Systems and methods for deploying radiation shields

Abstract

A system and method for reducing radiation exposure in a treatment room using a radiation shield is provided. The method determines first position data indicative of a clinician's position in the treatment room and determines second position data indicative of a position of an imaging source of an imaging system in the treatment room. The method further utilizes a radiation model to estimate a radiation pattern of radiation emitted by the imaging source based on the first position data and the second position data. The method further utilizes a shield positioning model to predict an optimal position of a radiation shield that minimizes exposure of at least one clinician to the emitted radiation based on the estimated radiation pattern, the first position data, and the second position data.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and method for deploying a radiation shield. [Background technology]

[0002] Repeated exposure to large amounts of ionizing radiation can result in health problems such as erythema, hair loss, skin atrophy, fibrosis, scaling, skin necrosis, cataracts, decreased red blood cell production, and infertility. For example, radiation-emitting medical imaging (e.g., X-ray imaging) is required to provide real-time and near-real-time images during certain interventional procedures performed in treatment rooms. Therefore, radiation exposure is problematic for many healthcare professionals, including physicians, radiologists, interventionalists, and staff, who are located in treatment rooms during repeated radiation-emitting procedures, as well as for patients. For example, between 2012 and 2015, nine cases of left-sided brain / head and neck tumors were reported among interventional cardiologists, according to a 2015 Cleveland Clinic report titled "Radiation a Danger to Patients and Physicians Alike" (https: / / consultqd.clevelandclinic.org / ). Interventional cardiologists may also receive increased radiation doses to their hands during some procedures. Even small amounts of radiation exposure can damage the genetic material of germ cells and increase chromosomal abnormalities, and radiation exposure can alter DNA over time, as studies have shown an increase in chromosomal abnormalities in interventional health care workers compared to non-interventional health care workers.

[0003] For example, the prolonged presence of medical personnel in a procedure room using an X-ray imaging system can cause several health problems caused by ionizing radiation. The amount of radiation emitted toward the medical personnel depends on the orientation of the C-arm and the position of the radiation source, the size and position of the patient, and the positions of the medical personnel and patient relative to the C-arm / radiation source and the operating table. Protective shields and lead jackets can reduce the radiation dose received, but they have limitations and drawbacks that contribute to medical personnel dissatisfaction. In fact, the limited size of protective shields on the operating table, and sometimes their improper position and orientation, can increase the amount of radiation received by medical personnel. In addition, protective lead jackets are cumbersome and heavy, and can cause musculoskeletal problems after prolonged use.

[0004] Protective shields may be provided to attenuate radiation exposure. However, sometimes large amounts of radiation may still be received by medical personnel due to factors such as improper size, position, and / or orientation of the protective shield. While using more than one protective shield may improve protection, it also contributes to room clutter and distraction.

[0005] Manual repositioning of the protective shield is time consuming, distracting, and requires care and attention to constantly estimating the best position and orientation based on changing C-arm positions. Thus, manual repositioning typically does not provide optimal positioning of the protective shield during a procedure in response to C-arm and / or medical personnel movements. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, a clinical need exists to reduce radiation exposure dose to medical personnel by automatically repositioning radiation protection shielding based on the number and location of medical personnel standing near a patient on the operating table, objects near the operating table, and the angle of the C-arm. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to a representative embodiment, a system for reducing X-ray radiation exposure of at least one clinician in a treatment room is provided. The system includes a controller having a processor and a memory, where the processor is configured to receive first position data indicative of the position of the at least one clinician in the treatment room, receive second position data indicative of the position of an imaging source of an imaging device configured to provide image data of a patient in the treatment room, estimate a radiation pattern of radiation emitted by the imaging source based on the first position data and the second position data, and predict an optimal position of a radiation shield in the treatment room that minimizes exposure of the at least one clinician to the emitted radiation based on the estimated radiation pattern, the first position data, and the second position data. The system may also include a radiation shield formed of a radiation-shielding material and at least one sensor configured to provide the first position data indicative of the position of the at least one clinician in the treatment room and the second position data indicative of the position of an X-ray source of an X-ray imaging device configured to provide image data of a patient in the treatment room.

[0008] According to another representative embodiment, a method is provided for reducing exposure of at least one clinician to x-ray radiation from an x-ray source in a treatment room using a radiation shield, the method including determining first position data indicative of a position of at least one clinician in the treatment room, determining second position data indicative of a position of an imaging source of an imaging device configured to provide image data of a patient in the treatment room, estimating a radiation pattern of radiation emitted by the imaging source based on the first position data and the second position data, and predicting an optimal position of a radiation shield in the treatment room that minimizes exposure of the at least one clinician to the emitted radiation based on the estimated radiation pattern, the first position data, and the second position data.

[0009] According to another representative embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided for storing instructions for reducing exposure of at least one clinician to x-ray radiation from an x-ray source within a treatment room using a radiation shield. When executed by one or more processors, the instructions cause the processor to determine first position data indicative of a position of the at least one clinician within the treatment room, determine second position data indicative of a position of an imaging source of an imaging device configured to provide image data of a patient within the treatment room, estimate a radiation pattern of radiation emitted by the imaging source based on the first position data and the second position data, and predict an optimal position of a radiation shield within the treatment room that minimizes exposure of the at least one clinician to the emitted radiation based on the estimated radiation pattern, the first position data, and the second position data.

[0010] The illustrative embodiments are best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that the various features are not necessarily drawn to scale. In fact, dimensions may be arbitrarily increased or decreased for clarity of discussion. Wherever applicable and practical, like reference numerals refer to like elements. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a simplified block diagram of a system for reducing exposure of at least one clinician to X-ray radiation from an X-ray source in a treatment room, according to a representative embodiment. [Figure 2A] 1 is a schematic diagram of a radiation shielding arrangement that minimizes radiation exposure to a clinician, according to a representative embodiment. [Figure 2B] 1 is a schematic diagram of a radiation shielding arrangement that minimizes radiation exposure to a clinician, according to a representative embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a flow diagram of a method for reducing exposure of at least one clinician to X-ray radiation from an X-ray source in a treatment room using a radiation shield, according to a representative embodiment. [Figure 4]FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method for training a shield placement model to reduce exposure of at least one clinician to X-ray radiation from an X-ray source, according to a representative embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a radiation shielding system including a perspective view of a configurable radiation shield, according to a representative embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector that movably connects first and second sections of a radiation shield for rotational movement, according to a representative embodiment. [Figure 7A] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a connector that movably connects first and second sections of a radiation shield for translational movement, according to a representative embodiment. [Figure 7B] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a spool within a connector operable to provide translational movement of first and second sections of a radiation shield according to a representative embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a connector that movably connects upper and lower panels in a third section of a radiation shield for vertical movement, according to a representative embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a connector movably connecting upper and lower panels in a first section of a radiation shield for vertical movement, according to a representative embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation and not limitation, exemplary embodiments disclosing specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments according to the present teachings. Descriptions of known systems, devices, materials, methods of operation, and methods of manufacture may be omitted so as to avoid obscuring the description of the exemplary embodiments. Nevertheless, systems, devices, materials, and methods within the purview of those skilled in the art are within the scope of the present teachings and may be used in accordance with the exemplary embodiments. It is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Defined terms are given the technical and scientific meaning of the defined terms as commonly understood and accepted in the art of the present teachings.

[0013] Terms such as first, second, and third may be used herein to describe various elements or components, but it will be understood that these elements or components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element or component from another. Thus, a first element or component discussed below could be referred to as a second element or component without departing from the teachings of the inventive concept.

[0014] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to be limiting. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms of "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include both the singular and the plural unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Additionally, the terms "comprises" and / or "having" and / or similar terms, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0015] Unless otherwise specified, when an element or component is said to be "connected," "coupled," or "adjacent" to another element or component, it is understood that the element or component can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or component, or that there may be intervening elements or components. That is, these and similar terms encompass the cases where one or more intermediate elements or components may be used to connect the two elements or components. However, when an element or component is said to be "directly connected" to another element or component, this only encompasses the cases where the two elements or components are connected to each other without any intermediate or intervening elements or components.

