Methods and apparatus for the planning and delivery of radiation treatments
Granted: September 19, 2017
Patent Number:
9764159
Methods for delivering radiation dose to a target area within a subject comprise: defining a trajectory comprising relative movement between a treatment radiation source and the subject and determining a radiation delivery plan; and, while effecting relative movement between the treatment radiation source and the subject along the trajectory, delivering a treatment radiation beam from the treatment radiation source to the subject according to the radiation delivery plan to impart a dose…
Beam current variation system for a cyclotron
Granted: September 12, 2017
Patent Number:
9763315
Beam current variation system for a cyclotron, arranged in the inner center of the cyclotron, downstream from the ion source generating the charged particle beam, the system comprising a deflector system powered by a voltage and a collimator. The beam is dumped in the collimator, if the deflector system (10; 20, 21) is not powered, and the beam is switched on by powering the deflector system with a voltage.
Low-power imager with autosensing function
Granted: September 12, 2017
Patent Number:
9762828
An imager includes a flat panel configured to collect charges when the imager operates in a full-power charge integration mode. The imager switches to a low-power standby mode immediately after each image acquisition in the full-power charge integration mode. Bias current flowing through the flat panel is monitored in the standby mode. The imager switches to the full-power charge integration mode when detecting a change in the bias current indicating onset of an X-ray exposure.
Radiation systems with minimal or no shielding requirement on building
Granted: September 12, 2017
Patent Number:
9757593
A radiation system includes: a first support; a first structure rotatably coupled to the first support so that the first structure is rotatable about a first axis relative to the first support; a second structure rotatably coupled to the first structure so that the second structure is rotatable about a second axis that forms a non-zero angle relative to the first structure; and a first radiation source connected to the second structure; wherein the first structure and the second…
Compact proton therapy system with energy selection onboard a rotatable gantry
Granted: September 12, 2017
Patent Number:
9757592
Systems and apparatuses for providing particle beams for radiation therapy with a compact design and suitable to a single treatment room. The radiation system comprises a stationary cyclotron coupled to a rotating gantry assembly through a beam line assembly. The system is equipped with a single set of dipole magnets that are installed on the rotating gantry assembly and undertakes the dual functions of beam energy selection and beam deflection. The energy degrader may be exposed to the…
Radiation therapy treatment plan improvement through use of a knowledge base
Granted: September 12, 2017
Patent Number:
9757589
A method for determining a radiation therapy dose distribution includes selecting a treatment type from a database. An organ at risk (OAR) distance to target map is determined. The OAR distance to target map includes distances to a target organ for respective portions of an OAR, and the OAR distances are determined from a segmented patient organ image. A cohort average dose distance to target histogram is selected from the database. Dose values to the portions of the OAR are assigned to…
Method and apparatus pertaining to the optimization of radiation-treatment plans using automatic changes to treatment objectives
Granted: August 15, 2017
Patent Number:
9731147
Optimization of a radiation-delivery treatment plan can be facilitated by permitting the making of automatic changes to one or more treatment objectives. This can comprise processing radiation-delivery treatment plan parameters with respect to one or more predetermined treatment objectives and then automatically changing that predetermined treatment objective to provide one or more changed treatment objectives (including altered, deleted, and/or added treatment objectives) that can then…
Knowledge-based automatic image segmentation
Granted: August 8, 2017
Patent Number:
9727975
A method for medical image segmentation includes accessing and updating a knowledge-base. A medical image is received and a sparse landmark signature is computed based on the medical image. Either a representative or a cohort average reference image set is selected. A portion of either representative reference image set or the cohort average reference image set is deformed to generate mappings to the medical image set. A segmentation for each structure of interest of the medical image…
Method and apparatus to provide corrections for a radiation-therapy beam
Granted: August 8, 2017
Patent Number:
9726477
Information is provided regarding a block's sectional contour in a particular plane as corresponds to a radiation-therapy beam. For a point at which block effects are to be assessed, a point is projected onto a plane of the block and a plurality of straight lines is then formed. Each line has a particular relationship with respect to the projected point (such as having each such line intersect all others at the projected point). Intersections amongst these straight lines and the contour…
Low-power imager with autosensing function
Granted: July 11, 2017
Patent Number:
9706146
An imager includes a flat panel configured to collect charges when the imager operates in a full-power charge integration mode. The imager switches to a low-power standby mode immediately after each image acquisition in the full-power charge integration mode. Bias current flowing through the flat panel is monitored in the standby mode. The imager switches to the full-power charge integration mode when detecting a change in the bias current indicating onset of an X-ray exposure.
