Single-arc dose painting for precision radiation therapy

Abstract

Provided herein are methods and systems for designing a radiation treatment for a subject using single arc dose painting. The methods and systems comprise an algorithm or a computer-readable product having the same, to plan the radiation treatment. The algorithm converts pairs of multiple leaf collimation (MLC) leaves to sets of leaf aperture sequences that form a shortest path single arc thereof where the pairs of MLC leaves each aligned to an intensity profile of densely-spaced radiation beams, and connects each single arc of leaf apertures to form a final treatment single arc. Also provided is a method for irradiating a tumor in a subject using single arc dose painting.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for designing a radiation treatment for a subject using single arc dose painting, comprising:
 providing an unconstrained optimization map which supplies intensity profiles of densely-spaced radiation beams; 
 aligning each intensity profile to a pair of multiple leaf collimation (MLC) leaves; 
 applying a shortest path algorithm to convert each pair of MLC leaves to a set of leaf aperture sequences, said set of leaf aperture sequences forming a shortest path single arc thereof; and 
 connecting each single arc of leaf apertures to form a final treatment single arc path, thereby designing the single arc dose painting radiation treatment; and 
 delivering a treatment dose of radiation to the subject during a single rotation along one or more of the final treatment single arc path. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 delivering wherein the treatment dose is a continuous dose of radiation delivered to the subject through each aperture during a the single rotation along one or more final treatment single arc paths. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 adjusting a shape of the aperture as a radiation dose delivery angle changes along the final treatment arc. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the paths of more than one single arc are non-coplanar. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the apertures sweep back and forth along the single arc path during delivery of the radiation dose. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein sequencing leaf apertures comprises one or more of a line segment approximation on component intensity profiles leaf position, weight optimization of apertures and optimization of leaf position and aperture weight. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the leaf aperture sequences in each set have one or both of a different starting or ending leaf aperture. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein a starting and ending position of a leaf aperture trajectory are fixed. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein multiple leaf collimation is dynamic. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 irradiating a tumor in a subject with the continuous dose of radiation through sets of multiple leaf collimation (MLC) aperture sequences during a single rotation along one or more of the treatment single arc paths. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 adjusting a shape of the aperture as a radiation dose delivery angle changes along the treatment single arc path. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 repeating the irradiation step during another rotation along the treatment single arc path(s). 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , wherein each set of MLC aperture sequences form a shortest path single arc thereof, said sets connected to form a shortest path treatment single arc. 
     
     
       14. A system for delivering radiation treatment using single arc dose painting, comprising in a radiation delivery device:
 a radiation source for generating a radiation beam; 
 a multiple leaf collimator having a plurality of leafs for shaping the a radiation beam; 
 structure for generating tangibly storing an algorithm enabling processor-executable instructions to generate an unconstrained optimization map of intensity profiles of densely-spaced radiation beams; 
 structure for aligning tangibly storing an algorithm enabling processor-executable instructions to align each intensity profile to a pair of multiple leaf collimation (MLC) leaves; and 
 structure for applying tangibly storing a shortest path algorithm, said shortest path algorithm converting enabling processor-executable instructions to convert each pair of MLC leaves to a set of leaf aperture sequences forming a shortest path single arc thereof, said shortest path algorithm and to further connecting connect each single arc of leaf apertures to form a final treatment single arc effective for single arc dose painting; and 
 a source of a dose of continuous radiation beams, varying radiation beams or both deliverable to the subject through each aperture during a single rotation along the final treatment single arc path. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , the shortest path algorithm further adjusting enabling processor-executable instructions to adjust a shape of the leaf aperture as a radiation dose delivery angle changes along the final treatment single arc. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the shortest path algorithm sequences enables processor-executable instructions to sequence leaf apertures via one or more of a line segment approximation on component intensity profiles leaf position, weight optimization of apertures or optimization of leaf position and aperture weight. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the multiple leaf collimator is dynamic. 
     
     
       18. A computer-readable medium tangibly storing an algorithm to determine a final single arc path for a single arc dose painting radiation treatment, said algorithm enabling processor-executable instructions to:
 convert pairs of multiple leaf collimation (MLC) leaves to sets of leaf aperture sequences that form a shortest path single arc thereof, said pairs of MLC leaves each aligned to an intensity profile of densely-spaced radiation beams; and   connect each single arc of leaf apertures to form a final treatment single arc.   
     
     
       19. The computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , said algorithm further enabling instructions to:
 adjust a shape of the leaf aperture as a radiation dose delivery angle changes along the final treatment single arc.   
     
     
       20. The computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the algorithm sequences leaf apertures via one or more of a line segment approximation on component intensity profiles leaf position, weight optimization of apertures or optimization of leaf position and aperture weight. 
     