[0016] In view of the foregoing, the present disclosure, through one or more of its various aspects, embodiments, and / or specific features or subcomponents, is intended to therefore provide one or more of the advantages as specifically set forth below. For purposes of explanation and not limitation, example embodiments disclosing specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments in accordance with the present teachings. However, other embodiments consistent with the present disclosure that depart from the specific details disclosed herein are within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, descriptions of known devices and methods may be omitted so as not to obscure the description of the example embodiments. Such methods and devices are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0017] Generally, various embodiments provide systems and methods for autonomous operation of one or more radiation shields for the protection of one or more clinicians in a treatment room from radiation during operation of an X-ray imaging system. In some embodiments, a machine learning algorithm uses position and / or tracking information from an X-ray source, which may be mounted on a C-arm, and one or more clinicians and patients in the treatment room.

[0018] The system may be a standalone solution provided with its own radiation shielding, or may be connected to radiation shielding already present in the treatment room, and / or may be integrated with the X-ray imaging system to directly receive information regarding the C-arm angle for both radiation exposure reduction and collision prevention.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a system for reducing exposure of at least one clinician to X-ray radiation from an X-ray source in a treatment room, according to a representative embodiment.

[0020] 1 , system 100 includes a control unit (controller) 105, an imaging system (e.g., an X-ray imaging system) 130, and a shield placement system 140. Control unit 105 is configured to perform and / or manage the processes described herein. Control unit 105 includes one or more processors represented by processor 110, one or more memories represented by memory 120, a user interface (IF) 112, and a display 114. Memory 120 stores instructions executable by processor 110. When executed, the instructions cause processor 110 to perform one or more processes for determining and reducing exposure to radiation of at least one clinician represented by clinician 150 through operation of a radiation shield 142 of shield placement system 140, as discussed below, and to control the operation of X-ray imaging system 130. As used herein, "clinician" refers to any personnel in a procedure room, e.g., interventionalists, radiologists, anesthesiologists, and nurses, each of which may be exposed to radiation while performing a procedure on patient 155. The procedure may be, for example, an interventional procedure such as an interventional endovascular or endobronchial procedure (e.g., cardiac catheterization and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)). For purposes of explanation, memory 120 is shown to include software modules, each of which includes instructions corresponding to an associated capability of control unit 105, as discussed below.

[0021] Processor 110 represents one or more processing devices and may be implemented using any combination of hardware, software, firmware, hardwired logic, or combinations thereof, such as a general-purpose computer, a central processing unit (CPU), a computer processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a state machine, a programmable logic device, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a combination thereof. Any processing device or processor herein may include multiple processors, parallel processors, or both. Multiple processors may be included in or combined with a single device or multiple devices. As used herein, the term "processor" encompasses any electronic component capable of executing a program or machine-executable instructions. A processor may also refer to a collection of processors within a single computer system or distributed among multiple computer systems, such as in a cloud-based or other multi-site application. A program has software instructions executed by one or more processors, which may be within the same computing device or distributed across multiple computing devices.

[0022] Memory 120 may include main memory and / or static memory, and such memories may communicate with each other and with processor 110 via one or more buses. Memory 120 may be implemented by any number, type, and combination of, for example, random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM), and may store various types of information, such as software algorithms, artificial intelligence (AI) machine learning models, and computer programs, all of which are executable by processor 110. The various types of ROM and RAM may include any number of types and combinations of computer-readable storage media, such as disk drives, flash memory, electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), registers, hard disks, removable disks, tape, compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disks (DVDs), floppy disks, Blu-ray disks, universal serial bus (USB) drives, solid-state drives (SSDs), or any other form of storage media known in the art. Memory 120 is a tangible storage medium that stores data and executable software instructions and is non-transitory for the time the software instructions are stored. As used herein, the term "non-transitory" should be interpreted as a characteristic of a state that persists over a period of time, rather than as a permanent characteristic of a state. The term "non-transitory" specifically negates ephemeral characteristics, such as carrier waves or signals or other forms of characteristics that exist only temporarily at any place at any time. Memory 120 may store software instructions and / or computer-readable code that enable the performance of various functions. Memory 120 may be secure and / or encrypted, or non-secure and / or unencrypted.

[0023] Processor 110 and memory 120 may include or have access to an AI engine or module, which may be implemented as software that provides artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, such as neural network modeling, as described herein. The AI ​​engine may reside in any of a variety of components in addition to or outside of processor 110, such as, for example, memory 120, an external server, and / or the cloud. If the AI ​​engine is implemented in the cloud, such as, for example, a data center, the AI ​​engine may be connected to processor 110 via the Internet using one or more wired and / or wireless connections.

[0024] User interface 112 is configured to provide a user with information and data output by processor 110 and / or memory 120 and / or information and data input by a user to processor 110 and / or memory 120. That is, user interface 112 allows a user to input data, control or manipulate aspects of the processes described herein, and control or manipulate aspects of x-ray imaging. User interface 112 also allows processor 110 to indicate to the user the effects of the user's controls or manipulations.

[0025] All or a portion of user interface 112 may be implemented by a graphical user interface (GUI), such as, for example, GUI 118 on touchscreen 116 of display 114. User interface 112 includes pushbuttons operable (pressed) by a user to initiate various commands for manipulating displayed images and performing measurements and calculations at any time during an imaging session (e.g., cone beam computed tomography "CBCT" or other X-ray examination) or during an interventional procedure performed under X-ray guidance. The pushbuttons may be displayed on touchscreen 116 by GUI 118 or may be physical buttons, for example. User interface 112 may further include any other compatible interface device, such as, for example, a mouse, keyboard, trackball, joystick, microphone, video camera, touchpad, or voice or gesture recognition captured by a microphone or video camera.

[0026] Display 114 may be any compatible monitor for displaying x-ray images, radiation shield position, and other information, such as, for example, a computer monitor, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a flat panel display, or a solid state display. Display 114 includes touch screen 116 and GUI 118, as described above, that allow a user to interact with the displayed images and features.

[0027] The X-ray imaging system 130 includes an X-ray source 131 and an X-ray detector 132 connected in a fixed relationship to each other on a C-arm 133. The X-ray source 131 emits ionizing radiation according to settings such as, for example, dose, frame rate, exposure time, and beam collimation that pass through a portion of the patient's anatomy. The X-ray detector 132 receives the X-ray radiation that passes through the patient's anatomy and acquires X-ray images in response that enable visualization of the internal anatomical structures of a patient 155 on an operating table 156, for example, in X-ray images, fluoroscopy sequences, CBCT images, and the like. When a contrast agent is injected into the patient's vasculature during X-ray image acquisition, visualization of the patient's vascular anatomy becomes possible in images such as digital subtraction angiography (DSA) images and three-dimensional rotational angiography (3DRA) images. The C-arm 133 is operable to change the position of the X-ray source 131 relative to the patient 155 to accommodate a variety of different viewing angles for the image. The X-ray imaging system 130 may be a fixed C-arm X-ray system mounted in a treatment room, or may be a mobile C-arm X-ray system that is portable.

[0028] More specifically, the X-ray source 131 is positioned relative to a region of interest (ROI) 157 of the patient 155 to acquire images of the patient's anatomy, for example, during an interventional procedure being performed by the clinician 150. The ROI 157 may be, for example, a surgical site or access site for the interventional procedure. The X-ray imaging interface 135 interfaces the X-ray imaging system 130 with the control unit 105 to convert X-ray image data into a format compatible with the processor 110 and / or communicate X-ray imaging system information (e.g., encoded C-arm position) to the control unit 105. The control unit 105 controls the positioning of the X-ray detector 132 relative to the patient 155 and sends control signals to the C-arm 133 to control image acquisition, including timing, frame rate, power, and other imaging parameters. The control unit 105 also receives and processes X-ray image data from the X-ray detector 132 in response to the operation of the X-ray source 131. A clinician 150 (e.g., an interventionalist or radiologist) may control the operation of the X-ray imaging system 130 via the user interface 112, although it is understood that control of the X-ray imaging system 130 may be performed partially or entirely via a separate control unit without departing from the scope of the present teachings.

[0029] The shield deployment system 140 includes a radiation shield 142 and a control interface (IF) 144 configured to control movement of the radiation shield 142. The radiation shield 142 is formed of a radiation-shielding material, such as lead glass. In one embodiment, the radiation-shielding material is transparent so that placement of the radiation shield 142 to maximize radiation protection does not obstruct the clinician's 150 line of sight to the ROI 157. Alternatively, the transparent radiation-shielding material may include a transparent polymer sheet coated with a radiation-absorbing material. The transparent polymer sheet allows for flexibility in the shape (e.g., concave or convex) of the radiation shield 142 or portions of the radiation shield 142. The radiation-absorbing material may include lead or a non-toxic alternative to lead, such as tungsten, bismuth, or barium sulfate. The transparent polymer sheet may further be coated with a thin film of a self-cleaning, self-sterilizing, antibacterial polymer to help keep the environment sterile and avoid manual cleaning requirements that could damage the radiation-absorbing layer. In one embodiment, the radiation shield 142 may include multiple interconnected sections that can fold or slide over one another to allow for a variable coverage area of ​​the radiation shield 142 .

