Method for planning irradiation of a patient for radiation therapy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10226644-B2
Application number	US-201715405748-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2017
Priority date	Jan 15, 2016
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

In a method and system for planning irradiation of a patient for therapy, a first time series acquired from computed tomography scan data of the patient is provided to a processor, as is a second time series acquired from magnetic resonance scan data of the patient. A first parameter that characterizes the first time series is acquired, as is a second parameter that characterizes the second time series. The first time series and the second time series are combined in the processor using the first parameter and the second parameter. An irradiation plan is calculated in the processor using the combined first time series and second time series.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for planning radiation of a patient for radiation therapy, comprising:
providing a processor with a first time series acquired from computed tomography scan data of a patient;
providing said processor with a second time series acquired from magnetic resonance scan data of the patient;
in said processor, determining a first vector field map from said first time series that characterizes movement of the patient represented in said first time series;
in said processor, determining a second vector field map from said second time series that characterizes movement of the patient represented in said second time series;
in said processor, combining said first time series and said second time series by synchronizing said first time series and said second time series over a movement cycle of the patient, using said first vector field map and said second vector field map so as to obtain a combined vector field map that characterizes movement of the patient derived from said movement of the patient represented in said first time series and said movement of the patient represented in said second series;
in said processor, calculating an irradiation plan for irradiating the patient with a radiation source for radiation therapy, by using the combined vector field map to coordinate, in said irradiation plan, emission of radiation by said radiation source with said movement of the patient characterized in said combined vector field map; and
in said processor, generating control signals corresponding to the calculated irradiation plan, and emitting said control signals to said radiation source so as to operate said radiation source according to said radiation plan, with said radiation emitted by said radiation source coordinated with said movement of the patient.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising synchronizing said first time series and said second time series by adjusting a temporal arrangement of individual images in at least one of said first time series and said second time series using said first vector field map and said second vector field map, and calculating said radiation plan using the adjusted temporal arrangement of the individual images of said at least one of said first time series and said second time series.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising combining said first time series and said second time series by mapping said first vector field map and said second vector field map over time.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising combining said first time series and said second time series bringing said first vector field map and said second vector field map into spatial registration with each other.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising combining said first time series and said second time series by calculating a dose distribution of radiation emitted by said radiation source for said radiation plan.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising visually presenting, at a display screen in communication with said processor, a course over time of said combined first time series and second time series.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising representing said radiation plan at a display screen in communication with said processor as a visual presentation averaged over time of the combined first time series and second time series.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, when implementing said planned irradiation of the patient according to said irradiation plan, detecting a third parameter that characterizes progress of the irradiation and providing said third parameter to said processor and, in said processor, identifying a relationship between said third parameter and at least one of said first vector field map and said second vector field map, and adjusting implementation of the planned irradiation of the patient dependent on said relationship.

9. A system for planning irradiation of a patient for radiation therapy, comprising:
a computed tomography scanner;
a magnetic resonance scanner;
an irradiation unit comprising a radiation source;
a processor provided with a first time series acquired from a computed tomography scan of a patient implemented by said computed tomography scanner;
said processor also being with a second time series acquired from magnetic resonance scan of the patient implemented by said magnetic resonance scanner;
said processor being configured to determine a first vector map from said first time series that characterizes movement of the patient represented in said first time series;
said processor being configured to determine a second vector map from said second time series that characterizes movement of the patient represented in said second time series;
said processor being configured to combine said first time series and said second time series by synchronizing said first time series and said second time series over a movement cycle of the patient, using said first vector field map and said second vector field map so as to obtain a combined vector field map that characterizes movement of the patient derived from said movement of the patient represented in said first time series and said movement of the patient represented in said second series;
said processor being configured to calculate an irradiation plan for irradiating the patient with said radiation source for radiation therapy, by using the combined vector field map to coordinate, in said irradiation plan, emission of radiation by said radiation source with said movement of the patient characterized in said combined vector field map; and
said processor being configured to generate control signals corresponding to the calculated irradiation plan, and to emit said control signals to said radiation source so as to operate said radiation source according to said radiation plan, with said radiation emitted by said radiation source coordinated with said movement of the patient.

10. A non-transitory, computer-readable data storage medium encoded with programming instructions, said storage medium being loaded into a computer for planning an irradiation plan of a patient for radiation therapy, said programming instructions causing said computer to:
receive a first time series acquired from computed tomography scan data of a patient;
receive a second time series acquired from magnetic resonance scan data of the patient;
determine a first vector map from said first time series that characterizes movement of the patient represented in said first time series;
determine a second vector map from said second time series that characterizes movement of the patient represented in said, second time series;
combine said first time series and said second time series by synchronizing said first time series and said second time series over a movement cycle of the patient, using said first vector field map and said second vector field map so as to obtain a combined vector field map that characterizes movement of the patient derived from said movement of the patient represented in said first time series and said movement of the patient represented in said second series;
calculate an irradiation plan for irradiating the patient for radiation therapy with said radiation source, by using the combined vector field map to coordinate, in said irradiation plan, emission of radiation by said radiation source with said movement of the patient characterized in said combined vector field map; and
generate control signals corresponding to the calculated irradiation plan, and emit said control signals to said radiation source so as to operate said radiation source according to said radiation plan, with said radiation emitted by said radiation source coordinated with said movement

Assignees

• Siemens Healthcare Gmbh

Inventors

• Requardt Martin
• Schweizer Bernd
• Grodzki David
• Hengerer Arne
• Kaus Michael
• Nioutsikou Elena
• Schmidt Sebastian

Classifications

• A61N5/1039

  using functional images, e.g. PET or MRI · CPC title

• A61N5/1038

  taking into account previously administered plans applied to the same patient, i.e. adaptive radiotherapy · CPC title

• A61N5/103 Primary

  Treatment planning systems · CPC title

• G16H20/40

  relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture · CPC title

• A61N5/1037 Primary

  taking into account the movement of the target, e.g. 4D-image based planning · CPC title