Methods and systems for radiation dose estimation
Granted: September 3, 2019
Patent Number:
10402972
Example methods and systems are provided to perform radiation dose estimation for a target object. In one example, radiation dose estimation may include obtaining projection image data acquired using an imaging system, generating partially reconstructed volume image data based on the projection image data, and generating a partition of the projection image data. The partially reconstructed volume image data may be associated with a first region of a total radiation field. The partition…
Method and apparatus pertaining to configuring a radiation-delivery treatment plan
Granted: September 3, 2019
Patent Number:
10398912
A radiation-delivery treatment plan includes a first value for a limit as pertains to motion compensation-based adjustment of a radiation-delivery parameter during a first portion of a radiation treatment session as well as a second value for that same limit during a second, different portion of the treatment session. By one approach, the radiation-delivery treatment plan selects between this first and second value as a function of a preselected parameter. Examples of such parameters…
Method and apparatus for using a multi-layer multi-leaf collimation system
Granted: September 3, 2019
Patent Number:
10398911
A multi-layer multi-leaf collimation system includes at least a first layer of collimation leaves that are vertically offset with respect to a second layer of collimation leaves. A control circuit generates a preliminary radiation treatment plan using a model of a radiation therapy treatment platform using a single-layer multi-leaf collimation system following which the control circuit generates a final radiation treatment plan that takes into account at least a second layer of…
Optimization of image acquisition parameters for registration with reference image
Granted: August 27, 2019
Patent Number:
10390787
An apparatus includes input(s) for obtaining a first image and for obtaining a plurality of image parameters that includes at least a first image parameter and a second image parameter; a simulated image creation module configured for computing a plurality of simulated images based on the first image and the plurality of image parameters, the plurality of simulated images having at least a first simulated image computed based on the first image parameter, and a second simulated image…
Time-resolved pre-treatment portal dosimetry systems, devices, and methods
Granted: August 6, 2019
Patent Number:
10369383
Systems, devices, and methods for pre-treatment verification of radiation dose delivery in arc-based radiation therapy devices using a time-dependent gamma evaluation method.
Electromagnetic interference containment for accelerator systems
Granted: July 30, 2019
Patent Number:
10366859
An apparatus for attachment to a component of a microwave device, includes: a cage; a shield within the cage, wherein the shield is in a form of a container, at least a majority of the shield spaced away from an interior wall of the cage; and a connector at the cage, wherein the connector is configured to connect to a cable connection, and wherein the connector is electrically connected to two terminals within the shield. An apparatus for coupling to an input connection of an electron…
Real time treatment parameter algorithm for moving targets
Granted: July 30, 2019
Patent Number:
10363437
A method of determining a treatment parameter, includes determining an accumulated dose at a target region that undergoes motion, determining an accumulated dose at a critical region, and determining the treatment parameter based on the determined accumulated dose at the target region and the determined accumulated dose at the critical region, wherein the act of determining the treatment parameter is performed during a treatment session. A method of determining a treatment parameter,…
System and method for scanned ion beam interplay effect mitigation using random repainting
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10342995
Interference of dose application in scanned ion beam therapy and organ motion, also called interplay effect, may lead to dose deviations at target volumes. Current repainting methods are susceptible to artifacts due to a predominant scanning direction, ranging from fringed field edges to under and overdosed regions (hot and cold spots). To overcome the difficulties inherent in the repainting techniques of conventional proton therapy systems, new random repainting techniques are described…
Methods and systems for radiotherapy treatment planning
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10346593
Example methods for radiotherapy treatment planning are provided. One example method may include obtaining training data that includes multiple treatment plans associated with respective multiple past patients; and processing the training data to determine, from each of the multiple treatment plans, at least one of the following: first data associated with a particular past patient or a radiotherapy system for delivering radiotherapy treatment to the particular past patient, second data…
Dynamic beam's eye view of proton therapy irradiation shown in anatomical context
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10342997
System and method of dynamically presenting visual representations of a target volume in an anatomical context to an operator-user of a charged particle radiation therapy system. The visual representations are integrated as a part of a treatment console graphical user interface (GUI) and presented as a part of a holistic view of treatment information. The visual representations are digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) constructed based on anatomical images captured before the…
Methods and systems for generating dose estimation models for radiotherapy treatment planning