[0030] Optimizing the protection of the clinician 150 from X-ray radiation includes protecting the clinician 150 from X-ray radiation that interacts with surfaces immediately after being emitted from the X-ray source 131 and from X-ray radiation that is reflected from surfaces of entities present in the procedure room, such as the clinician 150, the patient 155, the operating table 156, and other people and objects. X-ray radiation that interacts directly with surfaces after being emitted from the X-ray source 131 may be referred to as “direct radiation,” and radiation that is reflected from surfaces that subsequently interact indirectly with surfaces of entities present in the procedure room may be referred to as “scattered radiation.” Direct radiation and scattered radiation may be collectively referred to as “X-ray radiation,” and the pattern or level of exposure to surfaces of entities in the procedure room from the combined effect of direct radiation and scattered radiation may be referred to as an “X-ray radiation pattern” or simply a “radiation pattern.” The control IF 144 includes one or more motors (e.g., servo motors), actuators, and / or other driving devices configured to move the radiation shield 142 and / or one or more portions of the radiation shield 142. In one embodiment, the radiation shield 142 may be encoded such that the precise position of the radiation shield 142 is available to the control unit 105. Alternatively, the radiation shield 142 may be fitted with an external positioning device, such as an electromagnetic (EM) sensor or optical signal generator, that is detectable by an external sensor to obtain position data, such as the first sensor 145 described below. Or, the external sensor may be a camera configured to obtain images of the radiation shield 142 to obtain position data, again as discussed below with respect to the first sensor 145.

[0031] The radiation shield 142 is adjustable to optimize protection for the clinician 150 (and others in the procedure room), which includes reducing the clinician's 150 exposure to X-ray radiation emanating from the X-ray source 131 to the minimum extent possible without impeding the clinician's 150 access to the ROI 157 of the patient 155. That is, the position of the radiation shield 142 is adjustable to minimize the amount of radiation received by the clinician 150 and by the radiation-sensitive portions of the patient 155 without obscuring the clinician's view of the ROI 157 (e.g., the intervention site) and / or impeding access to the ROI 157. The position of the radiation shield 142 may be adjusted according to the position of the C-arm 133 to prevent the radiation shield 142 from obscuring the field of view of the X-ray imaging system 130.

[0032] As used herein, “position” refers to the location (e.g., Cartesian coordinates) and orientation (e.g., rotational coordinates) of the radiation shield 142. In various embodiments, the radiation shield 142 may be configurable (flexible), meaning that the coverage area (e.g., size and shape) of the radiation shield 142, in addition to the position and orientation, can be changed to further refine the shielding provided by the radiation shield 142. For example, the radiation shield 142 may include multiple interconnected sections and panels. At least one of the interconnected sections may be configured to fold and unfold relative to another section to change the coverage area of ​​the interconnected section. Also, at least one of the interconnected sections may include an interconnected panel, and at least one panel of the multiple panels may be configured to slide relative to another panel to further change the coverage area of ​​the interconnected section. Thus, when the radiation shield 142 is configurable, “position” refers to the location, orientation, and configuration of the radiation shield.

[0033] The radiation shield 142 is adjustable to accommodate variables that change within the procedure room during an interventional procedure, such as the position and orientation of the x-ray source 131, the size and position of the patient 155, and the position and orientation of the C-arm 133 that controls the number and position of clinicians 150 and other medical personnel relative to the x-ray source 131. The shield positioning system 140 is useful for any of a variety of types of procedures, such as, for example, imaging procedures, and any interventional endovascular and endobronchial procedures.

[0034] The shield deployment system 140 further includes a first sensor 145 configured to provide first position data indicative of the positions of the clinician 150, the patient 155, and objects within the procedure room (e.g., the radiation shield 142, the operating table 156). The first sensor 145 may be, for example, a camera, such as an RGB or RGB-D camera, that provides image data and depth information regarding objects within its field of view, including the clinician 150, the patient 155, and various objects. In alternative embodiments, the first sensor 145 may include one or more position tracking devices, such as, for example, an electromagnetic (EM) detector or optical sensor. In this case, an EM sensor or corresponding positioning device, such as an optical signal generator, is attached to people and objects, respectively, within the field of view of the first sensor 145 for which first position data is desired. For example, the clinician 150 may have an EM sensor attached to a worn badge, wristband, clothing, etc.

[0035] The processor 110 receives first position data from the first sensor 145 via the first sensor interface 146. For example, if the first sensor 145 is a camera, the first position data includes image data. The first sensor interface 146 enables the first sensor 145 to transmit the first position data to the processor 110 and receive control commands (e.g., adjust imaging parameters, trigger image acquisition) from the processor 110. The processor 110 determines the positions of people and objects in three dimensions by applying any compatible position determination algorithm to the first position data, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. For example, the processor 110 uses the first position data provided by the first sensor 145 to determine the positions of the clinician 150, the patient 155, the operating table 156, and the radiation shield 142. The processor 110 may further use the first position data to determine the positions of the ROI 157 and any sensitive anatomical regions 158 of the patient 155. Sensitive anatomical region 158 may include, for example, the pelvic region of a patient of reproductive age.

[0036] The processor 110 may also receive second position data from the first sensor 145 indicative of the position of the X-ray source 131 in substantially the same manner as described above. The processor 110 determines the second position of the X-ray source 131 in three dimensions by applying any compatible position determination algorithm to the second position data received from the first sensor 145. Alternatively, the shield positioning system 140 further includes a second sensor 147 integrated into the C-arm 133 of the X-ray imaging system 130. The second sensor 147 is configured to provide the second position data indicative of the position of the X-ray source 131 to the processor 110 via the X-ray imaging interface 135. In an embodiment, the second sensor 147 includes an internal encoder configured to receive motion data indicative of movement of the X-ray source 131 and / or the C-arm 133 during operation and convert the motion data to provide the second position data.

[0037] In the illustrated embodiment, memory 120 includes, among other things, an X-ray radiation model module 121 for applying an X-ray radiation model and a shield positioning model module 122 for applying a shield positioning model. The X-ray radiation model may include a mathematical model (also known as a physics-based model) that calculates the X-ray radiation pattern within the treatment room. The calculation may include, for any given angle of the C-arm 133, the effects of scattered radiation from direct radiation from the X-ray source and / or direct radiation reflected from entities within the treatment room, and may include the positions of the X-ray source and entities within the treatment room. The X-ray radiation model may analytically calculate the radiation pattern within the treatment room or may use machine learning (e.g., using a neural network) to predict the radiation pattern within the treatment room. The X-ray radiation model receives as input the positions of the clinician 150, the patient 155, the operating table 156, and any other entities in the room that may reflect X-ray radiation (e.g., walls, ceiling, table) from first position data provided by the first sensor 145, the position (posture information) of the X-ray source 131 from second position data provided by the first sensor 145 or the second sensor 147, and X-ray-related settings of the X-ray imaging system 130. Such settings may include, for example, the dose, frame rate, exposure time, and collimation of the X-ray radiation emitted by the X-ray source 131.

[0038] In embodiments using machine learning, the radiation model (e.g., a neural network) may be pre-trained using a processor before being applied to an actual procedure. The training may include receiving historical data (actual and / or simulated) including previous positions of an entity (e.g., a clinician, a patient, an operating table, etc.) based on previous first position data generated by a sensor during a corresponding previous procedure and including previous positions of the X-ray source 131 based on previous second position data generated by a sensor during the previous procedure. The training may also include receiving other historical data, such as previous X-ray system settings (e.g., dose, frame rate, exposure time, collimation of X-ray radiation emitted by the X-ray source, etc.) during the previous procedure and / or previous measured radiation at positions within the treatment room during the previous procedure. The training may correlate relationships between previous positions of the entity, previous imaging source positions, previous X-ray system settings, and / or previously measured radiation at positions within the treatment room during the previous procedure to generate a trained radiation model. The trained radiation model is configured to predict and output an estimated radiation pattern within the treatment room based on inputs of one or more entities within the treatment room and the current position of the X-ray source and, optionally, the current X-ray system settings.

