Vision system for radiotherapy machine control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9486647-B2
Application number	US-201213458207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2012
Priority date	Apr 27, 2012
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

In various embodiments, a system for controlling radiotherapy equipment in a treatment environment includes a controller for receiving, from one or more image capture devices, data indicating the position of one or more objects in the treatment environment. Based on the position data, the controller defines one or more exclusionary zones from which the radiotherapy equipment is excluded. Each zone has a buffer area surrounding one or more of the objects. The controller further directs the radiotherapy equipment such that a radiotherapy treatment plan is delivered without the equipment entering into the exclusionary zones.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for controlling radiotherapy equipment in a treatment environment, wherein a patient receives radiation therapy in the treatment environment, such that objects and at least one indicating device in the treatment environment may be exposed to radiation from the radiotherapy equipment, the system comprising:
a connection to one or more image capture devices for obtaining images of objects located within the treatment environment;
a connection to the at least one indicating device located within the treatment environment, wherein the at least one indicating device includes at least one of an auditory indicator and a light source; and
a controller for:
receiving, from the one or more image capture devices, data indicating a position of one or more objects in the treatment environment;
defining, based at least in part on the position data and a range of movement of the one or more of the objects estimated before delivering a radiotherapy treatment, an exclusionary zone from which the radiotherapy equipment is excluded, the exclusionary zone comprising a buffer at least partially surrounding one or more of the objects, wherein defining the exclusionary zone further includes determining a surface normal distance for the buffer such that the exclusionary zone is sufficient to accommodate the estimated range of movement of the one or more of the objects during treatment;
designing a radiotherapy treatment plan before delivering the radiotherapy treatment, wherein the radiotherapy treatment plan excludes the equipment from entering into the exclusionary zone;
directing the radiotherapy equipment to deliver the radiotherapy treatment; and
transmitting a signal to the at least one indicating device, based in part on a location of the exclusionary zone and a determination that the equipment is positioned inside the exclusionary zone, for activating the at least one of the auditory indicator and the light source.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further for:
receiving, from the one or more image capture devices, data indicating a new position of a moved one of the objects, the new position comprising at least a portion of the moved object outside of the exclusionary zone previously containing the moved object; and
in response to the new position data, redefining the exclusionary zone previously containing the moved object such that the redefined zone comprises a buffer surrounding the moved object.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further for:
determining that the redefined exclusionary zone at least partially overlaps with a different one of the exclusionary zones;
determining whether a combination between the redefined zone and the different zone is permissible; and
combining the redefined zone and the different zone to form a single continuous exclusionary zone.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the combination determination is based at least in part on a visual indicator disposed on an object at least partially contained within one or more of the zones to be combined.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the combination determination is based at least in part on zone combination permissions.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further for:
defining a first exclusionary zone having a first buffer surrounding one or more substantially motionless objects in the treatment environment; and
defining a second exclusionary zone having a second buffer surrounding one or more moving objects in the treatment environment, the second buffer having a surface normal distance greater than the first buffer.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface normal distance is greater than a predetermined threshold value.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein directing the radiotherapy equipment comprises at least one of changing a speed of the radiotherapy equipment, changing a direction of the radiotherapy equipment, and terminating movement of the radiotherapy equipment.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller receives the position data from a plurality of image capture devices.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further for determining the position of each image capture device based at least in part on a visual indicator in a field of view of the image capture device.

11. The system of claim 1 , further including a projection device for projection onto a surface in the treatment environment, at least one of a visual indicator of an action to be taken with respect to an object in the treatment environment and a visual indicator of a warning that a collision is likely to occur.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one indicating device includes one or more colored lights on a portion of the radiotherapy equipment, and transmitting signals to the at least one indicating device causes changing a state of the one or more colored lights based on a proximity of the portion of the radiotherapy equipment to another object in the treatment environment.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein transmitting signals to the at least one indicating device creates an auditory signal; and
wherein the auditory signal is varied based on a proximity of a first object in the treatment environment to a second object in the treatment environment.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further for determining, prior to directing delivery of the radiotherapy treatment plan, and based at least in part on the received position data and the radiotherapy treatment plan, whether a collision is likely to occur during delivery of the plan.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further for repeatedly receiving the position data and defining the exclusionary zone substantially contemporaneously with directing delivery of the radiotherapy treatment plan.

16. A method for controlling radiotherapy equipment in a treatment environment, wherein a patient receives radiation therapy in the treatment environment, such that objects and at least one indicating device in the treatment environment may be exposed to radiation from the radiotherapy equipment, the method comprising:
receiving, from one or more image capture devices, data indicating a position of one or more objects in the treatment environment;
defining, based at least in part on the position data and a range of movement of the one or more of the objects estimated before delivering a radiotherapy treatment, an exclusionary zone from which the radiotherapy equipment is excluded, the exclusionary zone comprising a buffer at least partially surrounding one or more of the objects, wherein defining the exclusionary zone further includes determining a surface normal distance for the buffer such that the exclusionary zone is sufficient to accommodate the estimated range of movement of the one or more of the objects during treatment;
designing a radiotherapy treatment plan before delivering the radiotherapy treatment, wherein the radiotherapy treatment plan excludes the equipment from entering into the exclusionary zone;
directing the radiotherapy equipment to deliver the radiotherapy treatment according to the radiotherapy treatment plan; and
indicating, with the at least one indicating device within the treatment environment, at least one of an auditory indication and a visual indication, which is based in part on a location of the exclusionary zone and a determination that the equipment is positioned inside the exclusionary zone.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
receiving, from the one or more image captur

Assignees

• Bergfjord Per H
• Thompson Dan
• Brown Kevin
• Knox Christopher
• Long Andrew
• Young Stephen
• Elekta Ab

Inventors

• Bergfjord Per H
• Thompson Dan
• Brown Kevin
• Knox Christopher
• Long Andrew
• Young Stephen

Classifications

• A61N2005/1059

  using cameras imaging the patient · CPC title

• A61N5/1048 Primary

  Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods · CPC title

• A61N5/1067

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

• A61B90/36

  Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for · CPC title