Abstract: A method of generating a radiotherapy plan for ion therapy, wherein the beam (6) is shaped by means of passive devices is arranged to allow variation in settings of at least one of the passive devices and/or the MU during the delivery of the beam and to control the movement of the patient and/or the beam in such a way as to create an arc. The arc is preferably a continuous arc or includes at least one continuous sub-arc. The method may include forward planning or optimization. In the latter case, the optimization uses an optimization problem set up to allow variation in settings of at least one of the range modulating device (9), the aperture element (11) and the MU during the delivery of the arc. Computer programs control the planning and the delivery.

Abstract: A computer-based method of providing a set of selected spots for use in ion radiotherapy optimization is proposed, the method comprising the steps of defining a number of positions in the volume, each position corresponding to a possible Bragg peak location, the positions being defined to provide coverage of the volume, for each position, for at least one beam direction, performing a ray trace to determine characteristics of a potential spot in the beam that will place its Bragg peak in the position and for each position, selecting zero, one or more of the potential spots, based on the characteristics, and including the one or more selected spots in the set of selected spots. The set of selected spots may be used in treatment planning. The invention also relates to computer program products and a computer system for performing the methods.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to the field of radiation treatment. More specifically, the present disclosure generally relates to methods and radiation treatment systems for facilitating a multimodal radiation therapy treatment plan, in particular a multimodal radiation therapy plan employing a combined photon beam and electron beam radiation treatment. According to one example embodiment described in the disclosure, a method may comprise obtaining information related to a set of candidate beam types for the combined photon beam and electron beam radiation treatment; comparing the set of candidate beam types against a selection criterion to establish a subset of beam types from the candidate beam types; and generating the combined photon beam and electron beam radiation treatment plan utilizing the thus established subset of beam types.

Abstract: A computer-based method of optimizing a radiotherapy treatment plan for a patient is proposed, wherein a complete treatment comprising both external beam therapy and brachytherapy is optimized in one procedure using an optimization problem comprising an objective function designed to optimize the total dose distribution as a combination of a first dose distribution to be provided by a first radiation set and a second dose distribution to be provided by a second radiation set. One of the radiation sets is external beam radiotherapy and the other is brachytherapy. The optimization is based on a total desired dose for the whole treatment, images of the patient before the treatment starts and an estimated image of the patient after the first radiation set has been delivered.

Abstract: A computer-based method of optimizing a radiotherapy treatment plan for a patient is proposed, wherein a treatment plan to be provided by one radiation set is optimized taking into account a previously delivered dose delivered by a different radiation set. One of the radiation sets is external beam radiotherapy and the other is brachytherapy.

Abstract: It is provided a method for determining a distribution of spots for use with ion beam therapy for providing the spots in a target volume, wherein each spot represents a collection of ions of a specific energy level and of a specific size at a specific lateral location. The method is performed in a treatment planning system and comprises the steps of: dividing the target volume in a plurality of target sections based on a user configuration comprising at least one spot size strategy defining a maximum spot size at the location of a Bragg peak; assigning a spot size strategy to each one of the target sections based on the location of the respective target section; and determining, within each target section, spots in accordance with its spot size strategy.

Abstract: A method of optimizing a radiation treatment plan of ion treatment, in which the optimization procedure is interrupted, some but not all low-weight spots are discarded and the optimization procedure is resumed with a reduced set of spots. The weight of one or more remaining spots may be increased before resuming the optimization procedure, for example by adding the spot weight of one or more of the discarded spots to one or more of the remaining spots.

Abstract: A system for determining a treatment plan in active ion beam treatment, to minimize unwanted dose, while maintaining or improving target dose coverage, whereby a beam is split into at least two sub-beams and where each sub-beam has a range shifter of different settings.

Abstract: It is provided a method for determining ripple filter settings for an ion therapy beam being capable of providing ions of different energy levels to a target volume. The method is performed in a treatment planning system and comprises the steps of: determining at least one beam direction to use to cover a target volume; and assigning a ripple filter setting to each one of a plurality of sub-beams of each one of the at least one beam direction such that each sub-beam is assigned a different ripple filter setting, wherein each ripple filter setting results in a different effect on a Bragg-peak width in a direction along the ion therapy beam, and each energy level is assigned to one of the plurality of sub-beams. The step of assigning a ripple filter setting comprises optimising based on different filter settings for different sub-beams for each beam direction.

Abstract: A method of radiotherapy treatment planning for creating a plan for delivery of radiation to a patient in at least one particle-based arc is proposed. The delivery time for the plan is reduced by including a penalty in the objective function, designed to limit the number of energy layers and/or the number of energy layer changes.