[0039] The X-ray radiation model outputs an estimated radiation pattern that includes the effects of direct and scattered radiation and shows how radiation will spread when the X-ray source 131 is turned on at a particular setting. The direct radiation indicates the radiation dose delivered to various entities in its path, including, for example, the clinician 150 and the patient 155. The scattered radiation indicates how the X-ray beam interacts with (is reflected by) various entities in its path, allowing for the calculation of an estimated radiation dose that may be delivered to entities outside the direct path of the X-ray beam emitted by the X-ray source 131. The radiation pattern may be visualized as scattered points (e.g., a scatter plot or swarm plot) whose density corresponds to the dose level of the scattered radiation, or as contour lines that define corresponding regions having the same dose.

[0040] The control unit 105 is further configured to determine an optimal position of the radiation shield 142 during the procedure that minimizes exposure of the clinician 150 to X-ray radiation emitted from the X-ray source. In particular, the processor 110 applies the X-ray radiation model to the position of the clinician 150 indicated by the first position data and the position of the X-ray source 131 indicated by the second position data to determine a radiation pattern of X-ray radiation emitted by the X-ray source 131 and reflected by entities in the procedure room. Such entities include, but are not limited to, the clinician 150, the patient 155, the radiation shield 142, and the operating table 156. The processor 110 also applies the shield positioning model to the position of the clinician 150 indicated by the first position data, the position of the X-ray source 131 indicated by the second position data, and the determined radiation pattern to determine an optimal position of the radiation shield 142. As described above, the position of the radiation shield 142 refers to its location and orientation, and, if applicable, its setting.

[0041] The processor 110 may visualize the optimal position of the radiation shield 142 on the display 114, allowing a user (e.g., clinician 150) to manually move the radiation shield 142 to the optimal position by referring to the display 114. The user may manually move the radiation shield 142 by grasping the radiation shield itself or by grasping a handle or holder attached to the radiation shield 142 to physically manipulate the radiation shield 142 to the optimal position. Alternatively, or additionally, the user may manually move the radiation shield 142 using controls in the user interface 112 and / or GUI 118 on the touch screen 116 to send commands to electronically control the movement of the radiation shield 142 via the control IF 144. In this case, the commands entered by the user control the operation of motors, actuators, and / or other driving devices within the control IF 144 configured to move the radiation shield 142 and / or portions of the radiation shield 142. In one embodiment, processor 110 visualizes the optimal position of radiation shield 142 along with the current position of radiation shield 142 on display 114. This gives the user a visual perspective on how to maneuver radiation shield 142 from its current position to the optimal position.

[0042] In one embodiment, the control unit 105 further includes a projector configured, under the control of the processor 110, to project onto a surface directions for moving the radiation shield 142 to its optimal position. Projecting the directions allows a user to easily observe and follow the directions for placing the radiation shield 142 in the optimal position. For example, the directions may be projected onto the radiation shield 142 itself and may include straight arrows indicating the direction in which the radiation shield 142 should be translated and curved arrows near an edge of the radiation shield 142 indicating which edge should be rotated and in what direction to optimally position the radiation shield 142. The control unit 105 may also include an augmented reality (AR) display, for example, included in AR glasses worn by the user, which may similarly display arrows indicating the direction in which to translate and / or rotate the radiation shield 142 to place it in the optimal position.

[0043] In one embodiment, processor 110 automatically manipulates radiation shield 142 to the optimal position by controlling the operation of motors, actuators, and / or other drivers within control IF 144 to drive radiation shield 142 to the optimal position. In this case, memory 120 includes shield driver module 123 that receives current position data regarding the current position of radiation shield 142, e.g., from the encoding of radiation shield 142 or e.g., from first sensor 145, and optimal position data regarding the optimal position of radiation shield 142 from shield positioning model module 122. Shield driver module 123 then calculates movement data, e.g., including vectors and rotation angles, indicating a desired movement of radiation shield 142 from the current position to the optimal position and provides the movement data to control IF 144 to be implemented. When radiation shield 142 is configurable, the movement data may further include a difference between the size and shape of radiation shield 142 in its current configuration and the size and shape of radiation shield 142 in its optimal configuration at the optimal position. In this case, the movement data indicates the placement of the sections and panels in the current and optimal configurations, respectively, so that any differences can be identified and implemented to drive the radiation shield to the optimal position. The shield driver module 123 may receive feedback regarding intermediate positions of the radiation shield 142 during the movement process to update the movement data, as needed.

[0044] As described above, the control IF 144 may include motors, actuators, and / or other driving devices that operate in response to commands from the control unit 105. Commands from the control unit 105 to the control IF 144 may be provided via electrical wiring or using a wireless system such as, for example, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. In one embodiment, user commands may be transferred to the control unit 105 through the user interface 112, for example, via hand gestures or voice recognition protocols, and / or via a wired or wireless remote control. The control unit 105 may also include a separate robotics controller for controlling the operation of the control IF 144, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. In one embodiment, the movement of the radiation shield 142 may be a combination of automatic and manual control without departing from the scope of the present teachings.

[0045] In one embodiment, the user is provided with the opportunity to accept or reject the optimal position of the radiation shield 142 via the user interface 112 and / or GUI 118. If the user rejects the optimal position, the processor 110 may reapply the shield positioning model to the first and second positions and the determined radiation pattern to determine another optimal position for the radiation shield 142 after changing at least one parameter of the first and second positions and / or the shield positioning model itself. The parameters may be changed by the user or automatically by the processor 110. Manually changing the parameters may include the user indicating areas of the touchscreen interface to be avoided (e.g., areas where the radiation shield 142 may block the clinician's access to the ROI 157) or areas to be further protected (e.g., radiation-sensitive portions of the patient 155). Automatically changing the parameters may include, for example, optimizing the radiation shield position for the clinician next closest to the x-ray source instead of the clinician closest to the x-ray source.

[0046] The shield positioning model is configured to estimate the clinician's 150 exposure to X-ray radiation from the X-ray source 131 at the position indicated by the second position data based on the estimated radiation pattern output by the X-ray radiation model, and to estimate an optimal position of the radiation shield 142 that minimizes the clinician's 150 exposure to X-ray radiation from the X-ray source 131. The shield positioning model may receive as input the position of the clinician 150 determined from the first position data, the position of the X-ray source 131 determined from the second position data, and the radiation pattern output by the X-ray radiation model. Based on this input, the shield positioning model calculates and outputs an optimal position of the radiation shield 142 that minimizes radiation exposure to the clinician 150, for example, by minimizing overlap between the clinician's position and a given level of radiation exposure in the radiation pattern. In some embodiments, the radiation shield includes movable interconnected sections and panels, and the shield positioning model calculates the positions of these interconnected sections and panels to provide the optimal position of the radiation shield. In some embodiments, the shield positioning model may include a neural network algorithm, such as an artificial neural network (ANN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), or a recurrent neural network (RNN) algorithm. In other embodiments, the shield positioning model may use a lookup table, such as a relational database, that maps model inputs, including the positions of the x-ray source, clinician, patient, table, etc. in the treatment room and the corresponding radiation patterns, to predetermined optimal positions for the radiation shield. In yet other embodiments, the model may analytically calculate the optimal position of the radiation shield from the model inputs based on known and / or simulated relationships between the positions of the x-ray source, clinician, patient, table, etc. in the treatment room and the corresponding radiation patterns.

[0047] In one embodiment, the shield positioning model calculates the optimal position of the radiation shield 142 to take into account the location of the ROI 157 so that the radiation shield 142 does not block visual and / or physical access to the ROI 157 by the clinician 150. In another embodiment, the shield positioning model instead or additionally calculates the optimal position of the radiation shield 142 to take into account the location of the sensitive anatomical region 158 so that the radiation shield 142 prioritizes protection at this location in addition to protecting the clinician 150.

