bioModels

Biological effect models for computing radiobiological quantities such as LET, RBE, and survival fractions.

class matRad_BiologicalModel

Bases: handle

matRad_BiologicalModel

This is an abstract interface class to define Biological Models for use in dose calculation and plan optimization. Subclasses should at least implement the methods:

calcBiologicalQuantitiesForBixel() to implement the specific model calculation algorithm

Additional methods that can be implemented are:

getTissueInformation() to collect meta information about the tissue defintion and paramters assignBioModelPropertiesFromEngine() to translate user defined paramters directly to the biological model subclass

All subclasses should also declare the properties:

‘possibleRadiationModes’ to specify the radiation modalities to which the model validity is limited ‘requiredQuantities’ to check the availability of information stored in the provided machine file

constructor (Abstract)

matRad_BiologicalModel()


Copyright 2023-2026 the matRad development team.

This file is part of the matRad project. It is subject to the license terms in the LICENSE file found in the top-level directory of this distribution and at https://github.com/e0404/matRad/LICENSE.md. No part of the matRad project, including this file, may be copied, modified, propagated, or distributed except according to the terms contained in the LICENSE file.


The type of the None singleton.

Property Summary
model
requiredQuantities

kernels in base data needed for the alpha/beta calculation

possibleRadiationModes

radiation modalitites compatible with the model

defaultReportQuantity

default suggested quantity to use for display and planning

Method Summary
calcBiologicalQuantitiesForBixel(this)

the actual calculation method wich calculates biological quantities for individual beamlets Needs to be implemented in non abstract subclasses.

getTissueInformation(this, ~, ~, ~, vAlphaX, ~, ~, ~)

This is the default, should be masked by the specific model subclass if needed

isAvailable(this, radiationMode, providedQuantities)
static getAvailableModels(radiationMode, providedQuantities)

Get available models (optionally for radiationMode / machine combination)

static create(modelMetadata)
static validate(model, radiationMode, providedQuantities)

Make sure model is a validly created instance

static getAvailableTissueParameters(pln)

empty values in standard implementation, needs to be overwritten in subclasses

matRad_getPhotonLQMParameters(cst, numVoxel, VdoseGrid)

matRad function to receive the photon LQM reference parameter

call

[ax,bx] = matRad_getPhotonLQMParameters(cst,numVoxel,ctScen,VdoseGrid)

Input:
  • cst – matRad cst struct

  • numVoxel – number of voxels of the dose cube

  • VdoseGrid – optional linear index vector that allows to specify subindices for which ax and bx will be computed

Output:
  • ax – vector containing for each linear voxel index alpha_x

  • bx – vector containing for each linear voxel index beta_x

References

Copyright 2018-2026 the matRad development team.

This file is part of the matRad project. It is subject to the license terms in the LICENSE file found in the top-level directory of this distribution and at https://github.com/e0404/matRad/LICENSE.md. No part of the matRad project, including this file, may be copied, modified, propagated, or distributed except according to the terms contained in the LICENSE file.


class matRad_EmptyBiologicalModel

Bases: matRad_BiologicalModel

matRad_None

Class to implement the None model


Copyright 2023-2026 the matRad development team.

This file is part of the matRad project. It is subject to the license terms in the LICENSE file found in the top-level directory of this distribution and at https://github.com/e0404/matRad/LICENSE.md. No part of the matRad project, including this file, may be copied, modified, propagated, or distributed except according to the terms contained in the LICENSE file.


Property Summary
model = 'none'
possibleRadiationModes = {'photons','protons','carbon','helium','brachy','VHEE'}
requiredQuantities = {}
defaultReportQuantity = 'physicalDose'
class matRad_ConstantRBE

Bases: matRad_BiologicalModel

matRad_ConstantRBE

Class to implement the constantRBE model


Copyright 2023-2026 the matRad development team.

This file is part of the matRad project. It is subject to the license terms in the LICENSE file found in the top-level directory of this distribution and at https://github.com/e0404/matRad/LICENSE.md. No part of the matRad project, including this file, may be copied, modified, propagated, or distributed except according to the terms contained in the LICENSE file.


Property Summary
model = 'constRBE'
possibleRadiationModes = {'photons','protons','helium','carbon','brachy'}
requiredQuantities = {'physicalDose'}
defaultReportQuantity = 'RBExDose'
RBE = 1.1
matRad_bioModel(radiationMode, model, providedQuantities)

This is a helper function to instantiate a matRad_BiologicalModel. This function currently exists for downwards compatability, as the new Biological Models will follow a polymorphic software architecture

call

matRad_bioModel(radiationMode, model)

e.g. pln.bioModel = matRad_bioModel(‘protons’,’MCN’)

Input:
  • radiationMode – radiation modality ‘photons’ ‘protons’ ‘helium’ ‘carbon’ ‘brachy’

  • model – string to denote which biological model is used ‘none’: for photons, protons, carbon ‘constRBE’: constant RBE for photons and protons ‘MCN’: McNamara-variable RBE model for protons ‘WED’: Wedenberg-variable RBE model for protons ‘LEM’: Local Effect Model for carbon ions

  • providedQuantities – optional cell string of provided quantities to check if the model can be evaluated

Output:

model – instance of a biological model


LQ-based Models

Linear-quadratic based biological models.

class matRad_LQBasedModel

Bases: matRad_BiologicalModel

This is an Abstract class implementing Linear Quadratic based biological

models. These include all biological models exploiting the variable alpha/beta formalism.


Copyright 2023-2026 the matRad development team.

This file is part of the matRad project. It is subject to the license terms in the LICENSE file found in the top-level directory of this distribution and at https://github.com/e0404/matRad/LICENSE.md. No part of the matRad project, including this file, may be copied, modified, propagated, or distributed except according to the terms contained in the LICENSE file.


Property Summary
defaultReportQuantity = 'RBExDose'
defaultAlphaX = 0.1

Tissue defalut alphaX parameter

defaultBetaX = 0.05

Tissue default betaX parameter

Method Summary
calcBiologicalQuantitiesForBixel(this, bixel)

This function only initializes the alpha/beta bixel values