An optimization-based approach to the multiple static delivery technique in radiation therapy

The paper considers the intensity modulated radiation therapy (inverse) treatment planning. An approach to determine the trajectories of the leaves of the multileaf collimator in order to produce the prescribed intensity distribution is developed. The paper concentrates on the multiple static delivery technique. A mathematical model for calculating the intensity distribution with the help of locations of the leafheads of subsequent subfields is constructed. Furthermore, an optimization model in which the decision variables are the locations of leafheads is developed. The relevant constraints are considered as well. The optimization problem is a large dimensional constrained nonlinear global extremum problem. It is solved by the LGO (Lipschitz (Continuous) Global Optimizer) program system. Comparisons with other optimization method (Hooke–Jeeves iteration) are included. Numerical experiments are presented to confirm the functionality of the method.