A unified approach for inversion problems in intensity-modulated radiation therapy

We propose and study a unified model for handling dose constraints (physical dose, equivalent uniform dose (EUD), etc.) and radiation source constraints in a single mathematical framework based on the split feasibility problem. The model does not impose on the constraints an exogenous objective (merit) function. The optimization algorithm minimizes a weighted proximity function that measures the sum of the squares of the distances to the constraints sets. This guarantees convergence to a feasible solution point if the split feasibility problem is consistent (i.e., has a solution), or, otherwise, convergence to a solution that minimally violates the physical dose constraints and EUD constraints. We present computational results that demonstrate the validity of the model and the power of the proposed algorithmic scheme.

Citation

Physics in Medicine and Biology, Vol. 51 (2006), pp. 2353-2365. Available from IOP Select (http://www.iop.org/Select/) for one year from online publication time.