System and method for target tracking using a quality indicator during radiation therapy

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10350438-B2
Application number	US-201615740945-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2016
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for target tracking using a quality indicator during radiation therapy treatment. An exemplary method may include determining a localization result indicating a location of a target in a plurality of images representative of images acquired in a radiation therapy treatment session. The method may also include determining a quality indicator for each localization result. The method may further include extracting one or more features from each localization result. In addition, the method may include training the classifier using the localization result and one or more of the extracted features.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for training a classifier for determining a quality of target localization from a plurality of images acquired by an imaging device during radiation therapy treatment to a patient, the method comprising:
determining a localization result indicating a location of a target in a plurality of images representative of images acquired in a radiation therapy treatment session;
determining a quality indicator for each localization result, the quality indicator representing a precision level of each localization result;
extracting, by processing circuitry, one or more features from each localization result; and
training the classifier using the localization result, the quality indicator, and one or more of the extracted features, the classifier outputs an indication of the precision level of a new localization result of a newly captured image.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting a subset of images from the plurality of images to provide a quality measure; and
providing samples having a plurality types of qualities by adjusting the localization result.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein training the classifier comprises:
training the classifier using a supervised machine learning technique, including:
creating a plurality of subsets of features;
determining primary features based on the plurality of subsets of features; and
training the classifier using the primary features.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the primary features include at least one of:
a correlation score;
a similarity measure computed a predetermined distance away from the location of the target;
a minimum orthant score; or
a maximum orthant score.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the imaging device includes an ultrasound probe and the plurality of images include ultrasound images.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the imaging device includes an MRI device and the plurality of images include MR images.

7. A method for determining a quality of target localization from a plurality of images acquired by an imaging device during radiation therapy treatment to a patient, the method comprising:
determining a localization result indicating a location of a target in a plurality of images acquired during radiation therapy treatment to the patient;
determining a localization quality of the localization result for tracking the location of the target using a classifier, the localization quality representing a precision level of each localization result; and
providing to a user an indication of the localization quality or taking treatment related action based on the localization quality.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the indication of the localization quality reflects a determination of at least a normal tracking, a low confidence tracking, and a lost tracking.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
extracting, using processing circuitry, one or more features from the plurality of images and the location result; and
determining the localization quality using the classifier based on the extracted one or more features.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
tracking real-time movement of the target during the radiation therapy treatment based on the localization result and the localization quality.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the treatment related action includes turning off a radiation beam when the localization quality indicates a lost tracking of the target.

12. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
updating or retraining the classifier in a clinical environment based on new data.

13. A system for training a classifier for determining a quality of target localization from a plurality of images acquired by an imaging device during radiation therapy treatment to a patient, the system comprising:
a memory for storing computer-executable instructions; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:
determining a localization result indicating a location of a target in a plurality of images representative of images acquired in a radiation therapy treatment session;
determining a quality indicator for each localization result, the quality indicator representing a precision level of each localization result;
extracting one or more features from each localization result; and
training the classifier using the localization result, the quality indicator, and one or more of the extracted features, the classifier outputs an indication of the precision level of a new localization result of a newly captured image.

14. A system for determining a quality of target localization from a plurality of images acquired by an imaging device during radiation therapy treatment to a patient, the system comprising:
a memory for storing computer-executable instructions; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:
determining a localization result indicating a location of a target in a plurality of images acquired during radiation therapy treatment to the patient;
determining a localization quality of the localization result for tracking the location of the target using a classifier, the localization quality representing a precision level of each localization result; and
providing to a user an indication of the localization quality or taking treatment related action based on the localization quality.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the indication of the localization quality reflects a determination of at least a normal tracking, a low confidence tracking, and a lost tracking.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the operations further comprise:
extracting one or more features from the plurality of images and the location result; and
determining the localization quality using the classifier based on the extracted one or more features.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions that is executable by at least one processor of a device to cause the device to perform a method for training a classifier for determining a quality of target localization from a plurality of images acquired by an imaging device during radiation therapy treatment to a patient, the method comprising:
determining a localization result indicating a location of a target in a plurality of images representative of images acquired in a radiation therapy treatment session;
determining a quality indicator for each localization result, the quality indicator representing a precision level of each localization result;
extracting, by the at least one processor, one or more features from each localization result; and
training the classifier using the localization result, the quality indicator, and one or more of the extracted features, the classifier outputs an indication of the precision level of a new localization result of a newly captured image.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions that is executable by at least one processor of a device to cause the device to perform a method for determining a quality of target localization from a plurality of images acquired by an imaging device during radiation therapy treatment to a patient, the method comprising:
determining a localization result indicating a location of a target in a plurality of images acquired during radiati

Assignees

• Elekta ltd

Inventors

• Brooks Rupert

Classifications

• G16H20/40

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

• A61N5/1049

  for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam · CPC title

• G06T2207/30004

  Biomedical image processing · CPC title

• A61N2005/1061

  using an x-ray imaging system having a separate imaging source · CPC title

• A61N5/1084 Primary

  for delivering multiple intersecting beams at the same time, e.g. gamma knives · CPC title