Patent ID: 8471224
Filing Date: 2013-06-25
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. A method for determining a path of a particle beam through a 3D planning treatment volume (PTV), wherein the PTV includes a set of slices in a depth order, wherein each slice includes a set of locations, comprising the steps of: defining X, Y, and Z direction for the particle beam, wherein movement along the X direction is faster than movement along the Y direction, and movement along the Y direction is faster than along the Z direction; constructing independently tours, wherein the constructing of each tour further comprises: grouping, for each slice, the set of locations into a set of lines along the X direction, wherein each line is a straight line and includes a starting location and an ending location; connecting along the Y direction, for each slice, each line to one or two other lines, wherein the two lines are connected to either the starting location or the ending location of the each line, and the ending location is connected to the starting location to form each tour; and connecting the tours through the slices in the Z direction to form the path of the particle beam, wherein the constructed and connected tours minimize a time for the particle beam to traverse the path to deliver a prescribed dose, and wherein the steps are performed in a processor.