Method for optimising the position of a patient's body part relative to an imaging device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10463320-B2
Application number	US-201515537573-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

The present invention relates to positioning a patient's body part including a target relative to an imaging device that generates a radiation beam directed towards the target. Geometry data is received that describes the geometry of at least one structure located in the field of view of the imaging device. Tracking date is received that describes the spatial location and/or orientation of the at least one structure within the field of view of the imaging device. Position data is determined that incorporates the geometry date and the tracking data. The position data describes whether the location and/or orientation of the at least one structure with respect to an image trajectory is desirable. Repositioning data is determined that describes a desired location and/or orientation of the at least one structure with respect to the image trajectory. The repositioning data is output to allow repositioning of the at least one structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for positioning a patient's body part including a target relative to an imaging device that generates a radiation beam directed towards the target, the method being implemented by a processor of a computer and comprising the following steps:
receiving, at the processor, geometry data describing a geometry of at least one structure located in a field of view of the imaging device;
receiving, at the processor, tracking data describing a spatial location or orientation of the at least one structure within the field of view of the imaging device;
determining, with the processor, position data incorporating the geometry data and the tracking data and describing whether the location or orientation of the at least one structure with respect to an image trajectory is desirable;
determining, with the processor, repositioning data describing a desired location or orientation of the at least one structure with respect to the image trajectory; and
outputting, from the processor, the repositioning data allowing for repositioning of the at least one structure.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one structure is a medical device or instrument, which is introduced into the patient's body part.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the medical device or instrument comprises at least one portion defining at least one preferred direction for a 2D-image which, when made of the medical device or instrument in said preferred direction, provides information about a spatial location and/or orientation of said at least one portion, and wherein the desired location or orientation of the at least one structure corresponds to the at least one preferred direction.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein recognisable properties of the medical device or instrument within said portion differ from recognisable properties of the medical device or instrument outside said portion in said 2D-image made in said at least one preferred direction.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the 2D-image provides biunique information about a location or orientation of said at least one portion with respect to an overall location or orientation of the medical device or instrument.

6. The method according to claim 2 , wherein said medical device or instrument is selected from the group consisting of:
a biopsy needle having at least one orifice for obtaining a cell-sample;
a medical marker having a shape indicative of at least one spatial position and/or orientation; and
a stimulation lead having at least one directional electrode.

7. The method according to claim 3 , wherein determining the position data or the repositioning data involves identifying a spatial location or orientation of other structures which inhibit an ability of said 2D-image to provide information about the spatial location or orientation of said at least one portion of said medical device or instrument.

8. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein information about the spatial location or orientation of the at least one structure is obtained:
via a marker device attached to said at least one structure, which is detectable by a medical tracking system; or
via a position transmission device transmitting the spatial position of said at least one structure to a medical navigation system; and
wherein the geometry of at least one structure is obtained from a database.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the patient's body part is immobilized via an immobilization structure relative to a support structure.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said repositioning data output is used to automatically reposition the patient's body part or the at least one structure relative to said imaging device, or to output instructions to manually reposition the patient's body part or the at least one structure relative to said imaging device.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a position of the patient's body part together with the at least one structure positionally fixed to the patient's body part is altered relative to the imaging device so as to obtain a desired position of the at least one structure with respect to a radiation beam trajectory through the target.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a position of the at least one structure is altered relative to the patient's body part so as to obtain a desired position of the at least one structure with respect to a radiation beam trajectory through the target.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a position of the target is determined:
automatically or manually from at least one registered cross-sectional image showing the target;
automatically or manually from at least one registered 2D transmission image; or
manually by use of a tracked pointer instrument.

14. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for a program which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to:
receive geometry data describing a geometry of at least one structure located in a field of a view of an imaging device that generates a radiation beam directed towards a target;
receive tracking data describing a spatial location or orientation of the at least one structure within the field of view of the imaging device;
determine position data incorporating the geometry data and the tracking data, the position data describing whether the spatial location or orientation of the at least one structure with respect to an image trajectory is desirable;
determine repositioning data describing a desired location or orientation of the at least one structure with respect to the image trajectory; and
output the repositioning data to enable repositioning of the at least one structure.

15. A system for positioning a target of a patient's body part relative to an imaging device that generates a radiation beam directed towards the target, the system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing computer-executable instructions for a program that, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to:
receive geometry data describing a geometry of at least one structure located in a field of a view of the imaging device;
receive tracking data describing a spatial location or orientation of the at least one structure within the field of view of the imaging device;
determine position data incorporating the geometry data and the tracking data, the position data describing whether the spatial location or orientation of the at least one structure with respect to an image trajectory of the imaging device is desirable;
determine repositioning data describing a desired location or orientation of the at least one structure with respect to the image trajectory of the imaging device; and
output the repositioning data to enable repositioning of the at least one structure with relative to the imaging device.

Assignees

• Brainlab Ag

Inventors

• Varkuti Bálint
• Braun Harald

Classifications

• G16H30/20

  for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS · CPC title

• G16H20/40

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

• A61N5/103

  Treatment planning systems · CPC title

• A61B6/12

  Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies · CPC title

• A61B10/02

  Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy {(A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48)} · CPC title