     
       21. A method for designing a radiation treatment using a treatment arc comprising:
 accessing an optimization map that supplies intensity profiles wherein at least some of the intensity profiles differ from one another with respect to a plurality of radiation beams;   aligning specific ones of the intensity profiles to corresponding pairs of multiple leaf collimator (MLC) leaves;   determining via a shortest path algorithm, for at least one of the pairs of MLC leaves, a plurality of leaf aperture sequences corresponding to angular intervals as each comprise a part of the treatment arc and combining the plurality of leaf aperture sequences over the angular intervals to form a treatment arc;   developing a final treatment arc using the treatment arc; and   delivering a dose of radiation to a subject based upon the leaf aperture sequences while traversing the final treatment arc; wherein the dose of radiation comprises a continuous dose of radiation, a varying dose of radiation or both while traversing the final treatment arc.   
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21 wherein the plurality of radiation beams comprises a plurality of densely-spaced radiation beams. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 22 wherein the plurality of densely-spaced radiation beams are spaced no less than about ten degrees from one another. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 21, wherein delivering a continuous dose of radiation to the subject comprises, at least in part, sweeping MLC apertures back and forth along the final treatment arc. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 21 wherein determining a plurality of leaf aperture sequences comprises, at least in part, adjusting MLC aperture shapes as a radiation dose delivery angle changes along the treatment arc. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 21 wherein determining the plurality of leaf aperture sequences comprises one or more of a line segment approximation on component intensity profiles leaf position, weight optimization of apertures, and optimization of leaf position and aperture weight. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 21 wherein the plurality of leaf aperture sequences provide for dynamic multiple leaf collimation over the treatment arc. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 21 wherein the optimization map comprises, at least in part, fluence distribution. 
     
     
       29. A method for designing a radiation treatment comprising:
 accessing an optimization map that supplies intensity profiles wherein at least some of the intensity profiles differ from one another with respect to a plurality of radiation beams;   using the intensity profiles to develop a plurality of multiple leaf collimator aperture settings for use at various angles along a treatment arc;   determining via a shortest path algorithm a plurality of leaf aperture sequences from the plurality of multiple leaf collimator aperture settings;   using the plurality of leaf aperture sequences to form a radiation treatment plan to deliver a dose of radiation to a subject while dynamically adjusting a corresponding leaf collimator aperture based upon the plurality of leaf aperture sequences while traversing the treatment arc; and   delivering a dose of radiation to the subject while traversing the treatment arc using the radiation treatment plan; wherein the dose of radiation comprises a continuous dose of radiation, a varying dose of radiation or both while traversing the treatment arc via the radiation treatment plan.   
     
     
       30. The method of claim 29, wherein delivering the dose of radiation to the subject while dynamically adjusting a corresponding leaf collimator aperture comprises, at least in part, sweeping MLC apertures back and forth along the treatment arc. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim 29 wherein determining a plurality of leaf aperture sequences comprises, at least in part, adjusting MLC aperture shapes as a radiation dose delivery angle changes along the treatment arc. 
     
     
       32. A method for designing a radiation treatment using a treatment arc comprising:
 accessing an optimization map that supplies intensity profiles wherein at least some of the intensity profiles differ from one another with respect to a plurality of radiation beams;   determining via a shortest path algorithm a plurality of multiple leaf collimator aperture sequences corresponding to angular intervals as each comprise a part of the treatment arc and forming the treatment arc based at least in part on the plurality of leaf aperture sequences over the angular intervals to form a treatment arc that provides for sweeping a multiple leaf collimator aperture back and forth along a treatment arc; and   delivering a dose of radiation to a subject while sweeping the multiple leaf collimator aperture back and forth along the treatment arc; wherein the dose of radiation comprises a continuous dose of radiation, a varying dose of radiation or both along the treatment arc during delivery.   
     
     
       33. The method of claim 32 wherein the plurality of radiation beams comprises a plurality of densely-spaced radiation beams. 
     
     
       34. The method of claim 33 wherein the plurality of densely-spaced radiation beams are spaced no less than about ten degrees from one another. 
     
