Morphology-guided radiosurgery treatment planning and optimization for multiple isocenters.

This work merges two distinct fields, 3D morphology and ionizing radiation dosimetry, to solve the problem of 3D-treatment planning and optimization in stereotactic radiosurgery. In Leksell Gamma Knife radiosurgery, dose delivery is based on the unit "shot," a dose distribution approximately spherical in shape. Multiple shots, or isocenters, are used in Gamma Knife treatment to deliver a conformal dose to an irregular radiosurgical target. The medial axis transformation, or skeleton, of the target, which uniquely characterizes the target volume and shape, is used to determine the optimal shot positions (isocenters), sizes (collimator helmet size and dosimetric weight), and the total number of shots that will deliver a conformal dose distribution to the target. The skeletonization approach reduces a complicated 3D-optimization problem to 1D searching with potential savings in computation time and mathematical complexity. In addition, optimization based on target shape replicates and automates manual treatment planning. This approach makes the process easily understandable. The relationship between skeleton discs and the dose distributions they predict is discussed. Results of optimal plans and corresponding dose distributions are presented. This approach is generally applicable to other types of multi-isocentric stereotactic radiosurgery techniques.