[0048] In some embodiments using supervised learning, any susceptible regions can be identified during training using bounding boxes or other region-of-interest indicators. For example, regions to avoid or prioritize when calculating the optimal position of the radiation shield 142 can be indicated in the training data by the clinician 150 or other user (e.g., by outlining regions to avoid in red and regions to prioritize in green on the user interface 112), allowing the shield positioning model to optimize its weights during supervised training using a loss function that assigns a high error to shield locations that overlap with regions to avoid and a low error to shield locations that overlap with regions to prioritize. This allows the shield positioning model to prioritize regions indicated by the user (e.g., in green) during inference or application of the shield positioning model, for example. For example, the user can interactively indicate prioritized regions on the touchscreen 116, allowing the shield positioning model's optimal shield position output to be updated. Alternatively, the system may automatically infer that the patient requires additional anatomical regions to be protected. For example, in one embodiment, patient electronic health record (EHR) data may be additionally input into the shield positioning model, allowing the shield positioning model to access information including the patient's age and gender and optimize its weights during supervised training so that, for example, shield positions that reduce radiation to identified pelvic regions of women of childbearing age are prioritized. By modifying the shield positioning model's weights based additionally on patient EHR data (including age, gender, and pregnancy status) during training, the shield positioning model learns from its parameters that features associated with identified regions of the patient's anatomy should be protected. Thus, the shield positioning model learns that, for example, regions around the abdominal and pelvic regions should be protected for pregnant women or women of childbearing age, and predicts radiation shield positions that prioritize protection of these regions for the associated patient during inference.

[0049] Memory 120 may also store information related to the procedure, such as a "target procedure" that identifies the type of procedure, a "target anatomy" that identifies the portion of the patient's body that is the target of the procedure, a "treatment phase" that identifies the portion of the multifaceted procedure being performed, and / or an "access site" that identifies the location on the patient's body where the device is inserted into the patient's body. Using this information, processor 110 may automatically identify areas around patient 155 that should be avoided or excluded from optimizing the position of radiation shield 142, in substantially the same manner that the location of ROI 157 is avoided. For example, when clinician 150 is gaining access at the femoral region of patient 155, processor 110 may exclude areas around the patient's leg from the optimization to avoid obscuring proper access of the clinician's hands to the access site.

[0050] Additionally, via the user interface 112 and / or GUI 118, the clinician 150 may input areas within the procedure room to exclude from optimization based on his or her personal comfort level, so that the optimal position of the radiation shield 142 does not fall within these ranges. The control unit 105 may learn the user preferences of the clinician 150 over time and / or after multiple procedures in which the proposed optimal position of the radiation shield 142 was accepted or rejected by the clinician, recording the excluded areas and the optimal position of the radiation shield 142. The user preferences may be input into the shield positioning model to personalize the determination of the optimal position of the radiation shield 142 for a given user. For example, user preferences may be implemented by weighting the loss function so that positions of the radiation shield 142 similar to those previously accepted by the clinician 150 produce lower error than those not previously accepted or otherwise explicitly rejected by the clinician 150, such that preferred shield positions contribute less to the accumulated error and rejected shield positions contribute more to the error, prompting the shield positioning model to prefer shield positions previously accepted by the clinician 150.

[0051] The shield positioning model (e.g., a neural network) may be pre-trained by a processor before being implemented for an actual procedure. The training may include receiving historical data (actual and / or simulated) including a previous position of an entity (e.g., a clinician, a patient, an operating table, etc.) based on previous first position data generated by a sensor during a corresponding previous procedure and a previous position of the X-ray source 131 based on previous second position data generated by a sensor during the previous procedure. The training may further include receiving other historical data including a previous estimated radiation pattern within the treatment room during the previous procedure. For example, the training may include receiving a previous estimated radiation pattern analytically calculated or predicted by an X-ray radiation model from the previous first and second position data. The training may also include receiving further historical data including a previous position of the radiation shield 142 within the treatment room during the previous procedure, which may include previously measured radiation for the entity at the previous position of the radiation shield 142. 5, and the previous position of the radiation shield includes (i) a position of at least one section of the interconnected sections of the radiation shield relative to other sections of the interconnected sections of the radiation shield, and / or (ii) a position of at least one panel of the panels of the radiation shield relative to other panels of the radiation shield. The previous data may be retrieved, for example, from a database or other memory (e.g., memory 120) accessible by processor 110.

[0052] The training may correlate relationships between previous positions of entities (clinician, patient, operating table, etc.), previous imaging source positions, previous estimated radiation patterns, previous radiation shield positions (e.g., including section and / or panel positions in some embodiments), and / or previously measured radiation to the entity at previous radiation shield positions during previous procedures to generate a trained shield positioning model. The trained shield positioning model is configured to predict and output optimal positioning of the radiation shield (e.g., including optimal section and / or panel positions in some embodiments) that minimizes radiation exposure to the clinician based on input of current positions of entities and imaging source within the procedure room and the current estimated radiation pattern within the procedure room.

[0053] The training may include one or more loss functions implemented to predict the optimal position of the radiation shield according to a predetermined optimization criterion. For example, the loss function may be implemented to weight or balance the application of previous data, such as previous positions of the clinician, patient, operating table, etc., previous imaging source positions, previous estimated radiation patterns, previous radiation shield positions, and / or previous measured radiation to entities at previous radiation shield positions during previous procedures, according to the predetermined optimization criterion. For example, one optimization criterion may be to minimize radiation exposure to the clinician 150 and / or other personnel standing closest to the X-ray source 131 using the radiation shield 142. In this embodiment, the loss function may be implemented to weight the previous data to predict the optimal radiation shield position so as to minimize the difference in posture between the estimated shield posture(s) and the principal plane of intersection (i) between the clinician and a given level of radiation exposure (indicated by a particular shading on the heatmaps in FIGS. 2A and 2B or by an outline indicating the level of radiation). The loss may be the difference between the three degrees of freedom (DoF) shield pose estimated by the shield positioning model (2 DoF in-plane translation, 1 DoF in-plane rotation) and the principal plane of intersection. For example, the loss function may apply the Euclidean distance between the 2 DoF translational components of the shield pose and the plane of intersection and the angle between the 1 DoF in-plane rotational component of the shield pose and the plane of intersection. A similar loss function can be implemented for radiation shields with more than 3 DoF. When the radiation shield 142 is configurable and can therefore slide along its height, for example, to change its vertical configuration, the translational components may include all 3 DoF. The Euclidean distance between the translational components of the shield pose may also be replaced by other distance measures, such as Riemannian distance, geodesic distance, etc.

[0054] 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams of radiation shield placement to minimize radiation exposure to a clinician, according to a representative embodiment. Referring to FIG. 2A, a shield positioning model inputs first position information regarding the position of the clinician 150 and the initial position of the radiation shield 142, and second position information regarding the position of the X-ray source 131 and / or C-arm 133. The shield positioning model also inputs an estimated radiation pattern 221 output by an X-ray radiation model. Referring to FIG. 2B, as the clinician 150 moves to a higher radiation area, the shield positioning model outputs an optimal posture (indicated by arrow 223) for the radiation shield 142 to minimize radiation exposure to the clinician 150. FIG. 2B also shows the principal planes of shield postures (s) and intersections (i) between the clinician 150 and a given level of radiation exposure (indicated by a particular shading on the heat map representing the radiation pattern 221 in FIGS. 2A and 2B or by an outline indicating the level of radiation) as determined by the X-ray radiation model.

[0055] More specifically, FIG. 2A illustrates a situation in which, at time t, a clinician 150 is positioned p t Shield 142 is in the optimal position s t 2B, the optimal position of the radiation shield 142 is s t From s t+ , which again minimizes radiation to the clinician 150.

[0056] As mentioned above, another optimization criterion may be to avoid either obscuring or preventing access to the ROI 157 on the patient in previous treatments. This can be done by annotating regions to avoid in the training data for the ROI 157 and selecting the annotated regions (aavoid This can be achieved by penalizing the proximity of the estimated shield pose (s) to the annotated region (a avoid The Euclidean distance between (i) and the shield pose (s) can be maximized while the distance between the shield pose (s) and the principal plane of intersection (i) is minimized.

[0057] Another optimization criterion may be to protect sensitive anatomical regions 158 identified on the patient in a previous procedure from direct and / or scattered radiation without obscuring the ROI 157 or other regions of interest. Similar to the discussion above, sensitive anatomical regions 158 to be avoided may be annotated in the training data. In this case, the annotated regions (a include The Euclidean distance between ) and the shield pose(s) may additionally be minimized during optimization, while penalizing shield poses that may fall within the field of view to be imaged. This may be done by using an X-ray radiation model to model the X-ray beam generated from the X-ray source 131 given the current X-ray settings (e.g., dose, collimation) and evaluating whether the radiation shield 142 intersects the X-ray beam at various positions. When the radiation shield 142 intersects the X-ray beam traveling toward the field of view to be imaged, the corresponding positions are rejected because they fall within the field of view. On the other hand, if the radiation shield 142 is a include The corresponding position is preferred when it intersects with the X-ray beam traveling towards the target.

