Probabilistic Pareto plan generation for semiautomated multicriteria radiation therapy treatment planning

Abstract

Abstract Objective. We propose a semiautomatic pipeline for radiation therapy treatment planning, combining ideas from machine learning–automated planning and multicriteria optimization (MCO). Approach. Using knowledge extracted from historically delivered plans, prediction models for spatial dose and dose statistics are trained and furthermore systematically modified to simulate changes in tradeoff priorities, creating a set of differently biased predictions. Based on the predictions, an MCO problem is subsequently constructed using previously developed dose mimicking functions, designed in such a way that its Pareto surface spans the range of clinically acceptable yet realistically achievable plans as exactly as possible. The result is an algorithm outputting a set of Pareto optimal plans, either fluence-based or machine parameter–based, which the user can navigate between in real time to make adjustments before a final deliverable plan is created. Main results. Numerical experiments performed on a dataset of prostate cancer patients show that one may often navigate to a better plan than one produced by a single-plan-output algorithm. Significance. We demonstrate the potential of merging MCO and a data-driven workflow to automate labor-intensive parts of the treatment planning process while maintaining a certain extent of manual control for the user.