Methods for image processing
Granted: March 29, 2016
Patent Number:
9299143
An image processing method includes: obtaining an image that includes a ball image and a cone image; obtaining an estimate of a center of the ball image; converting the image to a converted image using a processor based at least in part on the estimate of the center of the ball image, wherein the converted image comprises a converted ball image that looks different from the ball image in the image, and a converted cone image that looks different from the cone image in the image;…
System and method for estimating and manipulating estimated radiation dose
Granted: March 22, 2016
Patent Number:
9289627
Methods are provided for permitting manipulation of an achievable dose distribution estimate deliverable by a radiation delivery apparatus for proposed treatment of a subject. One such method comprises: determining a dose modification voxel for which it is desired to modify the dose value and a corresponding magnitude of desired dose modification; for each of a plurality of beams: (i) characterizing the beam as a two-dimensional array of beamlets, wherein each beamlet is associated with…
Compact proton therapy system with energy selection onboard a rotatable gantry
Granted: March 15, 2016
Patent Number:
9283407
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…
Apparatus and methods for implanting objects, such as bronchoscopically implanting markers in the lung of patients
Granted: March 15, 2016
Patent Number:
9283053
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…
Liquid metal containment in an X-ray tube
Granted: March 1, 2016
Patent Number:
9275822
Liquid metal containment in an x-ray tube. In one example embodiment, an x-ray tube anode assembly includes a shaft terminated by a head and an anode connected to an anode hub. The anode hub is at least partially surrounding the head of the shaft. The anode hub is configured to contain a volume of a liquid metal and to rotate around the stationary shaft. The anode hub may also define a catch space within the anode hub that is configured to catch the liquid metal in order to contain the…
System and method for triggering an imaging process based on non-periodicity in breathing
Granted: March 1, 2016
Patent Number:
9271692
A method of triggering an imaging process includes obtaining breathing signals, analyzing the breathing signals to identify a non-periodicity in a subject's breathing, and generating a signal to cause an imaging process to begin in response to the identified non-periodicity. A computer product having a set of instructions stored in a non-transitory medium, wherein an execution of the instructions causes a method to be performed, the method includes obtaining breathing signals, analyzing…
NIR image-guided targeting
Granted: March 1, 2016
Patent Number:
9271673
A method for targeting. The method includes determining skin characteristics in a region of a patient. An in-treatment optical scan is performed on a region of a patient, wherein the in-treatment optical scan comprises a near infrared (NIR) energy source. A plurality of detected signals is detected from the optical scan. The skin characteristics are filtered out from the plurality of detected signals. Skeletal anatomy positioning associated with the region is determined from the…
Universal kV-MV imagers
Granted: February 23, 2016
Patent Number:
9268037
An x-ray imaging device may include a detector array and an x-ray converting layer coupled to the detector array. The detector array and the x-ray converting layer may be configured such that x-rays traverse the detector array before propagating in the x-ray converting layer. The x-ray imaging device may also include a buildup layer behind the x-ray converting layer. The x-ray imaging device may be used as a “universal” imager for both MV and kV imaging.
Battery pack with integral seal member and electronic device including the same
Granted: February 23, 2016
Patent Number:
9269935
An electronic device employs a seal member to seal a battery pack to a housing member to prevent contaminants from entering into a battery bay. The electronic device includes a housing member having an exterior surface a portion of which defines a recess, an electronic assembly contained inside the housing member, and an battery pack received in the recess in the exterior surface of the housing member and electrically connected to the electronic assembly inside the housing member. The…
Characterizing radiotherapy beams based on image detection array data
Granted: February 23, 2016
Patent Number:
9268042
A method for determining parameters of a beam. As a part of the disclosed method, a beam is received at an image detection array where charges are generated and collected, at a plurality of pixels. Values associated with at least one of a plurality of parameters of the beam are determined by integrating information supplied from each of the pixels. Feedback is generated that presents the values.
