An in depth examination of many of the complex issues associated with planning and optimisation of intensity modulated radiotherapy treatment. It includes: a presentation of current practice, techniques and equipment used by medical physicists and others to deliver radiotherapy treatment; a systems modelling approach in the formulation of a beam model for optimisation, describing the effect of X-rays on human body tissues; a deterministic approach to the inverse problem in radiotherapy, based on weighted iterative least squares is modified to allow an adaptive scaling of the error to improve the performance of a general least squares algorithm; a guided random search methodology, based on genetic algorithms which is aimed at solving multi-objective optimisation problems is developed to optimise beam weight/wedge angle as well as coplanar beam orientation; the overall approach developed is demons trated practically using both traditional and modern measurement techniques.

Covers all the new system approaches and complex issues surrounding the subject Has a wide appeal, and will be relevant for all those involved in the industry Has many ideas for further research and development on the topic

Inhalt

1. Introduction and Brief Review of Developments in Radiotherapy.- 1.1 Introduction.- 1.2 Historical Review of Developments in Radiotherapy.- 1.3 Radiotherapy Treatment Planning Procedures.- 1.4 Background to the Optimisation of Radiotherapy Treatment Plans.- 1.5 Optimisation in Radiotherapy: A Brief Review.- 1.6 Concluding remarks.- 2. Beam Characteristics and Preliminary Modelling Considerations.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Need for an Appropriate Model Structure.- 2.3 Preliminary Physical Consideration.- 2.4 Typical Beam Characteristics.- 2.5 Concept of Primary Modelling and Scatter Phenomenon.- 2.6 Concluding Remarks.- 3. Formulation of Matrix Based Beam Model.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Parallel Pencil Beam Model Formulation.- 3.3 Divergent Pencil Beam Matrix Formulation.- 3.4 Inclusion of In-Air-Profile, Penumbra and Patient Contour Correction.- 3.5 Verification and Tuning of Developed Beam Model.- 3.6 Concluding Remarks.- 4. Solving the Inverse Problem in Radiotherapy Treatment Planning.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Definition of the Inverse Problem.- 4.3 Formulating the Inverse Problem for Matrix Based Beam Model.- 4.4 Articulation of the Objectives.- 4.5 Improving the Rate of Convergence of the Algorithm.- 4.6 Simulation Studies.- 4.7 Concluding remarks.- 5. Hybrid Genetic Algorithms Applied to Radiotherapy Treatment Planning.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Genetic Algorithms.- 5.3 Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithms.- 5.4 Optimisation of Coplanar Beam Orientation in Radiotherapy.- 5.5 Optimisation of Beam Weights and Wedge Angles.- 5.6 Concluding Remarks.- 6. Experimental Verification of Overall Approach.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Optimisation of Conformal Radiotherapy Treatment.- 6.3 Modulating Beam Intensity with Compensators.- 6.4 Experimental Verification of Intensity ModulatedRadiation Therapy.- 6.5 Concluding remarks.- 7. Conclusions.- References.