Varian Medical Systems International Ag

Janne Ilmari Nord

Sami P Siljamaki

Jarkko Yrjana Peltola

Laura Kristiina Korhonen

Jarkko Yrjänä Peltola

Esa Kuusela

Juha Kauppinen

Joona Hartman

Ramin Baghaie

María Cordero Marcos

Tuomas Erik Torsti

Sami P Siljamäki

Jukka Suominen

Jarkko Yriana Peltola

Marko Rusanen

Katja Marika Pesola

Patient data can be used to determine input values to different estimation functions for different treatment types. The estimation functions can each be used to estimate one or more outcome values for the respective treatment. A quality score can be determined using the outcome value(s). A first treatment plan having an optimal quality score can be identified, e.g., by displaying the treatment plans with the quality scores, which may correspond to the outcome values.

Decision support tool for choosing treatment plans

A dose prediction model can be determined for generating a dose distribution of a treatment plan for irradiating a target structure within a patient. Treatment plans from previous patients can be analyzed to determine D characteristic values to obtain a D dimensional point for each treatment plan. The treatment plans can be clustered based on the D dimensional points. The treatment plans of a cluster can then be used to determine a dose prediction model. A dose prediction model for patient can be selected from among multiple models. Characteristics about the patient can be used to determine a D dimensional point corresponding to the patient. The D-dimensional point can be used to select a model in comparison to D dimensional points of the models.

Automatic creation and selection of dose prediction models for treatment plans

Systems and methods for developing a treatment plan for irradiating a treatment volume within a patient are disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, control points used to calculate a dose of radiation delivered to the treatment volume may be combined to result in a smaller number of control points. The smaller number of control points may allow more efficient calculation of dose distributions resulting in a treatment plan that can be delivered to the patient earlier or may allow additional iterations of treatment plan optimization resulting in a more accurate dose distribution being delivered to the patient.

Dose calculation method for multiple fields

Systems and methods for generating a movement model that requires less storage space than movement models of the prior art are disclosed. This movement model may be based on x-ray images of a patient and may be configured for estimating movement of organs within the patient during medical treatment. The movement model comprises at least two deformation fields associated with strong time points and a plurality of interpolation parameters associated with weak time points. In contrast with the prior art, the stored movement model does not include deformation fields associated with all time points. Because interpolation parameters rather than deformation fields are associated with the weak time points, the movement model requires less storage than movement models of the prior art. The stored movement model is optionally used to calculate interpolation fields that can be used to model movement of a patient.

Compressed target movement model using interpolation

A method and system for providing intensity modulated radiation therapy to a moving target is disclosed. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a treatment plan for providing radiotherapy using a multi-leaf collimator ('MLC') comprises a plurality of sub-plans, each of which is optimized for a different phase of target movement. Movements of the treatment target are tracked in real time, and the choice of which sub-plan to implement is made in real time based on the tracked position of the target. Each of the sub-plans is preferably formulated to minimize interplay effects between target movements and MLC leaf movements, consistent with other planning goals. In addition, the sub-plans preferably include a predicted region corresponding to the next anticipated position of the target, in order to facilitate the transition to the next position.

Method and system for treating moving target

Systems and methods for providing radiosurgery treatment to a patient by combining methods from both traditional radiosurgery and radiotherapy are disclosed. A dose sufficient to kill tissue is applied to a target area while a steep drop off, or gradient, is provided at the border between the target area and adjacent areas so that other portions of the brain or nearby structures or organs are not damaged. The treatment plan is optimized by using both measures known in the art along with a new gradient index or curve that indicates the amount of the drop off at the border between the target area and the surrounding tissues.

Treatment plan optimization method for radiotherapy

A stochastic patient movement model and a dosage delivery plan are used to determine probabilities of dosages received by a target volume during a radiation treatment. The stochastic patient movement model is created by identifying possible sequences of patient positions during the treatment with probabilities specified for each. The dosage delivery plan specifies dosage levels and radiation locations over time. Accumulated dosages are calculated for each sequence of patient positions and the dosage delivery plan. The specified probability for each sequence is then correlated to the accumulated dosage for that sequence.

Calculation of probable accumulated dosages based on patient movement

A treatment planning method and system for optimizing a treatment plan used to irradiate a treatment volume including a target volume, such as a tumor, is disclosed. According to the method, two dose calculation algorithms are used to develop the optimized treatment plan. A first dose calculation algorithm is used to obtain substantially complete dose calculations and a second, incremental, dose calculation algorithm is used to make more limited calculations. The incremental calculations may be performed, for example, with less precision, less accuracy or less scope (e.g., focused on a specific subvolume within the treatment volume) in order to reduce the time required to achieve an optimized plan. Each of the dose calculation algorithms may be iterated a plurality of times, and different cutoff criteria can be used to limit the number of iterations in a given pass. A treatment planning system of the invention uses software for implementing the complete and incremental dose calculation algorithms. The method and system are especially useful for IMRT and arc therapy where treatment plan optimization is particularly challenging.

Treatment planning system and method for radiotherapy

Various embodiments of the invention include systems and methods for adapting a movement model based on an image captured during radiation treatment of a patient. The movement model may, for example, be used in radiotherapy to treat lung cancer. The movement model is typically based on a series of images of a patient captured over a period of time. The movement model and/or one or images included therein may be used to generate a reference image of the patient. The reference image is compared with an image of the patient optionally captured during treatment. The result of this comparison is used to adapt the movement model to conditions during the treatment.

Systems and methods for adapting a movement model based on an image

Treatment plan optimization method for radiosurgery

A method includes obtaining a first image, obtaining a second image, determining a deformation field using the first and second images, and determining a transformation matrix using the deformation field. A computer product having a set of instruction, an execution of which causes a process to be performed, the process comprising determining a deformation field using first and second images, and determining a transformation matrix using the deformation field. A system includes a computer-readable medium for storing a first image and a second image, and a processor configured to determine a deformation field using the first and second images, and determine a transformation matrix using the deformation field.

Radiation systems and methods using deformable image registration

An interactive method for radiation treatment planning is disclosed. The method applies to staged treatment planning algorithms, as used, for example, with arc therapy. It allows the user to hold the optimization algorithm at a stage in order to make adjustments to the objective function before advancing to the next stage. If adjustments are made, the user can revert to an earlier stage and re-run the optimization process using the adjusted objective function. While a hold is imposed, the treatment planning software may continue optimization at the current stage.

Interactive treatment plan optimization for radiation therapy

Methods for developing and using treatment plans with improved modulation for radiation therapy are disclosed. The methods involve adding an extra component to the patient-related objective function in order to make the optimization algorithm used to develop the treatment plan arrive at a solution with increased modulation. The extra component may take many forms. For example, the user may specify that the treatment plan favor solutions using a range of monitor units. The present invention is particularly useful in conjunction with radiotherapy systems having multileaf collimators for beam shaping, and in connection with advanced radiotherapy techniques, such as IMRT and arc therapy.

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Espoo, Finland

Janne Ilmari Nord