Methods and apparatus for the planning and delivery of radiation treatments
Granted: June 27, 2017
Patent Number:
9687678
Systems for planning delivery of radiation dose to a target region within a subject comprise a processor configured to: initialize a first plurality of control points located on a trajectory, the trajectory comprising relative movement between a radiation source and the subject, wherein initializing the first plurality of control points comprises assigning, to each the first plurality of control points, one or more axis positions which specify a position of the radiation source relative…
Methods and apparatus for the planning and delivery of radiation treatments
Granted: June 27, 2017
Patent Number:
9687677
Methods for planning delivery of radiation dose to a target region within a subject comprise: initializing a first plurality of control points located on a trajectory, the trajectory comprising relative movement between a radiation source and the subject, wherein initializing the first plurality of control points comprises assigning, to each the first plurality of control points, one or more axis positions which specify a position of the radiation source relative to the subject;…
Methods and apparatus for the planning and delivery of radiation treatments
Granted: June 27, 2017
Patent Number:
9687676
Systems for planning delivery of radiation dose to a target region within a subject comprise a processor configured to: iteratively optimize a simulated dose distribution relative to a set of one or more optimization goals comprising a desired dose distribution in the subject over a first plurality of control points located on a trajectory, the trajectory comprising relative movement between a treatment radiation source and the subject; reach one or more initial termination conditions,…
Methods and apparatus for the planning and delivery of radiation treatments
Granted: June 27, 2017
Patent Number:
9687675
Methods for planning delivery of radiation dose to a target region within a subject comprise: iteratively optimizing a simulated dose distribution relative to a set of one or more optimization goals comprising a desired dose distribution in the subject over a first plurality of control points located on a trajectory, the trajectory comprising relative movement between a radiation source and the subject; reaching one or more initial termination conditions, and after reaching the one or…
Methods and apparatus for the planning and delivery of radiation treatments
Granted: June 27, 2017
Patent Number:
9687674
Systems for delivering radiation dose to a target area within a subject comprise: a radiation source for outputting a radiation beam; a support for supporting the subject; a movement mechanism for moving the radiation source relative to the subject along a trajectory; one or more sensors for monitoring a position of the subject; and a controller configured, in accordance with a radiation delivery plan, to: determine the position from one or more signals received from the one or more…
Methods and apparatus for the planning and delivery of radiation treatments
Granted: June 27, 2017
Patent Number:
9687673
Systems for delivering radiation dose to a target area within a subject comprise: a radiation source for outputting a radiation beam; a support for supporting the subject; a movement mechanism for moving the radiation source relative to the subject along a trajectory; and a controller configured to cause, according to a radiation delivery plan: the radiation source to deliver the radiation beam to the subject while causing the movement mechanism to effect relative movement between the…
Integrated radiation therapy systems and methods for treating a target in a patient
Granted: June 20, 2017
Patent Number:
9682253
An integrated radiation therapy process comprises acquiring first objective target data related to a parameter of a target within a patient by periodically locating a marker positioned within the patient using a localization modality. This method continues with obtaining second objective target data related to the parameter of the target by periodically locating the marker. The first objective target data can be acquired in a first area that is apart from a second area which contains a…
Method for interactive manual matching and real-time projection calculation in imaging
Granted: June 6, 2017
Patent Number:
9672640
Methods and systems are proposed herein for performing manual matching of generated digitally reconstructed radiographs with acquired verification images efficiently without intensive processing and/or memory consumption or hardware requirements. According to one aspect of the claimed subject matter, a system is provided that includes a computing workstation, communicatively coupled to both a data storage device and an image acquisition device. Real time images acquired by the image…
Patient positioning and support systems
Granted: May 30, 2017
Patent Number:
9662256
A patient support system includes a first section and a second section which can be removably coupled to the first section. The first section is configured for attachment to a positioning system, thereby providing an interface between the removable second section and the positioning system. A combined support surface is formed when the second section is coupled to the first section.
Method for efficient daily constancy check or calibration of proton therapy system
Granted: May 9, 2017
Patent Number:
9645255
Systems and methods are provided for efficiently performing daily maintenance or quality assurance on proton therapy systems. Specifically, a system is provided which includes a solid-state phantom, a plurality of ionization chambers disposed within the solid-state phantom, and a measuring device coupled to the plurality of ionization chambers and operable to perform radiation measurements of proton beams received within the plurality of ionization chambers. Measurements of proton beams…