Abstract: A method of optimizing the use of resources in treatment planning involving more than one radiation set delivered to one or more patients, the radiation sets requiring different resources, respectively, wherein the optimization is performed using an optimization problem comprising an optimization function related to the first and second sets of resources. The method may be used for optimizing one plan for one patient, or a number of plans for different patients, in such a way that the available resources are used in the best possible way.

Abstract: A method of generating a radiotherapy plan for ion therapy, wherein the beam (6) is shaped by means of passive devices is arranged to allow variation in settings of at least one of the passive devices and/or the MU during the delivery of the beam and to control the movement of the patient and/or the beam in such a way as to create an arc. The arc is preferably a continuous arc or includes at least one continuous sub-arc. The method may include forward planning or optimization. In the latter case, the optimization uses an optimization problem set up to allow variation in settings of at least one of the range modulating device (9), the aperture element (11) and the MU during the delivery of the arc. Computer programs control the planning and the delivery.

Abstract: An ion-based radiotherapy plan for passive delivery of one or more beams (7) uses an optimization problem set up to allow variation in settings of the range modulating device, and/or settings of the aperture element during the delivery of the first beam, so that said plan will include modulation of the fluence of the beam during the delivery of the beam. The optimization problem is set up to allow variation of the settings of an aperture element (11), a range modulating device (9) during delivery of each beam, so that said plan will include modulation in depth of the beam during the delivery of the beam.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to the field of radiation treatment. More specifically, the present disclosure generally relates to methods and radiation treatment systems for facilitating a multimodal radiation therapy treatment plan, in particular a multimodal radiation therapy plan employing a combined photon beam and electron beam radiation treatment. According to one example embodiment described in the disclosure, a method may comprise obtaining information related to a set of candidate beam types for the combined photon beam and electron beam radiation treatment; comparing the set of candidate beam types against a selection criterion to establish a subset of beam types from the candidate beam types; and generating the combined photon beam and electron beam radiation treatment plan utilizing the thus established subset of beam types.

Abstract: According to a first aspect, it is presented a method for determining a treatment plan comprising a distribution of spots for use with ion beam therapy for providing the spots in a target volume. The method comprises the steps of: selecting energy layers to be used in the treatment plan; determining a number of spot sizes to use; generating, for each energy layer, one copy of the energy layer for each spot size to use and populating each copy with spots of the spot size for that copy; optimizing spots of all copies of all energy layers, by repeatedly varying a weight of at least a subset of the spots and calculating an effect on a performance measurement, wherein the performance measurement is calculated by combining a plurality of evaluation criteria, comprising a first criterion related to total treatment time and a second criterion related to a desired dose distribution.

Abstract: It is provided a method for determining ripple filter settings for an ion therapy beam being capable of providing ions of different energy levels to a target volume. The method is performed in a treatment planning system and comprises the steps of: determining at least one beam direction to use to cover a target volume; and assigning a ripple filter setting to each one of a plurality of sub-beams of each one of the at least one beam direction such that each sub-beam is assigned a different ripple filter setting, wherein each ripple filter setting results in a different effect on a Bragg peak width in a direction along the beam, and each energy level is assigned to one of the plurality of sub-beams. The step of assigning a ripple filter setting comprises optimizing based on different filter settings for different sub-beams for each beam direction.

Abstract: A method of radiotherapy treatment planning for creating a plan for delivery of radiation to a patient in at least one particle-based arc is proposed. The delivery time for the plan is reduced by including a penalty in the objective function, designed to limit the number of energy layers and/or the number of energy layer changes.

Abstract: An optimization method for a radiotherapy plan using robust optimization to handle different scenarios that may occur during one treatment session because of patient movement. The optimization is based on the period and amplitude of the movement, the starting point of the treatment session within a period and the delivery time structure.

Abstract: It is provided a method for determining a distribution of spots for use with ion beam therapy for providing the spots in a target volume, wherein each spot represents a collection of ions of a specific energy level and of a specific size at a specific lateral location. The method is performed in a treatment planning system and comprises the steps of: dividing the target volume in a plurality of target sections based on a user configuration comprising at least one spot size strategy defining a maximum spot size at the location of a Bragg peak; assigning a spot size strategy to each one of the target sections based on the location of the respective target section; and determining, within each target section, spots in accordance with its spot size strategy.

Abstract: According to a first aspect, it is presented a method for determining a treatment plan comprising a distribution of spots for use with ion beam therapy for providing the spots in a target volume. The method comprises the steps of: selecting energy layers to be used in the treatment plan; determining a number of spot sizes to use; generating, for each energy layer, one copy of the energy layer for each spot size to use and populating each copy with spots of the spot size for that copy; optimizing spots of all copies of all energy layers, by repeatedly varying a weight of at least a subset of the spots and calculating an effect on a performance measurement, wherein the performance measurement is calculated by combining a plurality of evaluation criteria, comprising a first criterion related to total treatment time and a second criterion related to a desired dose distribution.