Ray tracing for a detection and avoidance of collisions between radiotherapy devices and patient

Abstract

A tool for radiation therapy simulation or planning is disclosed which aids in avoiding collisions during treatment. Configurations of components including at least a radiation delivery device () and a patient () are generated. Each configuration defines positions of the components in a common coordinate system. For each configuration, proximities of pairs of components of the configuration are computed using ray tracing between three-dimensional surface models () representing the components of the pair. A collision is identified as any pair of components having a computed proximity that is less than a margin for the pair of components. Each identified collision is displayed on a display (), e.g. as a rendering. The simulations or planning may be used to verify deliverability of arc, 4Pi, or static therapy, to determine safety margins for collisions, to calculate and display realizable trajectories, and so forth.