System, methods, and devices for real-time treatment verification using an electronic portal imaging device
Granted: June 16, 2020
Patent Number:
10682527
A radiation dose received by a patient from a radiation therapy system can be verified by acquiring a cine stream of image frames from an electronic portal imaging device (EPID) that is arranged to detect radiation exiting the patient during irradiation. The cine stream of EPID image frames can be processed in real-time to form exit images providing absolute dose measurements at the EPID (dose-to-water values), which is representative of the characteristics of the radiation received by…
Forward projection cylinder volume method
Granted: June 9, 2020
Patent Number:
10679104
A method of generating a template image includes: receiving an input from a user representing identifications of an object in different respective slices of a volumetric image; using the input to determine a volume-of-interest (VOI) that includes voxels in a subset of the volumetric image; and determining the template image using at least some of the voxels in the VOI, wherein the act of determining the template image comprises performing a forward projection of the at least some of the…
Systems, devices, and methods for quality assurance of radiation therapy
Granted: June 9, 2020
Patent Number:
10675486
Systems, devices, and methods for quality assurance for verification of radiation dose delivery in arc-based radiation therapy devices using a 3D gamma evaluation method.
Systems and methods for real-time target validation for image-guided radiation therapy
Granted: June 9, 2020
Patent Number:
10674915
Systems and methods for real-time target validation during radiation treatment therapy based on real-time target displacement and radiation dosimetry measurements.
Systems and methods for determining a state of a patient
Granted: June 2, 2020
Patent Number:
10667727
A method of monitoring a patient includes obtaining a first image of an object, obtaining a second image of the object, determining a level of similarity between the first and second images, obtaining a third image of the object, determining a level of similarity between the first and third images, analyzing a time series of values that includes the determined level of similarity between the first and second images and the determined level of similarity between the first and third…
Treatment energy delivery system
Granted: May 26, 2020
Patent Number:
10661102
A medical device includes: a base; a positioner coupled to the base; an accelerator coupled to the positioner, wherein the positioner is operable to rotate the accelerator relative to the base about at least two axes; and a power source coupled to the accelerator, the power source configured to provide microwave power for the accelerator, wherein a position of the power source relative to the base remains fixed during movement of the accelerator. A medical device includes: a base; a…
VMAT treatment planning using multicriteria optimization and a progressive optimization scheme
Granted: May 26, 2020
Patent Number:
10661097
Computer-implemented methods and systems can be used to facilitate generation of VMAT treatment plans for providing radiation therapy to patients. Starting from a seed plan, a library of alternative plans, each with an associated outcome for a set of treatment objectives, can be generated via a set of parallel optimization operations performed on the seed plan. A graphical user interface is provided, via which the user can navigate within a treatment space defined by the alternative…
Therapeutic radiation treatment
Granted: May 26, 2020
Patent Number:
10661096
A control circuit uses a (possibly self-generated) seed radiation treatment plan to identify a portion (possibly only a point) of a multi-criteria optimization (MCO)-based Pareto surface. The control circuit then selects a sampling plan set for MCO planning by enlarging that portion of the Pareto surface region to thereby facilitate developing an optimized radiation treatment plan. A radiation treatment platform then uses that optimized radiation treatment plan to treat a patient by…
Apparatus and methods for implanting objects, such as a bronchoscopically implanting markers in the lung of patients
Granted: May 19, 2020
Patent Number:
10653496
Apparatuses and methods for implanting objects, such as a marker, in the lungs of patients. In one embodiment, a bronchoscopic catheter assembly for implanting an object in the lung of a patient includes a handle, a delivery catheter projecting outwardly from the handle, and a push wire contained within the catheter. In one aspect of this embodiment, the catheter can be configured to releasably hold a plurality of markers at a distal end. In another aspect of this embodiment, the push…
Radiation treatment based upon user specification of at least one custom DVH estimation model training feature
Granted: May 19, 2020
Patent Number:
10653893
A control circuit provides an opportunity via a user interface for a user to specify at least one custom DVH estimation model training feature. The control circuit then combines a predetermined set of DVH estimation model training features with a user-specified customer DVH estimation model training feature to provide a combined feature set. The control circuit uses the combined feature set to train a knowledge-based DVH estimation model which is then used to provide a DVH estimation for…
Radiation treatment planning and delivery using collision free regions
Granted: May 12, 2020
Patent Number:
10646730
Collision free regions are predetermined for one or more class solutions. Each class solution has defined limits for allowed field geometry variations. Collision free regions in planning can be defined as a set of allowed isocenter positions relative to a fixation device. The collision free regions may be visualized by a user to plan for field geometry and isocenter position tradeoffs. Collision free regions in delivery can be defined as a set of allowed couch support coordinates. The…
Method and system for radiation application
Granted: May 12, 2020
Patent Number:
10646188
A method for generating one or more images includes collecting data samples representative of a motion of an object, acquiring image data of at least a part of the object over a time interval, synchronizing the data samples and the image data to a common time base, and generating one or more images based on the synchronized image data. A method for generating one or more images includes acquiring image data of at least a part of an object over a time interval, associating the image data…
Creating treatment field using initial field and patient specific geometry and achievable dose
Granted: May 5, 2020
Patent Number:
10639501
Methods and systems are provided for developing radiation therapy treatment plans. A treatment template with radiation fields can be chosen for a patient based on a tumor location. Static radiation field positions can be adjusted for the patient, while arc radiation fields may remain the same. Static radiation field positions can be adjusted using dose gradient, historical patient data, and other techniques.