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10342994
One example method for generating a dose estimation model for radiotherapy treatment planning may include obtaining training data that includes multiple treatment plans associated with respective multiple past patients. The method may also include processing the training data to determine, from each of the multiple treatment plans, first data that includes one or more features associated with a particular past patient, second data associated with treatment planning trade-off selected for…
Methods and systems for estimating scatter
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10342504
One example method for estimating scatter associated with a target object may include acquiring a set of original projection data that includes primary radiation and scattered radiation at one or more selected projection angles associated with the target object, generating a first set of estimated scatter data from the set of original projection data, generating reconstructed image data by performing a first pass reconstruction using the first set of estimated scatter data, and…
Systems, methods, and devices for commissioning and quality assurance data validation of radiation therapy systems
Granted: July 2, 2019
Patent Number:
10335613
Beam configuration data obtained during the commissioning and/or quality assurance (QA) testing of a radiation therapy device can be validated against other radiation therapy devices within the radiotherapy community. Data and parameters from previously commissioned or QA-tested devices can be compiled and analyzed at a remote module. At the remote module, data and parameters obtained from a radiation therapy device undergoing commissioning or QA testing can be compared to the previously…
Method and system applications for push notifications
Granted: June 25, 2019
Patent Number:
10334066
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method, system, and article of manufacture of a native notification center app that receive all types of push notifications. The push notification payload contains the URL to be launched when touched on the display of a mobile device and the custom data to be passed to the web application on launch. The push message sent to the notification center app and when the app is opened, which lists all the push notifications. When the user…
Radiation therapy knowledge exchange
Granted: June 25, 2019
Patent Number:
10332225
A method for implementing a radiation therapy knowledge exchange starts with searching a database of cases studies and selecting a case study. The selected case study is downloaded. The downloaded case study is applied to a medical case, wherein the downloaded case is applied using deformable image registration to deform reference images of the downloaded case to medical images of the medical case. After application of the downloaded case study, the medical case is uploaded to the…
Scintillating glass pixelated imager
Granted: June 25, 2019
Patent Number:
10330798
In a method of making pixelated scintillators, a block of an amorphous scintillator material is divided into plural sections. The plural sections of the block are rejoined with plural first reflective septa to form an assembly. In the assembly, each of the plural first reflective septa separates two adjacent sections of the block. The assembly is then divided into plural sections in a way such that each of the plural sections of the block is divided into plural pixels. The plural…
Memory and apparatus pertaining to the automated calculation of supplemental patient volume information
Granted: June 25, 2019
Patent Number:
10328279
A control circuit that operably couples to a memory having a radiation-treatment plan stored therein that is based upon a particular patient volume receives subsequent information regarding that particular patient volume and automatically uses that subsequent information to calculate supplemental patient volume information to be used by the radiation-treatment plan. By one approach this supplemental patient volume information comprises replacement information to be used in lieu of the…
Automatic estimating and reducing scattering in computed tomography scans
Granted: June 25, 2019
Patent Number:
10327727
In accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure, a process to estimate scattered radiation contained in x-ray projections for computed tomography (CT) reconstruction is provided. The process may construct an object model based on a plurality of projection images generated by CT scanning of an object using an x-ray radiation source and a detector panel. The process may construct a virtual radiation source based on the x-ray radiation source, and a virtual detector…
Radiation shields for linac head and system
Granted: June 18, 2019
Patent Number:
10322300
In a method of constructing a head shield for a radiation machine, the angular distribution of radiation propagating from a source and the angular function of thickness of a material in attenuating the radiation to a certain level of its original value are determined. Based on the angular distribution of radiation from the source and the angular function of thickness of the material, the thicknesses of the material at a plurality of angular locations around the source and distances from…
Method and apparatus for using a designated patient structure as an area to be masked from radiation
Granted: June 11, 2019
Patent Number:
10315045
A control circuit provides a user with an opportunity to designate one or more patient structures for a particular patient that are to be protected from radiation. When optimizing a radiation-treatment plan for that patient, then, the control circuit uses the designated patient structure(s) as an area to be masked from radiation during administration of the radiation-treatment plan. By one approach the aforementioned opportunity to designate patient structures as being designated patient…
