Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A radiotherapeutic apparatus for delivering a prescribed dose of radiotherapeutic radiation to a target region of patient tissue, wherein an image depicting patient anatomical data of at least the target region has been acquired and the prescribed dose has been mapped onto the image as a desired dose distribution to be achieved in the target region, the radiotherapeutic apparatus comprising:a source configured to produce a directable beam of therapeutic radiation; anda controller configured to:determine at least one beam angle corresponding to a direction from which the radiotherapeutic radiation is to be delivered from the source to the target region;create a mask for each beam angle, the mask defining a beam outline substantially matching an outline of the target region as seen from each beam angle;discretize each beam within its beam outline into a first plurality of pencil beams;perform a fluence optimisation process for each beam angle using pencil beam data from the first plurality of pencil beams, the patient anatomical data, and the target region data to generate a distribution profile for a sub-dose to be delivered at that beam angle, wherein sub-doses from each beam angle in combination substantially equal the prescribed dose;segment the sub-dose distribution profile into segments, each segment comprising a second plurality of pencil beams of matching fluence;determine the efficiency of the segments by splitting the beam's fluence into a plurality of discrete intensity levels and splitting the cross-sectional area of the segment into discrete sections, so as to derive the efficiency as a function of the discrete intensity level and the area of a section;deliver radiation in accordance with at least one of the most efficient segments of therapeutic radiation;track the delivered radiation to calculate the amount and distribution of radiation delivered during each segment relative to the patient anatomical data;subtract the calculated amount and distribution of radiation from the mapped prescribed dose to create a new prescribed dose; andadjust the sub-doses remaining to be delivered according to the new prescribed dose. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, the controller being further configured to:determine if the new prescribed dose is less than a first threshold value; andrepeat the steps performed by the radiotherapeutic apparatus if the new prescribed dose is determined not to be less than the first threshold value. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, the controller being further configured to:determine the part of the prescribed dose and its distribution which remains to be delivered when the new prescribed dose is less than a first threshold value; andrecord the determined part for incorporation in a treatment plan for delivering in a subsequent prescribed dose. 4. A radiotherapeutic apparatus for delivering a prescribed dose of radiotherapeutic radiation to a target region of patient tissue, comprising:a source configured to produce a directable beam of therapeutic radiation;an imaging device configured to provide images depicting the relative positions of patient body parts and tissue types, wherein an image depicting patient anatomical data of at least the target region has been acquired and the prescribed dose has been mapped onto the image as a desired dose distribution to be achieved in the target region; anda controller configured to:determine at least one beam angle corresponding to a direction from which the radiotherapeutic radiation is to be delivered from the source to the target region within an outlinecreate a mask for each beam angle, the mask defining a beam outline substantially matching an outline of the target region as seen from each beam angle;discretize each beam within its beam outline into a first plurality of pencil beams;perform a fluence optimisation process for each beam angle using pencil beam data from the first plurality of pencil beams, the patient anatomical data, and the target region data to generate a distribution profile for a sub-dose at that beam angle, wherein sub-doses from each beam angle in combination substantially equal the prescribed dose;segment the sub-dose distribution profile into separate segments, each segment comprising a second plurality of pencil beams of matching fluence;determine the efficiency of the segments by splitting the beam's fluence into a plurality of discrete intensity levels and splitting the cross-sectional area of the segment into discrete sections, so as to derive the efficiency as a function of the discrete intensity level and the area of a section;deliver radiation in accordance with at least one of the most efficient segments of therapeutic radiation;track the delivered radiation to calculate the amount and distribution of radiation delivered during each segment relative to the patient anatomical data;subtract the calculated amount and distribution of radiation from the mapped prescribed dose to create a new prescribed dose; andadjust the sub-doses remaining to be delivered according to the new prescribed dose. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the imaging device acquires a further image depicting patient anatomical data of at least the target region of the patient after adjusting the sub-doses remaining to be delivered. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, the controller being further configured to:map the tracked radiation delivered against the anatomical data from the further image. 7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the imaging device comprises a magnetic resonance image (MRI) device, an ultrasonic device or an electronic portal imaging device (EPID). 8. The apparatus according to claim 4, the controller being further configured to:determine if the new prescribed dose is less than a first threshold value; andrepeat the steps performed by the radiotherapeutic apparatus if the new prescribed dose is determined not to be less than the first threshold value. 9. The apparatus according to claim 4, the controller being further configured to:determine if the total sub-dose of the next most efficient segment to be delivered is less than a predetermined dose threshold; andrepeat the steps performed by the radiotherapeutic apparatus if the total sub-dose of the next most efficient segment to be delivered is determined not to be less than the predetermined dose threshold. 