Time optimized radiation treatment

1. A method comprising, by one or more devices:

receiving treatment information relating to a treatment plan for proton- or ion-beam therapy intended to irradiate a target tissue;

receiving machine-limitation information relating to one or more limitations of one or more machines involved in the proton- or ion-beam therapy, wherein the machine-limitation information comprises information related to an upper limit of:

a dose-monitor system involved in the proton or ion beam therapy, wherein the upper limit of the dose-monitor system is a maximum beam current that the dose-monitor system is capable of monitoring, or

a beam-position and beam-shape monitoring system involved in the proton or ion beam therapy, wherein the upper limit is a maximum beam current that the beam-position and beam-shape monitoring system is capable of monitoring;

determining a time-optimized beam current for a proton or ion beam based on the treatment information and the machine-limitation information, wherein the time-optimized beam current minimizes the time required to deliver a required quantity of monitor units to one of a plurality of spots, wherein each of the plurality of spots is a particular area of the target tissue; and

delivering the proton or ion beam based on the time-optimized beam current to the particular area.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment plan specifies:

a target volume that defines a volume of the target tissue;

a set of spots that specify a prescribed beam position in x- and y-coordinates per spot at an isocenter, wherein the x- and y-coordinates are transversal to a beam direction, a prescribed energy of the proton or ion beam per spot, and a prescribed amount of monitor units per spot;

a set of field parameters that specify a direction from which the proton or ion beam is to be shot, a position of the target volume, and treatment specific parameters for one or more fields; and

a fraction parameter that specifies a portion of the radiation dose that is to be delivered for a given radiation session.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the machine-limitation information comprises information related to a maximum beam current.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the time-optimized beam current comprises, for each energy layer of a target volume with respect to a particular field:

determining a smallest value of prescribed monitor units for the each energy layer from all prescribed spots in the each energy layer;

determining a minimum time of exposure required to deliver the prescribed monitor units;

calculating a ratio of the smallest value of prescribed monitor units per energy layer to the determined minimum time of exposure; and

if the calculated ratio is higher than the maximum beam current specified by the machine-limitation information for the dose-monitor system or the beam-position and beam-shape monitoring system involved in the proton- or ion-beam therapy,

setting the time-optimized beam current for the each energy layer to the maximum beam current for the dose-monitor system or the beam-position and beam shape-monitoring system.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

if the calculated ratio is higher than the maximum beam current specified by the machine-limitation information for an accelerator involved in the proton- or ion-beam therapy,

setting the time-optimized beam current for each energy layer to the maximum beam current for the accelerator.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

determining a spot duration for each spot based on the time-optimized beam current for each energy layer.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

determining a spot duration for each spot based on a time-optimized beam current determined for each spot.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the time-optimized beam current comprises:

determining a minimum time of exposure required to deliver the determined radiation dose;

calculating a ratio of a prescribed amount of monitor units to the determined minimum time of exposure for each spot of a field; and

if the calculated ratio is higher than the maximum beam current specified by the machine-limitation information for the dose-monitor system or the beam-position and beam shape-monitoring system,

setting the time-optimized beam current for each of the plurality of spots to the maximum beam current for the dose-monitor system or the beam-position and beam shape-monitoring system.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

if the calculated ratio is higher than the maximum beam current specified by the machine-limitation information for an accelerator involved in the proton- or ion-beam therapy,

setting the time-optimized beam current for each of the plurality of spots to the maximum beam current for the accelerator.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of spots is defined by one or more x-locations and one or more y-locations of a target volume prescribed in the treatment plan.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular area is an energy layer on the target tissue, wherein the energy layer is defined by one or more z-locations of a target volume prescribed in the treatment plan.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring a real-time beam position and beam shape of the proton or ion beam and a real-time amount of monitor units delivered to the particular area; and

adjusting the position of the proton beam, an intensity of the beam, and a depth of the proton beam based on the real-time position, the real-time radiation dose, and the real-time location.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target tissue is diseased tissue.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the proton or ion beam is generated using a cyclotron or a synchrotron.

15. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media coupled to one or more of the processors and comprising instructions operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the system to:

receive treatment information relating to a treatment plan for proton- or ion-beam therapy intended to irradiate a target tissue;

receive machine-limitation information relating to one or more limitations of one or more machines involved in the proton- or ion-beam therapy, wherein the machine-limitation information comprises information related to an upper limit of:

a dose-monitor system involved in the proton or ion beam therapy, wherein the upper limit of the dose-monitor system is a maximum beam current that the dose-monitor system is capable of monitoring, or

a beam-position and beam-shape monitoring system involved in the proton or ion beam therapy, wherein the upper limit is a maximum beam current that the beam-position and beam-shape monitoring system is capable of monitoring;

determine a time-optimized beam current for a proton or ion beam based on the treatment information and the machine-limitation information, wherein the time-optimized beam current minimizes the time required to deliver a required quantity of monitor units to one of a plurality of spots, wherein each of the plurality of spots is a particular area of the target tissue; and

deliver the proton or ion beam based on the time-optimized beam current to the particular area.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the determining of the time-optimized beam current comprises, for each energy layer of a target volume with respect to a particular field:

determining a smallest value of prescribed monitor units for the each energy layer from all prescribed spots in the each energy layer;

determining a minimum time of exposure required to deliver the prescribed monitor units;

calculating a ratio of the smallest value of prescribed monitor units per energy layer to the determined minimum time of exposure; and

if the calculated ratio is higher than the maximum beam current specified by the machine-limitation information for the dose-monitor system or the beam-position and beam-shape monitoring system involved in the proton- or ion-beam therapy,

setting the time-optimized beam current for the each energy layer to the maximum beam current for the dose-monitor system or the beam-position and beam shape-monitoring system.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the instructions are further operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause the system to:

if the calculated ratio is higher than the maximum beam current specified by the machine-limitation information for an accelerator involved in the proton- or ion-beam therapy,

set the time-optimized beam current for each energy layer to the maximum beam current for the accelerator.

18. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising software that is operable when executed to:

receive treatment information relating to a treatment plan for proton- or ion-beam therapy intended to irradiate a target tissue;

receive machine-limitation information relating to one or more limitations of one or more machines involved in the proton- or ion-beam therapy, wherein the machine-limitation information comprises information related to an upper limit of:

a dose-monitor system involved in the proton or ion beam therapy, wherein the upper limit of the dose-monitor system is a maximum beam current that the dose-monitor system is capable of monitoring, or

a beam-position and beam-shape monitoring system involved in the proton or ion beam therapy, wherein the upper limit is a maximum beam current that the beam-position and beam-shape monitoring system is capable of monitoring;

determine a time-optimized beam current for a proton or ion beam based on the treatment information and the machine-limitation information, wherein the time-optimized beam current minimizes the time required to deliver a required quantity of monitor units to one of a plurality of spots, wherein each of the plurality of spots is a particular area of the target tissue; and

deliver the proton or ion beam based on the time-optimized beam current to the particular area.