[CCoE Notice] Ph.D. Dissertation Defense: Radiation Therapy Optimization

[Thayer, Natalie H]

Doctoral Defense
Radiation Therapy Optimization:
Uncertainties and Biological Effects
Maryam Zaghian
Advisor: Dr. Gino Lim
Date & Time: Thursday, Dec 3rd, 2015, 2:00 PM
Venue: Industrial Engineering Conference Room
Engineering Building 2, E214
Abstract:
The goal of radiation therapy is to maximize tumor cell kills while minimizing toxic effects on surrounding healthy tissues. This research addresses the treatment parameter uncertainty issue that can compromise the treatment quality and the biological effectiveness of radiation when using proton based radiation therapy. First, an automatic approach is proposed to satisfy clinical treatment goals, dose-volume constraints. Second, a comprehensive study was conducted with a thorough analysis to better understand how two of the well-known optimization models (LP and NLP) deal with uncertainties for intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) using multiple cancer patient data. In practice, parameter uncertainties are unavoidable; hence, clinical constraint violations are allowed up to a certain degree. Therefore, the first chance constrained programming (CCP) framework is developed to handle set-up uncertainties in radiation treatment planning. Finally, the impact of incorporating variable relative biological effectiveness (RBE) in IMPT planning optimization is investigated. Unlike the current practice of using 1.1 multiplier to the photon-based counterpart, it is shown that the multiplier can vary greatly and contribute to unanticipated toxicities and recurrences.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://Bug.EGR.UH.EDU/pipermail/engi-dist/attachments/20151124/263713b9/attachment-0001.html 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: PHDannounce.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 35851 bytes
Desc: PHDannounce.pdf
Url : http://Bug.EGR.UH.EDU/pipermail/engi-dist/attachments/20151124/263713b9/attachment-0001.pdf