10. The apparatus according to claim 4, comprising a collimator for variable collimation of the beam, the controller being further configured to determine a collimation of the beam necessary to give the beam an outline matching the determined segments. 11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein segmenting the sub-dose distribution profile further comprises the controller configured to:group pencil beams of matching fluence according to a beam having an outline which the collimator is capable of producing, anddiscard any groups having an outline which the collimator is incapable of producing. 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, the controller being further configured to:choose at least one segment, after determining the efficiency of the segments, to calculate the level and distribution of radiation which will actually be delivered in the segment by the radiotherapeutic apparatus, anduse the calculated level and distribution for the subtraction from the mapped prescribed dose to create a new prescribed dose. 13. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the efficiency is qualified by the average intensity within the area. 14. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein delivering radiation in accordance with at least one of the most efficient segments includes adjusting the beam intensity or the duration of beam delivery. 15. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein discretizing the beam further includes using a Monte Carlo algorithm or a collapsed cone algorithm. 16. A method of planning delivery of a prescribed dose of radiotherapeutic radiation to a target region of patient tissue with a radiotherapy system comprising a source for producing a directable beam of therapeutic radiation, the method comprising:acquiring an image depicting patient anatomical data of at least the target region of the patient;mapping the prescribed dose onto the image, the prescribed dose being the desired dose distribution to be achieved in the target region;determining at least one beam angle corresponding to a direction from which the radiotherapeutic radiation is to be delivered from the source to the target region;creating a mask for each beam angle, the mask defining a beam outline substantially matching an outline of the target region as seen from each beam angle;discretizing each beam within its beam outline into a first plurality of pencil beams;perform a fluence optimisation process for each beam angle using pencil beam data from the first plurality of pencil beams, the patient anatomical data, and the target region data to generate a distribution profile for a sub-dose to be delivered at that beam angle, wherein sub-doses from each beam angle in combination substantially equal the prescribed dose;segmenting the sub-dose distribution profile into segments, each segment comprising a second plurality of pencil beams of matching fluence;determining the efficiency of the segments by splitting the beam's fluence into a plurality of discrete intensity levels and splitting the cross-sectional area of the segment into discrete sections, so as to derive the efficiency as a function of the discrete intensity level and the area of a section; andselecting the most efficient segment to be delivered first to the patient. 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the radiotherapy system comprises a collimator configured for variable collimation of the beam, the method further comprising:determining the collimation of the beam necessary to give the beam an outline matching the segments. 18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the step of segmenting each sub-dose distribution profile comprises:grouping pencil beams of matching fluence according to a beam having an outline which the collimator is capable of producing, anddiscarding any groups having an outline which the collimator is incapable of producing. 19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising qualifying the efficiency by the average intensity within the area. 20. The A method according to claim 16, wherein discretizing the beam into a plurality of pencil beams comprises using a Monte Carlo algorithm or a collapsed cone algorithm. 21. The method according to claim 16, wherein the image comprises anatomical data of patient tissue outside the target region. 22. The method according to any of claim 16, further comprising:planning the prescribed dose so as to incorporate into the treatment plan for a fractional treatment parts of a dose and of its distribution from a previous prescribed dose. 23. A method of delivering a prescribed dose of radiotherapeutic radiation to a target region of patient tissue with a radiotherapy system comprising a source for producing a directable beam of therapeutic radiation, the method comprising:acquiring an image depicting patient anatomical data of at least the target region of the patient;mapping the prescribed dose onto the image, the prescribed dose being the desired dose distribution to be achieved in the target region;determining at least one beam angle corresponding to a direction from which the radiotherapeutic radiation is to be delivered from the source to the target region;creating a mask for each beam angle, the mask defining a beam outline substantially matching an outline of the target region as seen from each beam angle;discretizing each beam within its beam outline into a first plurality of pencil beams;perform a fluence optimisation process for each beam angle using pencil beam data from the first plurality of pencil beams, the patient anatomical data, and the target region data to generate a distribution profile for a sub-dose to be delivered at that beam angle, wherein sub-doses from each beam angle in combination substantially equal the prescribed dose;segmenting the sub-dose distribution profile into segments, each segment comprising a second plurality of pencil beams of matching fluence;determining the efficiency of the segments by splitting the beam's fluence into a plurality of discrete intensity levels and splitting the cross-sectional area of the segment into discrete sections, so as to derive the efficiency as a function of the discrete intensity level and the area of a section;delivering radiation in accordance with at least one of the most efficient segments of therapeutic radiation;tracking the delivered radiation to calculate the amount and distribution of radiation delivered during each segment relative to the patient anatomical data;subtracting the calculated amount and distribution of radiation from the mapped prescribed dose to create a new prescribed dose; andadjusting the sub-doses remaining to be delivered according to the new prescribed dose. 24. The method according claim 23, wherein delivering radiation comprises adjusting the radiotherapy system so as vary the beam intensity or the duration of beam delivery. 