Dynamic patient positioning system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016354615-A1
Application number	US-201615241385-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 19, 2016
Priority date	Apr 29, 2005
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A patient treatment system includes one or more automated patient transporters configured to move a patient from a preparation area to one of a plurality of alternative treatment areas, and to position the patient relative to a therapeutic radiation beam. Both transportation of the patient and positioning of the patient are optionally performed while the patient is secured to one of the patient transporters. A control system may be used to both position and transport the patient responsive to a patient treatment plan.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
a first radiation source providing therapeutic radiation, wherein the first radiation source is located in a treatment area; and an automated patient transport configured to transport a patient from a preparation area to the treatment area, to position a treatment volume in the patient relative to the therapeutic radiation from the first radiation source, and to support the patient in receiving the therapeutic radiation, wherein the automated patient transport comprises a first detector configured to detect a first patient positioning indicator located in and/or on the patient indicative of a position of the treatment volume.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first patient positioning indicator comprises a marker located on the patient.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first patient positioning indicator comprises a passive transmitter.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first patient positioning indicator comprises a active transmitter.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first patient positioning indicator comprises a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first detector comprises an optical device.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second patient positioning indicator located on the automated patient transport, the second patient positioning indicator being indicative of the position of the treatment volume.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a control coupled with the first detector, wherein the control is operable to turn on or off the therapeutic radiation at least based on the detection of the first patient positioning indicator with the first detector.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second radiation source and a second detector, wherein the second detector comprises an x-ray imager providing images of the treatment volume with radiation from the second radiation source.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the second radiation source is located in the preparation area.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the second radiation source and the second detector are configured to perform cone-beam CT.

12 . A method comprising:
positioning a patient on an automated patient transport in a preparation area, wherein the automated patient transport comprises a first detector configured to detect a first patient positioning indicator located in and/or on a patient indicative of a position of a treatment volume in the patient; transporting the patient on the automated patient transport from the preparation area to a treatment area; positioning the treatment volume in the patient on the automated patient transport relative to a first radiation source located in the treatment area; and delivering therapeutic radiation from the first radiation source to the treatment volume in the patient, wherein the patient is supported by the automated patient transport during the delivering of the therapeutic radiation.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising detecting the first patient positioning indicator located in and/or on the patient with the first detector.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining a position of the treatment volume relative to the therapeutic radiation using the detecting of the first patient positioning indicator with the first detector.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising turning off the delivering of the therapeutic radiation based on the determining of the position of the treatment volume relative to the therapeutic radiation.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein before transporting the patient into the treatment area, further comprising imaging the treatment volume in the patient in the preparation area using a second detector and a second radiation source.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the imaging comprises cone-beam CT.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising determining a position of the treatment volume in the patient relative to the automated patient transport using the imaging.

Assignees

• Varian Med Sys Inc

Inventors

• Guertin Timothy E
• Marc Marcel R

Classifications

• A61N2005/1063

  maintaining the position when the patient is moved from an imaging to a therapy system · CPC title

• A61B90/39

  Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers · CPC title

• A61N2005/1059

  using cameras imaging the patient · CPC title

• A61N2005/1051

  using an active marker · CPC title

• A61N2005/1061

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