[0058] In particular, the training of the shield positioning model is described above with reference to system 100, which is the same system used to subsequently perform the procedure in which the x-ray radiation model and trained shield positioning model are used. However, it will be understood that the training data for training the shield positioning model may be obtained from other systems configured similarly to system 100 without departing from the scope of the present teachings.

[0059] Also, in one embodiment, training of the shield positioning model may be performed in a simulation environment executable, for example, by the processor 110. The simulation environment generates data in the form of rendered scenes of the treatment environment, in which various parameters, such as X-ray image settings and geometry and the positions of clinicians and other entities, can be varied to generate large amounts of simulated data. The optimal pose of the radiation shield 142 may be modeled in the simulation based on radiation propagation and other physical properties from an X-ray radiation model. The radiation propagation (or mapping) may be calculated using a physics-based simulation, such as a Monte Carlo simulation, or a data-driven solution to estimate a volumetric heat map around the ROI 157 (e.g., an interventional access site). In this case, the loss function may include the distance between the estimated pose of the radiation shield 142 and the ground truth pose. As mentioned above, depending on the design of the radiation shield 142, from one to six or more DoFs may be considered for the radiation shield 142. The simulated data may also be used in combination with real-world data to evaluate the shield positioning system 140 and quantify how much reduction in radiation exposure is achieved.

[0060] In one embodiment, the system 100 may further provide collision prevention using the first and second position data and / or one or more distance measurement sensors, such as optical, acoustic, capacitive, inductive, and / or photoelectric sensors, located in the procedure room and / or on the radiation shield 142 and configured to measure the distance between the radiation shield 142 and the clinician 150, patient 155, operating table 156, and other equipment in the procedure room when the radiation shield 142 is being operated. The measurement information may be provided to the control unit 105, which may initiate an alarm whenever one of the measured distances falls below a predetermined safety threshold distance. The control unit 105 may also block further movement and / or configuration of the radiation shield 142 until the measured distance is again outside the predetermined safety threshold distance. This ensures the safety of the clinician 150 and patient 155, as well as the safety of the radiation shield 142 during operation.

[0061] In another embodiment, system 100 may include one or more radiation shields in addition to radiation shield 142. In this case, the optimal position of each of the radiation shields (including radiation shield 142) relative to clinician 150 is determined using an X-ray radiation model and a shield positioning model, as described above. The first position data acquired by first sensor 145 further includes data regarding the positions of each of the radiation shields. These data are input into an X-ray radiation model (e.g., provided by shield positioning model module 122), which takes these positions into account in estimating the radiation pattern of X-ray radiation emanating from X-ray source 131, since each radiation shield is an object that reflects X-ray radiation and should be considered in determining the optimal position of each of the other radiation shields. The optimal position of each of the radiation shields is then determined by applying the shield positioning model (e.g., provided by shield positioning model module 122) to the position of at least one clinician, the position of the X-ray source, and the estimated radiation pattern, as described above with respect to radiation shield 142. The collision prevention described above may also be incorporated into systems having multiple radiation shields to prevent collisions and / or optimal position overlap between the radiation shields.

[0062] In embodiments including multiple radiation shields, the loss between each radiation shield and personnel in the treatment room, including clinician 150, may be calculated such that the position of each radiation shield is compared only with the position of the personnel closest to it. For example, personnel present in the treatment room may be clustered into n clusters, each corresponding to a radiation shield, where n is the number of radiation shields (including radiation shield 142). Processor 110 then calculates the loss between the position of each radiation shield and the position of the personnel in the corresponding cluster to determine the optimal position when applying the shield positioning model. As personnel move around, the configuration of the n clusters may change, in which case the optimal position for each radiation shield may be updated. Alternatively, the position of each radiation shield may be compared to the clinician with the nth closest level of radiation exposure in the radiation pattern. That is, the position of the first shield is compared to the person closest to the exposure level, the second shield is compared to the person next closest to the exposure level, and so on.

[0063] 3 is a flow diagram of a method for reducing exposure of at least one clinician to X-ray radiation from an X-ray source in a treatment room using a movable radiation shield, according to a representative embodiment. The method shown in FIG. 3 may be performed, for example, by processor 110 of control unit 105 executing instructions stored in memory 120.

[0064] 3, the method includes determining a position of at least one clinician in a treatment room using first position data received from a first sensor (e.g., first sensor 145) in block S311, and determining a position of an X-ray source using second position data received from the first sensor or a second sensor (e.g., second sensor 147) in block S312. The X-ray source is configured to emit X-ray radiation (e.g., an X-ray beam) toward a patient (e.g., patient 155) in the treatment room according to X-ray settings such as a dose of X-ray radiation, a frame rate, an exposure time, and collimation.

[0065] In block S313, an optimal position of a radiation shield (e.g., radiation shield 142) is determined, the optimal position minimizing exposure of at least one clinician to radiation from the X-ray source. Determining the optimal position of the radiation shield may include applying an X-ray radiation model (e.g., provided by X-ray radiation model module 121) that takes as input the position of at least one clinician and the position of the X-ray source to estimate an X-ray radiation pattern in block S313a, including the effects of direct radiation from the X-ray source and scattered radiation reflected from entities in the treatment room. Determining the optimal position may further include applying a shield positioning model (e.g., provided by shield positioning model module 122) that takes as input the position of the at least one clinician, the position of the X-ray source, and the estimated radiation pattern to determine an optimal position of the radiation shield. The optimal position provides protection of the at least one clinician from X-ray radiation. The optimal position may provide a configuration for the movable interconnected sections and panels of the radiation shield to optimally position the radiation shield to provide protection for at least one clinician from the x-ray radiation. In one embodiment, the x-ray radiation model may further receive as input an x-ray setting of an x-ray source used to emit the x-ray radiation.

[0066] In block S314, the optimal position of the radiation shield is output to enable the radiation shield to be placed in the optimal position. In one embodiment, outputting the optimal position of the radiation shield may include visualizing the optimal position of the radiation shield on a display (e.g., display 114) and enabling a user (e.g., clinician 150) to manually adjust the radiation shield to the optimal position accordingly. In another embodiment, the optimal position of the radiation shield is visualized and displayed along with the current position of the radiation shield. This provides visual context to the user when manipulating the radiation shield from its current position to the optimal position. The user may manually move the radiation shield by physically touching the radiation shield and orienting it to the optimal position. Alternatively, or in addition, the user may manually move the radiation shield using controls in the user interface (e.g., user IF 112), including buttons provided by a GUI (e.g., GUI 118) on the touchscreen (e.g., touchscreen 116), to send commands to control electronic movement of the radiation shield via the control interface (e.g., control IF 144). The GUI may be configured to provide feedback to the user while manipulating the shield.

[0067] In block S315, the radiation shield is optionally automatically moved from the current position to the optimal position output in block S314. The radiation shield may be moved automatically by a control unit, which determines a difference between the current position of the radiation shield and the optimal position and issues a command to a control interface to automatically drive the radiation shield from the current position to the optimal position based on these differences. As described above, the control interface includes motors, actuators, and / or other driving devices that operate in response to commands from the control unit. In this case, the control unit may include a robotic controller, the operation of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In one embodiment, movement of the radiation shield may be a combination of automatic and manual control without departing from the scope of the present teachings.

[0068] As described above, in embodiments in which the shield positioning model includes a machine learning model, the shield positioning model applied in block S313b is first trained. FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a method for training a shield positioning model to reduce exposure of at least one clinician to X-ray radiation from an X-ray source, according to a representative embodiment. The method illustrated in FIG. 4 may be performed by processor 110 of control unit 105 executing instructions stored in memory 120, or by a separate processor not part of the control unit. The training may be based on historical data including previous positions of the clinician, patient, and entity, previous positions of the X-ray source, and a previously determined optimal position of the radiation shield, respectively. The historical data may be data from actual procedures previously performed using the same system, including the same control unit, X-ray imaging system, and shield positioning system, or using a different but similar system. Alternatively, all or a portion of the historical data may be provided in a simulation environment.

[0069] Referring to FIG. 4, the method includes, in block S411, receiving a previous position of at least one clinician based on previous first position data generated by a first sensor (e.g., first sensor 145) during a previous treatment of the respective patient, and, in block S412, receiving a previous position of the X-ray source based on previous second position data generated by the first sensor or a second sensor (e.g., second sensor 147) during the previous treatment.

