The generalized geometry of eye plaque therapy.

A calculation is described that enables the rapid assessment of dose rate at various points of interest within the eye (lens, optic nerve, etc.) for the treatment of choroidal melanoma by plaque therapy. 125I seeds are used as the radiation source. The location of the plaque and its associated seeds relative to the eye (in a Cartesian coordinate system) is determined from the description of the tumor, as drawn and dimensioned on a fundus-view diagram by the ophthalmologist. This requires a computer to numerically solve an equation, which is derived in the framework of spherical geometry. Further results of this calculation yield data files that serve as the input to a conventional brachytherapy treatment planning program. This enables the visualization of the dose distribution within a plane that contains the major axis of the tumor in order to assess the adequacy of the treated volume.