25. The method according to claim 23, wherein discretizing the beam into a plurality of pencil beams comprises using a Monte Carlo algorithm or a collapsed cone algorithm. 26. A method of delivering a prescribed dose of radiotherapeutic radiation to a target region of patient tissue with a radiotherapy system comprising a source for producing a directable beam of therapeutic radiation and an imaging device for providing images depicting the relative positions of patient body parts and tissue types, the method comprising the following steps:acquiring an image depicting patient anatomical data of at least the target region of the patient;mapping the prescribed dose onto the image, the prescribed dose being the desired dose distribution to be achieved in the target region;determining at least one beam angle corresponding to a direction from which the radiotherapeutic radiation is to be delivered from the source to the target region within an outline of the target region;creating a mask for each beam angle, the mask defining a beam outline substantially matching an outline of the target region as seen from each beam angle;discretizing each beam within its beam outline into a first plurality of pencil beams;perform a fluence optimisation process for each beam angle using pencil beam data from the first plurality of pencil beams, the patient anatomical data, and the target region data to generate a distribution profile for a sub-dose at that beam angle, wherein sub-doses from each beam angle in combination substantially equal the prescribed dose;segmenting the sub-dose distribution profile into separate segments, each segment comprising a second plurality of pencil beams of matching fluence;determining the efficiency of the segments by splitting the beam's fluence into a plurality of discrete intensity levels and splitting the cross-sectional area of the segment into discrete sections, so as to derive the efficiency as a function of the discrete intensity level and the area of a section;delivering radiation in accordance with at least one of the most efficient segments of therapeutic radiation;tracking the delivered radiation to calculate the amount and distribution of radiation delivered during each segment relative to the patient anatomical data;subtracting the calculated amount and distribution of radiation from the mapped prescribed dose to create a new prescribed dose; andadjusting the sub-doses remaining to be delivered according to the new prescribed dose. 27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising:acquiring a further image depicting patient anatomical data of at least the target region of the patient after adjusting the sub-doses remaining to be delivered. 28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising:determining if the new prescribed dose is less than a first threshold value; andceasing the treatment if the new prescribed dose is less than a first threshold value. 29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising:determining if the new prescribed dose is less than a second threshold value; andceasing the treatment if the new prescribed dose is less than a second threshold value. 30. The method according to claim 27, further comprising:determining if the total sub-dose of the next most efficient segment to be delivered is less than a predetermined dose threshold; andrepeating the steps performed by the radiotherapy system if the total sub-dose of the next most efficient segment to be delivered is determined not to be less than the predetermined dose threshold. 31. The method according to claim 27, wherein the image comprises anatomical data of patient tissue outside the target region. 32. The method according to claim 26, further comprising:determining the part of the prescribed dose and its distribution which remains to be delivered when the new prescribed dose is less than a first threshold value; andrecording the determined part for incorporation in a treatment plan for delivery in a subsequent prescribed dose. 33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising:choosing at least one segment, after determining the efficiency of the segments, to calculate the level and distribution of radiation which will actually be delivered in the segment by the radiotherapy system, andusing the calculated level and distribution for the subtraction from the mapped prescribed dose to create a new prescribed dose. 34. A method according to claim 27, further comprising:mapping the tracked radiation delivered against the anatomical data from the further image. 35. The method according to claim 26, wherein the radiotherapy system comprises a collimator configured for variable collimation of the beam, the method further comprising:determining the collimation of the beam necessary to give the beam an outline matching the segments. 36. The method according to claim 35, wherein determining the necessary collimation of the beam is carried out after creating the mask. 37. The method according to claim 35, wherein segmenting the sub-dose distribution profile comprises:grouping pencil beams of matching fluence according to a beam having an outline which the collimator is capable of producing, anddiscarding any groups having an outline which the collimator is incapable of producing. 38. The method according to claim 26, wherein the further image is a magnetic resonance image (MRI), an ultrasound image or an image from an electronic portal imaging device (EPID).