Patent ID: 8613694

Claim:
A method for controlling a radiation therapy system in order to deliver radiation to a planned target volume, the steps comprising: a) obtaining an image of a subject; b) identifying, in the obtained image of the subject, the planned target volume (PTV); c) identifying, in the obtained image of the subject, normal tissues adjacent the PTV; d) classifying each identified normal tissue adjacent the PTV; e) selecting a prescribed dose to be imparted to the PTV; f) determining, using the prescribed dose and information about a location and classification of each identified normal tissue and the identified PTV, a spatiotemporal dose rate distribution that maintains a selected dose rate to the PTV and a lower effective dose rate to the identified normal tissues, such that normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) is reduced, wherein step f) includes determining the spatiotemporal dose rate distribution by taking into account a repair half-life for each identified normal tissue such that the spatiotemporal dose rate distribution results in dose rates being adjusted in the identified normal tissues as a function of the repair half-life of each identified normal tissue; and g) directing the radiation therapy system to irradiate the PTV according to the determined spatiotemporal dose rate distribution.