[0070] In block S413, previous radiation patterns of X-ray radiation emitted by the X-ray source estimated by the X-ray radiation model are received. The radiation patterns are based on the previous first position data and the previous second position data, respectively, thereby providing a corresponding set of previous first position data, previous second position data, and estimated radiation patterns. The previous radiation patterns may include the effects of direct radiation and scattered radiation estimated by the X-ray radiation model (e.g., X-ray radiation model module 121), where direct radiation represents X-ray radiation emitted from the X-ray source and scattered radiation represents X-ray radiation reflected from entities in the treatment room.

[0071] In block S414, the previous first position data, the previous second position data, and the set of estimated radiation patterns are input into a shield location model, which is a shield location model being trained.

[0072] For each set of previous first position data, previous second position data, and estimated radiation pattern, an optimal configuration of the radiation shield that minimizes exposure of at least one clinician to X-ray radiation from the X-ray source is predicted using the shield positioning model in block S415, and a difference between the predicted or estimated optimal configuration of the radiation shield and a ground truth optimal configuration is predicted in block S416. In some embodiments, the radiation shield includes interconnected moving sections and panels, and the optimal configuration predicted using the shield positioning model includes an optimal configuration of these sections and panels. In one embodiment, estimating the optimal configuration of the radiation shield in block S415 may include applying a loss function that includes one or more of: minimizing radiation exposure to the clinician standing closest to the X-ray source (if multiple clinicians are present), avoiding obscuring or obstructing access to the region of interest on the patient, and protecting the patient's anatomical region of interest from X-ray radiation.

[0073] In block S417, it is determined whether a stopping criterion is met. For example, the stopping criterion may be when the difference between the estimated shield position and the ground truth optimal shield position is less than a predetermined threshold. If the stopping criterion is not met (block S417: No), training of the shield positioning model continues by adjusting parameters of the shield positioning model based on the difference between the estimated optimal configuration of the radiation shield and the ground truth optimal configuration in block S418, repeating estimation of the optimal configuration of the radiation shield using the shield positioning model with the updated parameters in block S415, and comparing the estimated optimal configuration of the radiation shield with the ground truth optimal configuration in block S416. If the stopping criterion is met (block S417: Yes), the training process ends, resulting in a trained shield positioning model.

[0074] As mentioned above, the radiation shield 142 may be configurable, meaning that the coverage area (e.g., size and shape) of the radiation shield 142, as well as the position and orientation of the radiation shield 142, can be changed to further adjust the area of ​​shielding provided by the radiation shield 142. In some embodiments, the radiation shield may include movable interconnected sections and panels that can be adjusted to adjust the area of ​​shielding provided by the radiation shield 142.

[0075] 5 is a diagram of a system (e.g., system 100) including a perspective view of a configurable radiation shield, according to a representative embodiment. Generally, the radiation shield is configurable to adapt to changing variables within the treatment room to maximize radiation protection during treatment. As discussed above, such variables include, for example, the size and shape of the treatment room, the location of the radiation source (e.g., X-ray source 131 and C-arm 133), the size and location of the patient, and the number and location of the radiation source and / or medical personnel relative to the radiation source.

[0076] 5, the system includes a radiation shield 542 and the above-described control unit 105 and control IF 144. The radiation shield 542 is positioned within a procedure room to perform medical imaging and / or interventional procedures that require the use of imaging devices that emit ionizing radiation, such as the X-ray source 131. In the illustrated embodiment, the radiation shield 542 includes three interconnected sections, each of which includes a set of two vertically stacked panels (upper and lower), at least one of which is movable in a vertical direction (indicated by the y-axis) relative to the other panels.

[0077] More specifically, first (center) section 510 includes upper panel 511 and lower panel 512, second (left) section 520 includes upper panel 521 and lower panel 522, and third (right) section 530 includes upper panel 531 and lower panel 533. First, second, and third sections 510, 520, and 530 are formed of one or more radiation-shielding materials in that each of upper and lower panels 511, 512, 521, 522, 531, and 533 is formed of the radiation-shielding material described above. In alternative embodiments, one or more of first, second, and third sections 510, 520, and 530 may include only a single panel of radiation-shielding material.

[0078] Each of the second and third sections 520 and 530 is configured to fold and unfold relative to the first section 510 to make it narrower or wider, thereby varying the width of the radiation shield 542 in the horizontal direction (indicated by the x-axis). The folding and unfolding involves pivotal movement about a vertical axis (indicated by the y-axis). Examples of connections that enable the folding and unfolding movement of the second and third sections 520 and 530 are described below with reference to FIG. 6. Each of the second and third sections 520 and 530 can also be configured to move (translate) horizontally relative to the first section 510 to make it narrower or wider, thereby varying the width of the radiation shield 542 in the horizontal direction. Examples of connections that enable the translation of the second and third sections 520 and 530 are described below with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B.

[0079] In the first section 510, the upper panel 511 and the lower panel 512 are configured to move vertically (e.g., slide or roll) relative to one another to change the vertical length of the coverage area of ​​the radiation shield 542. Similarly, the upper panel 521 and the lower panel 522 in the second section 520 and the upper panel 531 and the lower panel 532 in the third section 530 are each configured to move vertically relative to one another. Examples of connections that allow for vertical movement of the panels are described below with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Once the desired configuration of the radiation shield 542 is obtained, the first, second, and third sections 510, 520, and 530 and / or the upper and lower panels 511, 512, 521, 522, 531, and 532 can be locked in place to maintain the overall shape of the radiation shield. For example, the tension in the cables used to adjust the upper and lower panels 511, 512, 521, 522, 531, and 532, described below, can hold them in place using stepper motors with sufficient holding torque. Alternatively, for example, electric solenoids can be used in combination with mating holes that feed pins in and out to lock the upper and lower panels 511, 512, 521, 522, 531, and 532 in place. The solenoid pins can be used to lock movement in the vertical direction (indicated by the y-axis) as they support the weight of the panels.

[0080] In particular, although the depicted number of sections of the radiation shield is three and the depicted number of radiation-resistant panels per section is two, it is understood that more or fewer sections and / or more or fewer panels per section may be incorporated depending on factors such as, for example, the size and layout of the room, the type of procedure for which the procedure room is designed, the number and location of medical personnel expected in the procedure room during the procedure, etc., without departing from the scope of the present teachings.

[0081] The radiation shield 542 further includes mounts 540 configured to movably connect the three interconnected sections to a structure 550, such as the ceiling (shown in the example of FIG. 5) and / or one or more walls of a procedure room. Alternatively, the structure 550 may be a freestanding base to which the mounts 540 are attached, which may itself be repositioned around the procedure room using, for example, wheels or skids. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounts 540 connect the first section 510, referred to as the main panel, to the structure 550 from below. This allows the second and third sections 520 and 530, referred to as the second sections, to be freely folded and unfolded relative to the first section 510.

[0082] The mount 540 is attached to the first section 510 and / or the structure 550 to enable rotation of the first section 510 (and thus the second and third sections 520 and 530 connected to the first section 510) relative to the structure 550 about at least one of the y-axis, x-axis, or z-axis shown in FIG. 5 , where the y-axis is a vertical axis and the x-axis and z-axis are horizontal axes perpendicular to each other. The first section 510 can spin about the y-axis, tilt left and right about the z-axis, and tilt back and forth about the x-axis with any combination of movements. The mount 540 may include any compatible mounting hardware that allows movement in one or more directions. For example, the mount 540 may include a gimbal fixedly attached to the structure 550 and rotatably attached to the first section 510. Alternatively, the mount 540 may include a gimbal fixedly attached to the first section 510 and rotatably attached to the structure 550. As another example, a mechanical or robotic arm may be attached to structure 550, and either end (the attachment point on structure 550 or the attachment point on shield mount 540) may be rotated via a motorized rotation stage. The mechanical or robotic arm may have the ability to hold a load at various rest positions. Various configurations allow for rotational movement in three dimensions, as described above.

[0083] In alternative embodiments, mount 540 may connect either second section 520 or third section 530 to structure 550 without departing from the scope of the present teachings. Also, while Figure 5 shows mount 540 connecting to first section 510 from above, it should be understood that mount 540 may connect from below in alternative configurations without departing from the scope of the present teachings. For example, structure 550 may be a structure that sits on or is attached to a floor, or a floor to which mount 540 is fixedly or rotatably attached.

