A fast heterogeneous algorithm for light fluence rate for prostate photodynamic therapy.

To accurately calculate light fluence rate distribution in prostate photodynamic therapy (PDT), optical heterogeneity has to be taken into account. Previous study has shown that a kernel based on analytic solution of the diffusion equation can perform the calculation with accuracy comparable to Finite-element method. An assumption is made that light fluence rate detected at a point in the medium is affected primarily by the optical properties of points (or elements) on the line between the source and the point. The exponential decay term of the light fluence rate is expressed as an integral of effective attenuation coefficient of each point along the line. The kernel method is first developed for a point source and then extended for a linear source. A linear source is considered being composed of multiple point sources and light fluence rate is summation of the fluence rates generated by the point sources. In this study, we have implemented a fast ray-trace algorithm to substantially speed up the calculation. The kernel calculation is compared with FEM calculation and is examined with light fluence rate measurements. The examination with clinical measurement data shows that calculated fluence rates present similar features in distribution as the measurement, with errors of 30%-70% for the peak fluence rates. We concluded that our heterogeneous algorithm is potentially valuable for light fluence rate optimization during interstitial PDT.