     
       35. A planning system for developing a radiation treatment to be administered via a radiation source for generating a plurality of radiation beams and a multiple leaf collimator having a plurality of leafs for shaping the radiation beams, the planning system comprising:
 structure tangibly storing an algorithm enabling processor-executed instructions to access an optimization map that supplies intensity profiles wherein at least some of the intensity profiles differ from one another with respect to the plurality of radiation beams;   structure tangibly storing an algorithm enabling processor-executed instructions to align specific ones of the intensity profiles to corresponding pairs of multiple leaf collimator (MLC) leaves;   structure tangibly storing a shortest path algorithm enabling processor-executed instructions to:
 determine, for at least one of the pairs of MLC leaves, a plurality of leaf aperture sequences corresponding to angular intervals as each comprise a part of the treatment arc; 
 combine the plurality of leaf aperture sequences over the angular intervals to form a treatment arc; and 
 develop a final treatment arc using the treatment arc; 
   a source of a continuous dose of radiation deliverable to a subject based upon the leaf aperture sequences while traversing the single treatment arc; and   a source of a varying dose of radiation deliverable to a subject based upon the leaf aperture sequences while traversing the single treatment arc.   
     
     
       36. The planning system of claim 35 wherein the plurality of radiation beams comprises a plurality of densely-spaced radiation beams. 
     
     
       37. The planning system of claim 36 wherein the plurality of densely-spaced radiation beams are spaced no less than about ten degrees from one another. 
     
     
       38. The planning system of claim 35, wherein the source of the continuous dose of radiation is configured to deliver the continuous dose of radiation by, at least in part, sweeping MLC apertures back and forth along the final treatment arc. 
     
     
       39. The planning system of claim 35 wherein the shortest path algorithm enables processor-executed instructions to, at least in part, adjust MLC aperture shapes as a radiation dose delivery angle changes along the treatment arc. 
     
     
       40. The planning system of claim 35 wherein the shortest path algorithm enables processor-executed instructions to use one or more of a line segment approximation on component intensity profiles leaf position, weight optimization of apertures, and optimization of leaf position and aperture weight. 
     
     
       41. The planning system of claim 35 wherein the plurality of leaf aperture sequences provide for dynamic multiple leaf collimation over the treatment arc. 
     
     
       42. The planning system of claim 35 wherein the optimization map comprises, at least in part, fluence distribution. 
     
     
       43. A planning system for developing a radiation treatment to be administered via a radiation source for generating a plurality of radiation beams and a multiple leaf collimator having a plurality of leafs for shaping the radiation beams, the planning system comprising:
 structure tangibly storing an algorithm enabling processor-executed instructions to access an optimization map that supplies intensity profiles wherein at least some of the intensity profiles differ from one another with respect to a plurality of radiation beams;   structure tangibly storing an algorithm enabling processor-executed instructions to use the intensity profiles to develop a plurality of multiple leaf collimator aperture settings for use at various angles along a treatment arc;   structure tangibly storing a shortest path algorithm enabling processor-executed instructions to determine a plurality of leaf aperture sequences using the plurality of multiple leaf collimator aperture settings and to use the plurality of leaf aperture sequences to form a radiation treatment plan to deliver a dose of radiation to a subject while dynamically adjusting a corresponding leaf collimator aperture based upon the plurality of leaf aperture sequences while traversing the single treatment arc; and   a source of a continuous dose of radiation, a varying dose of radiation or both deliverable to the subject while traversing the single treatment arc.   
     
     
       44. The planning system of claim 43 wherein the shortest path algorithm enables processor-executed instructions to deliver the dose of radiation to the subject by, at least in part, sweeping MLC apertures back and forth along the single treatment arc. 
     
     
       45. The planning system of claim 43 wherein the algorithm for determining a plurality of leaf aperture sequences determines the plurality of leaf aperture sequences by, at least in part, adjusting MLC aperture shapes as a radiation dose delivery angle changes along the treatment arc. 
     
     
       46. A planning system for developing a radiation treatment to be administered via a radiation source for generating a plurality of radiation beams and a multiple leaf collimator having a plurality of leafs for shaping the radiation beams, the planning system comprising:
 structure tangibly storing an algorithm enabling processor-executed instructions to access an optimization map that supplies intensity profiles wherein at least some of the intensity profiles differ from one another with respect to a plurality of radiation beams;   structure tangibly storing a shortest path algorithm enabling processor-executed instructions to:
 determine a plurality of multiple leaf collimator aperture sequences corresponding to angular intervals as each comprise a part of the treatment arc; and 
 form the treatment arc based at least in part on the plurality of leaf aperture sequences over the angular intervals to form a treatment arc that provides for sweeping a multiple leaf collimator aperture back and forth along the treatment arc; and 
   a source of a continuous dose of radiation, a varying dose of radiation or both deliverable to a subject while sweeping the multiple leaf collimator aperture back and forth along the treatment arc.   
     
     
       47. The planning system of claim 46 wherein the plurality of radiation beams comprises a plurality of densely-spaced radiation beams. 
     
     
       48. The planning system of claim 47 wherein the plurality of densely-spaced radiation beams are spaced no less than about ten degrees from one another.