, then dose homogeneity control is improved, but the treatment planning complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustability in the treatment planning system by allowing operators to specify multiple dose values for different iso-dose lines around each metastasis. The system dynamically adapts the treatment plan based on these prescriptions, providing precise dose homogeneity control while managing complexity through automated optimization algorithms that adjust plan parameters in response to the specified dose requirements.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If risk structure sparing is implemented, then dose to vital organs is reduced, but the optimization process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining risk structures and their dose constraints before the optimization process begins. The system prepares the optimization framework with predetermined protective measures for vital organs, allowing the optimization algorithm to work within established boundaries rather than dealing with unconstrained complexity, thus reducing dose to vital organs while managing optimization complexity through pre-planned constraints.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a computer-implemented method of determining a treatment plan, encompassing acquiring patient image data, acquiring target data describing targets, acquiring position data describing control points which define one or more arcs, and determining target projection data which describes outlines of the target in a beam's-eye view. Margin data is acquired. For the outlines, margins are applied to determine auxiliary outlines. Beam shaping device data is determined describing configurations of the collimator leaves so that irradiation of the auxiliary outlines is enabled. Based on these configurations, the irradiation amount is simulated for voxels of the patient image data. Constraints to be fulfilled by the treatment plan may be set. Configurations of blockings, arc-weights and margins are proposed. Only different combinations of these parameters are proposed while additional possible parameters are neglected. An optimization algorithm is used to minimize an objective function. The best configuration is selected as the treatment plan.