Figure 1 Image of gamma knife treatment plan
Fujitsu: Radiation therapy with Gamma knife: Radiation dose calculation with digital annealer
Fujitsu Laboratories:
University of Toronto:
We jointly solved the “combinatorial optimization problem applying quantum computing technology” at high speed.
Quantum computing:
Using the technology “Digital Annealer”, we have developed a technology to generate a radiation therapy plan for Gamma Knife (Note 3) in a short time.
Treatment with Gamma Knife:
Treatment with Gamma Knife treats brain disorders such as brain tumors and arteriovenous malformations of the cerebrum.
A small amount of gamma rays are applied to the affected area of the brain tumor from various directions on the head.
Calculated with “Digital Annealer”:
The technology developed this time uses a “digital annealer” to calculate “a huge combination pattern of where and how much dose to irradiate.”
Traditionally, doctors have had to manually take hours based on their experience.
The generation of this treatment plan will be completed in minutes with the same accuracy.
This can reduce the amount of time doctors spend on treatment planning.
Fujitsu
https://pr.fujitsu.com/jp/news/2021/02/26.html
Fujitsu and University of Toronto Researchers Develop Quantum-Inspired Technology to Optimize Radiation Treatment Plans for Brain Tumors and Other Diseases
Fujitsu Laboratories, Ltd.
in collaboration with researchers at the University of Toronto (U of T )today announced the development of a technology for dramatically streamlining the creation of radiation treat the Digital Annealer, which rapidly solves combinatorial optimization problems.
Gamma Knife radiation therapies
are used to treat illnesses including brain tumors and arteriovenous malformations.
The process of creating treatment plans using conventional methods
is often laborious and time-consuming, and doctors must spend time making painstaking and detailed adjustments to determine how much radiation should be administered to a target while minimizing dose to surrounding tissue.
With the newly developed technology, however, medical professionals
can create treatment plans in roughly one minute, maintaining the same level of accuracy as conventional methods,
while simultaneously calculating a huge number of possible combination patterns of where and how much dose to deliver with the Digital Annealer.