Systems, methods, and devices for real-time treatment verification using an electronic portal imaging device
Granted: February 23, 2016
Patent Number:
9265971
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…
Targeting method for microbeam radiosurgery
Granted: February 2, 2016
Patent Number:
9248315
A method of performing microbeam radiosurgery on a patient whereby opposing portions of target tissue within a patient are exposed to a flux of high energy quanta via microbeam envelopes. The microbeam envelopes are applied in multiple non-parallel orientations such that the exposed portions of the target tissue define a substantially closed volume. The tissue remaining inside is thereby denied blood flow and dies.
Receiver used in marker localization sensing system and tunable to marker frequency
Granted: February 2, 2016
Patent Number:
9248003
A receiver for determining the location of a marker that is excited with an exciting waveform. A sensing array having coils is used to sense magnetic flux from the resonating marker. The coils provide inputs to the receiver. The receiver includes a correlation processor for analyzing the inputs in a coherent manner. Further, the receiver is adapted to tune to the resonant frequency of a marker.
Time-resolved pre-treatment portal dosimetry systems, devices, and methods
Granted: January 26, 2016
Patent Number:
9242120
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.
Dynamic/adaptive treatment planning for radiation therapy
Granted: January 19, 2016
Patent Number:
9238151
A facility for facilitating custom radiation treatment planning is described. During a distinguished radiation treatment session for a patient, the facility collects data indicating positioning of a predefined treatment site of the patient relative to a target treatment location throughout the distinguished radiation treatment session. The facility associates the collected positioning data with data describing one or more other aspects of the distinguished radiation treatment session.…
Motion compensation for medical imaging and associated systems and methods
Granted: January 19, 2016
Patent Number:
9237860
Medical imaging and localization methods and systems for producing a motion-compensated image of a planning target volume (PTV) of a patient. In one embodiment, an imaging and localization system includes sensors that are positioned to receive an electromagnetic location signal from one or more active markers affixed to or adjacent a PTV. A signal processing component can produce real-time localization data corresponding to the location signal, and a system interface can receive such…
Method and system for predictive physiological gating
Granted: January 12, 2016
Patent Number:
9232928
A method and system for physiological gating is disclosed. A method and system for detecting and predictably estimating regular cycles of physiological activity or movements is disclosed. Another disclosed aspect of the invention is directed to predictive actuation of gating system components. Yet another disclosed aspect of the invention is directed to physiological gating of radiation treatment based upon the phase of the physiological activity. Gating can be performed, either…
High energy microbeam radiosurgery
Granted: January 5, 2016
Patent Number:
9227086
A method of performing microbeam radiosurgery on a patient whereby target tissue within a patient is irradiated with high energy electromagnetic radiation via one or more microbeam envelopes with photons having respective energy magnitudes in excess of 200 keV, and maximum defined beam widths sufficiently narrow to yield a biological damage width which does not exceed a predetermined value.
Finned anode
Granted: December 1, 2015
Patent Number:
9202664
Finned anode. In one example embodiment, an anode suitable for use in an x-ray tube includes a hub, a front side, and a target surface disposed on the front side. The hub is configured to attach to a bearing assembly and the front side substantially faces the bearing assembly. The anode further includes a rear side substantially opposite the front side, as well as two or more annular anode fins extending from the rear side. The annular anode fins are positioned radially outward from the…
System and method for generating molybdenum-99 and metastable technetium-99, and other isotopes
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9196388
An accelerator based systems are disclosed for the generation of isotopes, such as molybdenum-98 (“99Mo”) and metastable technetium-99 (“99mTc”) from molybdenum-98 (“98Mo”). Multilayer targets are disclosed for use in the system and other systems to generate 99mTc and 98Mo, and other isotopes. In one example a multilayer target comprises a first, inner target of 98Mo surrounded, at least in part, by a separate, second outer layer of 98Mo. In another example, a first target…
