Methods and systems for particle based treatment using microdosimetry techniques

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for determining particle treatment information. An example method may comprise determining a segment-averaged dose-averaged restricted linear energy transfer. The linear energy transfer may be determined by accounting for variations in segment length of paths of particles in a site.

1 . A method comprising:
 determining volumetric data associated with an object of interest, wherein the volumetric data comprise a plurality of domains;   determining, for each of the plurality of domains, a plurality of distributions for characterizing interactions of particles of a particle beam with the corresponding domain, wherein the plurality of distributions comprises a first distribution indicative of energy imparted in a corresponding domain due to a particle traveling in the domain;   determining an analytical function based on one or more of the plurality of distributions;   determining, based on the analytical function and for each of the plurality of domains, first data comprising energy imparted by the particle beam to the corresponding domain; and   outputting, based on the first data, data associated with treatment of the object of interest by the particle beam.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data associated with treatment comprises one or more of (1) a three-dimensional distribution of dose or (2) a segment-averaged, restricted, dose averaged linear energy transfer for the particle beam, and further comprising adjusting a treatment plan based on one or more of the first data or the data associated with the treatment. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first data comprises one or more of a linear energy transfer imparted by the particle beam to the corresponding domain or a dose imparted by the particle beam to the corresponding domain. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the particle beam comprises a beam of one or more of protons, neutrons, positive ions, electrons, or alpha particles. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the plurality of distributions comprises using one or more simulations to generate the plurality of distributions. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of distributions comprises a second distribution indicative of segment length of a particle path in the domain and a third distribution indicative of energy imparted in the domain due to a collision of a particle, wherein the segment length comprises a distance a particle of the particle beam is predicted to travel after entering the domain before coming to rest. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, for a particle energy of the particle beam and based on the plurality of distributions, an energetic kernel, wherein the energetic kernel comprises a first average of at least one of the plurality of distributions and a first variance of the at least one of the plurality of distributions. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising performing a first convolution of an energy fluence of the particle beam with the first average and a performing a second convolution of the energy fluence of the particle beam with the first variance, wherein the first data is determined based on a result of the first convolution and the second convolution. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data associated with treatment plan is based on a model that accounts for one or more of variations of linear energy transfer in a domain, variations of dose in a domain, variations of segment length of paths of particles entering a domain, variations of whether particles come to rest in a domain, variations in a number of collisions of a particle in a domain, or variations in an amount of energy imparted in a collision of a particle in a domain. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the volumetric data comprises one or more of geometric data associated with the object of interest, data comprising a plurality of voxels, data associated with a cell of the object of interest, data associated with a tissue of the object of interest, or data associated with a macroscopic structure of the object of interest. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the volumetric data comprises one or more of a geometrical model or a spatial distribution indicative of the object of interest. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the volumetric data is generated based on imaging data associated with the object of interest. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the domains comprise subdivisions of a biological structure. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of domains vary in one or more of shape, size, or arrangement to represent corresponding biological features of the object of interest. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the analytical function comprises determining the analytical function based on the first distribution. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the analytical function comprises determining the analytical function based on fitting the one or more of the plurality of distributions to the analytical function. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of domains of the volumetric data indicate a shape of one or more of a cell, a nucleus of a cell, or a tissue of the object of interest. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of domains of the volumetric data indicate an arrangement of one or more of a cell, a nucleus of a cell, or a tissue within the object of interest. 
     
     
         22 - 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . A device comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to:
 determine volumetric data associated with an object of interest, wherein the volumetric data comprise a plurality of domains; 
 determine, for each of the plurality of domains, a plurality of distributions for characterizing interactions of particles of a particle beam with the corresponding domain, wherein the plurality of distributions comprises a first distribution indicative of energy imparted in a corresponding domain due to a particle traveling in the domain; 
 determine an analytical function based on one or more of the plurality of distributions; 
 determine, based on the analytical function and for each of the plurality of domains, first data comprising energy imparted by the particle beam to the corresponding domain; and 
 output, based on the first data, data associated with treatment of the object of interest by the particle beam. 
   
     
     
         46 . A system comprising:
 a particle beam generator; and   at least one processor communicatively coupled to the particle beam generator and configured to:
 determine volumetric data associated with an object of interest, wherein the volumetric data comprise a plurality of domains; 
 determine, for each of the plurality of domains, a plurality of distributions for characterizing interactions of particles of a particle beam from the particle beam generator with the corresponding domain, wherein the plurality of distributions comprises a first distribution indicative of energy imparted in a corresponding domain due to a particle traveling in the domain; 
 determine an analytical function based on one or more of the plurality of distributions; 
 determine, based on the analytical function and for each of the plurality of domains, first data comprising energy imparted by the particle beam to the corresponding domain; and 
 output, based on the first data, data associated with treatment of the object of interest by the particle beam.