Real-Time Radiation Treatment Planning Interface

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current radiation treatment planning systems face significant computational lag when modifying parameters, leading to delayed user feedback and comprehension of changes in radiation dosing, which hampers the optimization process.

Innovation Solution

A real-time user interface apparatus and method utilizing a control circuit that accesses multiple radiation treatment plans, presents dose volume histograms, and allows users to interactively modify these plans by varying weighting factors and adjusting user-interactive indicators, enabling immediate visualization of dosing changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If computational calculations are performed for radiation treatment plan modifications, then treatment plan accuracy is improved, but calculation time increases causing user feedback delay

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment plan accuracyVSAvoiduser feedback delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calculations by pre-computing dose volume histogram data for multiple treatment plans before user interaction. When users modify parameters, the system combines pre-computed data through weighted summation rather than performing complete recalculations, thus maintaining accuracy while eliminating computational lag.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The treatment planning process is segmented into pre-computation phase (generating dose volume histograms for individual plans) and real-time combination phase (weighted summation of pre-computed plans). This segmentation allows computationally intensive tasks to be performed in advance, while user interactions only require lightweight combination operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If multiple radiation treatment plans are combined and modified in real-time, then user interaction efficiency is improved, but computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interaction efficiencyVSAvoidcomputational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes parameters by using weighting factors to combine pre-computed treatment plans. Instead of complex real-time optimization, users adjust weights of existing plans, and the system performs weighted summation of dose volume histograms. This parameter-based approach maintains interaction efficiency while avoiding complex computational operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If iterative alterations to operating parameters are performed, then treatment plan optimization is improved, but time required for comprehension of changes increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment plan optimizationVSAvoidtime for comprehension of changes

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides immediate visual feedback by displaying updated dose volume histograms in real-time as users adjust parameters or weighting factors. This instantaneous feedback loop allows users to comprehend changes immediately without waiting for iterative recalculation cycles, while still achieving optimized treatment plans through guided exploration of parameter space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11235172B2Radiation treatment planning real-time user interface

Publication Date: 2022.02.01 VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC

AI summary

A control circuit carries out various actions to facilitate speedy user interaction involving adjustments to radiation dosing that corresponds to a particular mixed radiation treatment plan. These actions can include remixing particular multi-criteria optimization radiation treatment plans.