Dose coverage margin metric for evaluating radiotherapy treatment plans

A method for evaluating a radiotherapy treatment plan, the method comprising:

• generating a test margin based on a simulation of radiation emitted according to a treatment plan;
• calculating a coverage margin metric value by determining a difference between the test margin and a plan margin;
• and
• generating a notification that indicates whether the coverage margin metric value is within an acceptable range.

A method for determining whether to deliver a radiotherapy treatment plan, the method comprising:

• acquiring imaging data of a patient;
• generating a dose distribution by calculating a delivery radiation fluence using the acquired imaging data;
• generating a test margin using the generated dose distribution;
• calculating a coverage margin metric value by determining a difference between the test margin and a plan margin;
• and
• generating a notification that indicates whether the coverage margin metric value is within an acceptable range for delivering radiation according to the radiotherapy treatment plan.

A method for evaluating a radiotherapy treatment plan for irradiating a target region, the method comprising:

• measuring radiation emitted according to a radiotherapy treatment plan;
• generating a radiation plot of the measured radiation;
• generating a test coverage margin mask on the radiation plot by modifying a planned coverage margin mask;
• calculating a coverage margin metric value by determining a difference between the test coverage margin mask and the planned coverage margin mask;
• and
• generating a notification that indicates whether the coverage margin metric value is within an acceptable range.