Radiotherapy Workflow Parallelization for Faster Adaptive Treatment

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional online adaptive radiotherapy workflows are time-consuming due to the sequential execution of patient fixation, imaging, contour creation, treatment planning, and irradiation processes.

Innovation Solution

A workflow management system that executes multiple processes in parallel, including displaying patient image results and requesting operator input, and performing calculations concurrently, to reduce treatment time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If online adaptive treatment is implemented with sequential execution of patient fixation, imaging, contour creation, treatment planning, and irradiation, then treatment accuracy is improved, but treatment time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment accuracyVSAvoidtreatment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by executing the second calculation (treatment planning creation) in advance during the operator's review period. While the operator is reviewing the first calculation results and providing input, the system simultaneously processes the second calculation, so that when the operator's input is received, the treatment planning is already prepared or nearly prepared, eliminating sequential waiting time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuity of useful action by overlapping multiple processes that can run concurrently. The first module displays results and requests operator input, while the second module simultaneously executes calculations. This parallel execution ensures that computational resources continue to perform useful work during the operator review period, rather than idle waiting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Reliability

If multiple processes are executed sequentially to ensure proper operator review and input, then treatment quality is maintained, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment qualityVSAvoidtreatment throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by executing the second calculation (treatment planning creation) in advance during the operator's review period. While the operator is reviewing the first calculation results and providing input, the system simultaneously processes the second calculation, so that when the operator's input is received, the treatment planning is already prepared or nearly prepared, eliminating sequential waiting time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the workflow by allowing flexible parallel execution of processes. The first process (display and operator input) and second process (calculation execution) can run concurrently when resources are available, but the system maintains the ability to sequence them appropriately based on real-time conditions, ensuring both quality and efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12582841B2Workflow management system, radiotherapy system, and workflow management method

Publication Date: 2026.03.24 HITACHI HIGH TECH CORP

AI summary

A time required for online adaptive treatment is reduced with a workflow management system that executes a plurality of processes for radiotherapy according to a predetermined workflow. The plurality of processes include at least a first process and a second process, and the workflow management system executes the following modules, in parallel, including a first module that is included in the first process, displays a result of a first calculation based on a patient image captured during treatment by an imaging apparatus that captures a predetermined region of a patient, and requests an input from an operator; and a second module that is included in the second process, and executes a second calculation based on the patient image during the treatment.