Trajectory optimization using dose estimation and conflict detection

A method of radiation treatment planning comprising:

• determining, by one or more processors, an estimate of a radiation dose distribution within an anatomical region of a patient;
• determining, by the one or more processors using the estimate of the radiation dose distribution, an objective function defined within the anatomical region of the patient in terms of the estimate of the radiation dose distribution and patient specific data;
• determining, by the one or more processors, for each radiation beam orientation of a plurality of radiation beam orientations, a corresponding conflict severity value using the objection function, the corresponding conflict severity value indicative of a severity of violating one or more clinical goals if the anatomical region of the patient is radiated according to the radiation beam orientation;
• and
• determining, by the one or more processors, using conflict severity values corresponding to the plurality of radiation beam orientation, a sequence of radiation beam orientations among the plurality of radiation beam orientations representing a treatment path.

A radiation treatment planning system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• a non-transitory memory to store computer code instructions, the computer code instructions when executed cause the one or more processors to:
• determine an estimate of a radiation dose distribution within an anatomical region of a patient;
• determine, using the estimate of the radiation dose distribution, an objective function defined in terms of the estimate of the radiation dose distribution and patient specific data;
• determine, for each radiation beam orientation of a plurality of radiation beam orientations, a corresponding conflict severity value using the objection function, the corresponding conflict severity value indicative of a severity of violating one or more clinical goals if the anatomical region of the patient is radiated according to the radiation beam orientation;
• and
• determine, using conflict severity values corresponding to the plurality of radiation beam orientations, a sequence of radiation beam orientations among the plurality of radiation beam orientations representing a treatment path.

A computer-readable medium including computer code instructions stored thereon, the computer code instructions when executed cause one or more processors to:

• determine an estimate of a radiation dose distribution within an anatomical region of a patient;
• determine, using the estimate of the radiation dose distribution, an objective function defined within the anatomical region of the patient in terms of the estimate of the radiation dose distribution and patient specific data;
• determine, for each radiation beam orientation of a plurality of radiation beam orientations, a corresponding conflict severity value using the objection function, the corresponding conflict severity value indicative of a severity of violating one or more clinical goals if the anatomical region of the patient is radiated according to the radiation beam orientation;
• and
• determine, using conflict severity values corresponding to the plurality of radiation beam orientations, a sequence of radiation beam orientations among the plurality of radiation beam orientations representing a treatment path.