Systems and methods for particle portal imaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023277873-A1
Application number	US-202318132570-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 10, 2023
Priority date	May 9, 2018
Publication date	Sep 7, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A particle portal imaging (PPI) system and method are provided that can be used to provide a “beam’s eye view” of a patient’s anatomy as a charged particle beam is delivered to a target region of the patient’s body. The PPI system is capable of performing real-time image acquisition and in-situ dose monitoring using at least exit neutrons generated within the patient. The PPI system can perform charged particle treatment (PT) monitoring to monitor the particle beam being used for PT.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A particle portal imaging (PPI) system, comprising:
a radiation imager configured to receive at least a portion of exit neutrons generated by a charged particle beam directed toward a region of a target, the radiation imager comprising:
a converter that receives exit neutrons traveling in a first direction and converts the exit neutrons into light propagating in the first direction;
at least one mirror or optical fiber that receives at least a portion of the light propagating in the first direction and redirects the received light in a second direction that is different than the first direction; and
an optical sensor configured to receive the light propagating in the second direction and generate at least one radiographic image from the light propagating in the second direction; and
a processor configured to perform one or more image processing algorithms that process the at least one radiographic image to obtain information about the target.

2 . The PPI system of claim 1 , wherein at least one image processing algorithm analyzes the one or more radiographic images to verify a geometry of the charged particle beam at the target region during a charged particle treatment (PT) session.

3 . The PPI system of claim 1 , wherein at least one image processing algorithm analyzes said one or more radiographic images to determine a radiation dose of the charged particle beam delivered to the target region during a charged particle treatment (PT) session.

4 . The PPI system of claim 1 , wherein at least one image processing algorithm analyzes said one or more radiographic images to determine a radiation dose of the charged particle beam delivered to areas adjacent to the target region during a charged particle treatment (PT) session.

5 . The PPI system of claim 1 , wherein the radiation imager generates a series of radiographic images, each radiographic image of the series of radiographic images being captured at a different instant in time during a charged particle treatment (PT) session.

6 . The PPI system of claim 5 , wherein at least one image processing algorithm analyzes the radiographic images of the series of radiographic images to identify a feature that is present in the series of radiographic images and to determine whether a position of the feature has changed over the different instants of time.

7 . The PPI system of claim 1 , wherein the radiation imager is configured to perform a preferential selection process that selects the exit neutrons that are used to generate said one or more radiographic images based at least in part on energy levels of the exit neutrons.

8 . The PPI system of claim 1 , wherein the converter is a scintillator.

9 . The PPI system of claim 1 , wherein the second direction is at a forty-five-degree angle to the first direction.

10 . The PPI system of claim 1 , wherein the optical sensor comprises a charge coupled device (CCD) sensor or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor.

11 . The PPI system of claim 1 , wherein the charged beam source is a proton beam source.

12 . A method for particle portal imaging (PPI) system, comprising:
converting, by a converter, exit neutrons traveling in a first direction into light propagating in the first direction, the exit neutrons generated by a charged particle beam directed toward a region of a target; redirecting, by at least one mirror or fiber optic, at least a portion of the light propagating in the first direction to a second direction that is different than the first direction; generating, by an optical sensor, at least one radiographic image from the light propagating in the second direction; and processing the at least one radiographic image, using one or more image processing algorithms implemented by a processor, to obtain information about the target.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein a plurality of two-dimensional (2-D) radiographic images are generated at different respective angles relative to the charged particle beam.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more image processing algorithms comprises a reconstruction algorithm that generates at least one three-dimensional (3-D) radiographic image from the plurality of 2-D radiographic images.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the charged particle beam comprises a pencil beam directed through layers of the target, and at least one two-dimensional (2-D) radiographic image is generated for each layer.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein a three-dimensional (3-D) radiographic image of the target region it generated based upon the 2-D radiographic images.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein at least one image processing algorithm determines, based on the 3-D radiographic image, whether or not actual delivery of the charged particle beam to the target region met constraints of a treatment plan.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one image processing algorithm modifies, based on the 3-D radiographic image, the treatment plan.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein at least one image processing algorithm determines a radiation dose delivered by the charged particle beam to the target region.

20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein at least one image processing algorithm verify a geometry of the charged particle beam at the target region.

Assignees

• Univ Florida

Inventors

• Samant Sanjiv Singh
• Nimmagadda Jyothier
• Baciak James Edward
• Samant Thomas S S
• Enqvist Andreas Jon

Classifications

• A61N5/1049 Primary

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

• A61N5/1071

  for verifying the dose delivered by the treatment plan · CPC title

• A61N2005/1054

  using a portal imaging system · CPC title

• A61N2005/1087

  Ions; Protons · CPC title