Selecting source locations in multifiber interstitial laser photocoagulation

A theoretical basis and practical algorithm are described for selecting optimal fiber source locations in multifiber interstitial laser photocoagulation (ILP). By analyzing the shape of overlapping coagulation patterns, the optimal separation of adjacent point heat sources inside a flat target volume boundary is shown to be d* = 2 square root of 2rc, where rc is the coagulation radius of a single source. Against a curved boundary, the algorithm …