Abstract: A control circuit configured as a multi-criteria optimizer generates a radiation therapy treatment plan. The circuit then determines a resultant dose distribution as a function of the radiation therapy treatment plan and presents, on a display, at least a part of that resultant dose distribution. The latter may comprise, for example, presenting at least one isodose line on the display. The control circuit then detects user manipulation of a user interface. By one approach, this manipulation does not include corresponding immediate movement of any part of the presented resultant dose distribution itself. In particular, the detected user manipulation does not result in dragged movement of an isodose line on the display.

Abstract: In the context of a multi-criteria optimization workspace, a control circuit provides a user opportunity to modify radiation treatment plan optimization objective values, wherein the optimization objectives include at least one of a radiation treatment plan complexity optimization objective and a radiation treatment delivery time optimization objective. These teachings then provide for the control circuit receiving input from the user comprising a change to at least one of these optimization objective values. By one approach the control circuit first accesses a prioritized list of clinical goals and automatically generates optimization objectives as a function of the prioritized list of clinical goals.

Abstract: A method is proposed for accurate and efficient modeling of head scatter phase space for treatments with dynamic jaws. Specifically, the method enables the efficient calculation of the head scatter phase space in case of a dynamic treatment where jaws and MLC leaves move during the delivery. In one embodiment, the invention can be used to calculate the head scatter contribution during final dose calculation of dynamic treatments. This novel method also enables an accurate calculation of the head scatter contribution from optimal fluence and from jaw positions without having to calculate the leaf sequence. In this embodiment, the invention can be used in optimization of large field IMRT treatments.

Abstract: A method is proposed for accurate and efficient modeling of head scatter phase space for treatments with dynamic jaws. Specifically, the method enables the efficient calculation of the head scatter phase space in case of a dynamic treatment where jaws and MLC leaves move during the delivery. In one embodiment, the invention can be used to calculate the head scatter contribution during final dose calculation of dynamic treatments. This novel method also enables an accurate calculation of the head scatter contribution from optimal fluence and from jaw positions without having to calculate the leaf sequence. In this embodiment, the invention can be used in optimization of large field IMRT treatments.