Patient setup using respiratory gated and time resolved image data
Granted: April 28, 2020
Patent Number:
10631778
A method for patient setup includes: obtaining a first two-dimensional movie having a first plurality of image frames; obtaining a first plurality of two-dimensional images; and displaying the first plurality of two-dimensional images together with the image frames from the first two-dimensional movie in an overlay configuration and in a synchronized manner, wherein the act of displaying is performed during a patient setup procedure. A method for patient setup includes: obtaining a…
Radiation therapy treatment planning and usage
Granted: April 21, 2020
Patent Number:
10625096
A control circuit forms a radiation therapy treatment plan. By one approach this comprises displaying a structure dose volume histogram on a display and detecting when a user directly manipulates the displayed structure dose volume histogram. In response to detecting that manipulation the control circuit uses a corresponding virtual set of optimization objectives to optimize a radiation therapy treatment plan. If desired, the control circuit can also use weighted optimization objectives…
Systems and methods for energy modulated radiation therapy
Granted: April 14, 2020
Patent Number:
10622114
A medical apparatus includes: a beam deflector having an electromagnet configured to provide a first magnetic field for deflecting a particle beam; and a current control configured to adjust a current of the electromagnet in correspondence with an energy level associated with an accelerator. A treatment planning method includes: defining control points in a treatment plan; setting up energy switching in one or more of the control points; and performing treatment optimization on the…
Functional and physical imaging using radiation
Granted: March 31, 2020
Patent Number:
10602991
An apparatus to examine a target in a patient includes an x-ray source configured to deliver a first x-ray beam towards the target, a device having an array of openings, the device located at an angle less than 180 degrees relative to a beam path of the first x-ray beam to receive a second x-ray beam resulted from an interaction between the first x-ray beam and the target, and a detector aligned with the device, the detector located at an angle less than 180 degrees relative to the beam…
Energy modulation of a cyclotron beam
Granted: March 31, 2020
Patent Number:
10609806
In various embodiments, a radiation therapy system can include a cyclotron that outputs a charged particle beam. In addition, the radiation therapy system can include an apparatus to receive the charged particle beam from the cyclotron. The apparatus decelerates or further accelerates the charged particle beam to produce a reduced or increased energy charged particle beam. The apparatus can include a radio frequency structure.
Systems and methods for generating workflow outputs
Granted: March 31, 2020
Patent Number:
10607734
A system generally includes at least one computing device having a user interface and a display interface. The computing device is configured to generate at least one desktop that can be viewed by a user via the display interface and to access a plurality of functionality modules that are each configured to receive at least one radiotherapy parameter. The computing device is configured to enable the user, via the user interface, to place the functionality modules onto the desktop. The…
Rotatable cantilever gantry in radiotherapy system
Granted: March 31, 2020
Patent Number:
10603518
A proton beam therapy system with a cantilever gantry. The cantilever gantry has one end portion (the fixed end portion) affixed to an external structure that supports the weight of the gantry. The remainder of the gantry is suspended and the free end portion is coupled to a beam nozzle. A main bearing is coupled to the fixed end portion and enables the gantry to rotate in a full range of 360° around the iso-center. A large counterweight can be disposed in the fixed end portion to keep…
