Radiation Treatment Planning With Adapted Maximum Dose Rate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiation therapy methods often operate at maximum radiation dose rates, leading to wasted energy, increased operational costs, and reduced component lifespan due to unnecessary strain, without adequately tailoring the treatment to actual patient needs.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for radiation treatment planning that configures the radiation apparatus to use an adapted maximum radiation dose rate lower than the available maximum, optimizing energy consumption and component lifespan by adjusting the sequence of gun and modulator pulses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the radiation apparatus operates at the available maximum radiation dose rate, then the treatment time is reduced and productivity is improved, but energy consumption increases and components experience unnecessary strain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent determines the actual maximum radiation dose rate required for the specific treatment plan and configures the radiation apparatus to operate at this optimized dose rate rather than the available maximum. This parameter change reduces energy consumption while maintaining adequate treatment efficiency by matching the apparatus output to the actual clinical requirements.
2Speed
If the radiation apparatus operates at the available maximum radiation dose rate, then the treatment speed is improved, but the lifespan of electrical components is reduced due to increased strain
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes the radiation dose rate parameter to match the actual treatment requirements rather than operating at the maximum available capacity. This reduces the strain on electrical components such as the thyratron, extending their operational lifespan while maintaining adequate treatment speed through efficient dose rate matching.
3Loss of energy
If the radiation apparatus is configured to deliver a lower adapted maximum radiation dose rate, then energy consumption is reduced and operational costs are lowered, but the treatment duration may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent determines the actual maximum radiation dose rate required for the treatment plan and configures the apparatus to operate at this optimized level. This eliminates energy waste from operating at unnecessarily high dose rates while maintaining treatment duration within acceptable limits by matching the dose rate to the actual clinical needs.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a computer-implemented method, a computer-implemented apparatus, a system and a computer program product for radiation treatment planning comprising determining a radiation treatment plan comprising a number N, with N ≥ 1, of radiation sequences to be applied to a patient, each radiation sequence being associated with a radiation dose rate, determining a maximum radiation dose rate of the radiation treatment plan, the maximum radiation dose rate being associated with one of the N radiation sequences and configuring a radiation apparatus to apply an adapted maximum radiation dose rate in accordance with the determined maximum radiation dose rate, wherein the adapted maximum radiation dose rate is less than an available maximum radiation dose rate at the radiation apparatus.