Treatment planning using multiple relative biological effectiveness (RBE) models

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a data structure stored thereon, the data structure comprising:

• a treatment plan component representing instructions which, when executed by a radiation delivery system, cause the system to carry out a treatment plan specifying a non-photon irradiation of a patient including a target volume, (TV);
• and
• a reporting component comprising reporting quantities relating to each of:
• a first plan goal in terms of a first numerical condition on the treatment plan's photon-equivalent dose as defined by a first relative biological effectiveness, (RBE), factor in accordance with a first RBE model, and
• a second plan goal in terms of a second numerical condition on the treatment plan's photon-equivalent dose as defined by a second, different RBE factor in accordance with a second RBE model, the first and second RBE models defining different photon-equivalent dose relationships,
• wherein at least one of the following options holds:
• the first and second plan goals apply to volumes which either are included in the TV or are completely or partially separate from the TV, wherein either the volumes coincide or one is a subset of the other;
• the first and second RBE factors are variable, and
• wherein the treatment plan is used to deliver therapeutic radiation to a patient.