Triggered treatment systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11986677-B2
Application number	US-202017132966-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2020
Priority date	Jul 21, 2017
Publication date	May 21, 2024
Grant date	May 21, 2024

Abstract

In various embodiments, a radiation therapy method can include loading a planning image of a target in a human. In addition, the position of the target can be monitored. A computation can be made of an occurrence of substantial alignment between the position of the target and the target of the planning image. Furthermore, after the computing, a beam of radiation is triggered to deliver a dosage to the target in a short period of time (e.g., less than a second).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A radiation therapy method comprising:
loading a planning image of a target in a human;
monitoring a position of the target;
computing an occurrence of substantial alignment between the position of the target and the target of the planning image, the computing comprises a visual representation comprising a region of interest, the computing comprises summing a magnitude of a real-time deformation vector-field within the region of interest; and
after the computing, triggering a beam of radiation to deliver radiation therapy to the target in less than a second.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring comprises a real-time video feed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring comprises real-time fluoroscopic imaging.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring comprises magnetic resonance imaging.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring comprises cone beam computed tomography.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring comprises digital tomosynthesis.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring comprises ultrasound.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring comprises fiducial markers.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the beam of radiation comprises at least one of protons, photons, ions, and electrons.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the planning image comprises at least one of a magnetic resonance imaging image and a computed tomography image.

11. A radiation therapy method comprising:
loading a planning image of at least one target volume in a human;
continuously tracking a real-time position of the at least one target volume;
computing an occurrence of substantial alignment between the real-time position of the at least one target volume and the at least one target volume of the planning image, the computing comprises a visual representation comprising a region of interest, the computing comprises summing a magnitude of a real-time deformation vector-field within the region of interest; and
after the computing, triggering delivery of a dose of radiation therapy to the at least one target volume in less than a second.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the continuously tracking comprises using real-time fluoroscopic imaging.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the continuously tracking comprises using magnetic resonance imaging.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the continuously tracking comprises using surrogates of internal anatomy.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the continuously tracking comprises using cone beam computed tomography.

16. A radiation therapy method comprising:
loading a planning image of at least one target volume in a human;
continuously tracking a real-time position of the at least one target volume using four-dimensional (4D) cone beam resulting in a real-time video feed;
computing an occurrence of substantial alignment between the real-time position of the at least one target volume and the at least one target volume of the planning image, the computing comprises a visual representation comprising a region of interest, the computing comprises summing a magnitude of a real-time deformation vector-field within the region of interest; and
after the computing, triggering delivery of a dose of radiation therapy to the at least one target volume in less than a second.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the region of interest comprises a volume.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the planning image comprises a magnetic resonance imaging image.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the dose of radiation therapy comprises at least one of protons, photons, ions, and electrons.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the planning image comprises a computed tomography image.

Assignees

• Varian Med Sys Inc
• Varian Medical Systems Int Ag
• Siemens Healthineers Int Ag

Inventors

• Smith Christel
• Zankowski Corey
• Timmer Jan Hein
• Kaissl Wolfgang
• Khuntia Deepak
• Abel Eric
• Star-Lack Josh
• Noel Camille

Classifications

• A61N5/1069 Primary

  Target adjustment, e.g. moving the patient support · CPC title

• A61N5/1049 Primary

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

• A61N5/1067

  in real time, i.e. during treatment · CPC title

• A61N5/1077

  Beam delivery systems · CPC title

• A61B2090/0481

  against EM radiation, e.g. microwave · CPC title