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Solving Beam-Angle Selection and Dose Optimization Simultaneously via High-Throughput Computing

Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
Department of Computer Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland at Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
haoz{at}cae.wisc.edu
leyuan{at}engr.wisc.edu
rrm{at}cs.wisc.edu
dnaza001{at}umaryland.edu
wdsou001{at}umaryland.edu

We provide a framework for integrating two stages of radiation treatment planning (RTP): beam-angle selection (BAS) and dose optimization (DO). The framework is applied to both classical three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and advanced intensity-modulated radiation therapy. Automated BAS and improved dose distribution are achieved within the framework. A metaheuristic approach, nested partitions, is applied. Alternative BAS and DO algorithms or commercial RTP software and clinical experience can be embedded within the framework to provide new methods for warm starts and evaluations of the quality of beam-angle set samples. Computational efficiency is achieved by utilizing high-throughput computing via the Condor system. Computational results show that our framework has led to a significant improvement in terms of solution quality and delivery time compared with current clinical practice.

Key words: health care; treatment; planning; programming; integer; algorithms; heuristic
History: received October 2007; revised May 2008; accepted June 2008.