[0084] In the illustrated embodiment, the control unit 105 and control IF 144 provide electronic control of the configuration of the radiation shield 542. However, it is understood that movement of the radiation shield 542 can be fully or partially manual, for example, using a physical handle or holder (not shown) attached to one or more of the first, second, or third sections 510, 520, and 530, or via direct contact with the first, second, or third sections 510, 520, and 530. When controlled electronically via the control unit 105, configuration of the radiation shield 542 can be performed by sending signals to motors controlling the first, second, or third sections 510, 520, and 530 via the control IF 144. In this case, the sections and / or panels of the radiation shield 542 can be encoded such that the exact configuration of the radiation shield 542 is available to the control unit 105. The encoding can, for example, use sensors and / or translate movement of the control motors to provide position coordinates of the radiation shield 542. Thus, movement of radiation shield 542 to adjust its configuration may be controlled using buttons on a touchscreen or other user interface of control unit 105, such as user interface 112 and / or GUI 118 of FIG. 1 described above. Both manual and electronic controls in the above sections may be applied to upper and lower panels 511, 512, 521, 522, 531, and 532.

[0085] When the radiation shield 542 is encoded, the control unit 105 may be configured to visualize the configuration of the radiation shield on a display interface, such as the display 114 of FIG. 1 , using a three-dimensional model of the radiation shield 542. The visualization may include information regarding the shape, position, and orientation of the radiation shield 542. If the control unit 105 has a communication channel with the X-ray imaging system 130, the visualization may include the shape, position, and orientation of the radiation shield 542 relative to the shape, position, and orientation of the C-arm 133. The visualization may additionally show a mapping of the radiation pattern, as described above.

[0086] In various embodiments, control IF 144 may include drives including miniature motors, such as servo motors or stepper motors, and / or solenoids configured to provide torque and rotational energy for folding and unfolding second and third sections 520 and 530 and for vertically moving one or more of upper and lower panels 511, 512, 521, 522, 531, and 532, respectively. For folding and unfolding operations, the mechanical connections and devices may include motors configured to rotate spools to adjust cables connected to corners of second and third sections 520 and 530, for example, as described below with reference to FIG. 6. For vertical movement of panels, the mechanical connections and devices may include motors configured to rotate spools to adjust cables connected to lower panels 511, 521, and 531 or upper panels 512, 522, and 532 to slide the connected panels relative to the other panels, for example, as described below with reference to FIG. 8 and 9. For translational movement of the panels, the mechanical connections and devices may include, for example, motors connected to rotate spools to adjust cables in first section 510 connected to corners of second and third sections 520 and 530 to translate the second and third sections relative to first section 510, as described below with reference to Figures 7A and 7B. It should be understood that any compatible electrical and mechanical connections and devices capable of configuring the sections and panels of radiation shield 542 may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the present teachings.

[0087] In the illustrated embodiment, the control unit 105 is configured to operate the motors of the control IF 144 to rotate at least one of the second and third sections 520 and 530 relative to the first section 510 to fold and unfold the second and third sections to change the width of the coverage area of ​​the radiation shield 542. The control unit 105 is further configured to operate the motors to move one or more of the upper and lower panels 511, 512, 521, 522, 531, and 532 relative to each other to change the height of the coverage area of ​​the radiation shield 542. The control unit 105 is further configured to operate the motors of the control IF 144 to translate at least one of the second and third sections 520 and 530 relative to the first section 510 to change the width of the coverage area of ​​the radiation shield 542.

[0088] As described above, each of these functions may be performed manually or electronically. In one embodiment, the control unit 105 may include a mechanism (e.g., a switch) that allows a user to change between manual control of the radiation shield 542 and electronic control of the radiation shield 542 by the control unit 105. Manual control allows a user to manually physically manipulate the first, second, and third sections 520 and 530 and / or the upper and lower panels 511, 512, 521, 522, 531, and 532. Electronic control allows a user to operate the control unit 105 through the user interface 112 and / or GUI 118 to manipulate the first, second, and third sections 510, 520, and 530 and / or the upper and lower panels 511, 512, 521, 522, 531, and 532 through the operation of motors, solenoids, and / or other electronic controls. The control unit 105 may also be configured to automatically operate the first, second and third sections 510, 520 and 530 and / or the upper panels 511, 512, 521, 522, 531 and 532 as described above.

[0089] It should be noted that the configuration shown in FIG. 5 is merely an example. It should be understood that the configuration of the radiation shield 542 is not limited to these examples and may be varied to provide unique advantages in any particular situation or to meet the particular requirements of various embodiments, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. For example, the degree of folding of one or both of the second and third sections 520 and 530 relative to the first section 510 may vary from 0 degrees to approximately 180 degrees. Similarly, the distance that one or more of the lower panels 512, 522, and 532 can move upward relative to the upper panels 511, 521, and 531, respectively, may vary from 0 to nearly 100 percent overlap. Similarly, the degree of rotation of the mount 540 about the y-axis may vary from 0 degrees to +180 degrees, and the degree of rotation of the mount 540 about one or more of the x- and z-axes may vary from 0 degrees to approximately +110 degrees, for example.

[0090] Figures 6-9 are perspective views of connectors for movably connecting sections and panels of a configurable radiation screen according to representative embodiments. Figures 6-9 provide examples of various connectors and are not intended to be limiting.

[0091] Specifically, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a connection system that movably connects first and second sections of a radiation shield for rotational movement, according to a representative embodiment.

[0092] 6 , the exemplary connection system 600 includes a slot and pin assembly 630 for mounting the first and second sections 510 and 520 for rotational (and translational) movement relative to one another. The connection system 600 further includes a screw actuator 610 disposed on an upper edge of the first section 510 and a protrusion 621 and rollers 425 and 426 disposed on an upper edge of the second section 520. The screw actuator 610 is operable to rotate a worm gear 615, which mechanically interacts with the protrusion 621 on the second section 620. In the illustrated configuration, rotation of the worm gear 615 in a first direction causes a corresponding rotation of the protrusion 621 about the pin 622, resulting in the second section 520 deploying away from the first section 510. Rotation of worm gear 615 in an opposite second direction causes a corresponding rotation of protrusion 621 of pin 622, resulting in second section 520 folding toward first section 510. Rollers 425 and 626 roll along the surface of second section 520 during translation of second section 520 relative to first section 510, discussed below, and impart a force to second section 520 during rotation about pin 622. Screw actuator 610 includes, for example, a motor whose operation (e.g., speed and direction of rotation) is controlled by electrical signals from control unit 105. Screw actuator 610 can be operated, for example, hydraulically or pneumatically without departing from the scope of the present teachings.

[0093] 7A and 7B are perspective views of a connection system and a spool within a connector operable to provide translational movement of the first and second sections of the radiation shield, respectively, according to a representative embodiment.

[0094] 7A , the exemplary connection system 700 includes a spool 715 and a motor 718 within a housing 710 connected to the top edge of the first section 510. The connection system 700 further includes first and second corner connectors 721 and 722 at the left and right corners of the top edge of the second section 520, and thin first and second steel cables 731 and 732 extending between the first and second corner connectors 721 and 722, respectively, and the spool 715. The motor 718 is operable to rotate the spool 715 clockwise and counterclockwise, which complementarily adjusts the lengths of the first and second steel cables to translate the second section 520 left and right via the first and second corner connectors 721 and 722. Rollers 625 and 626 rotate along the surface of the second section 520 during translation.

[0095] 7B , in the illustrated example, clockwise rotation of spool 715 shortens first steel cable 731 and lengthens second steel cable 732, pulling second section 720 to the right via first and second corner connectors 721 and 722. Counterclockwise rotation of spool 715 shortens second steel cable 732 and lengthens first steel cable 731, pulling second section 720 to the left via first and second corner connectors 721 and 722. Motor 718 may be controlled, for example, by an electrical signal from control unit 705. However, in alternative configurations, spool 715 may be operated, for example, hydraulically or pneumatically, without departing from the scope of the present teachings.

[0096] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a connection system that movably connects upper and lower panels of a third section of a radiation shield for vertical movement, according to a representative embodiment.

[0097] 8 , an exemplary connection system 800 includes a spool 815 and a dedicated motor 818 within the housing 710 connected to the upper edge of the first section 510. The connection system 800 further includes first and second corner connectors 821 and 822 at the left and right corners of the upper edge of the lower panel 532 of the third section 530, and first and second thin steel cables 831 and 832 extending between the first and second corner connectors 821 and 822, respectively, and the spool 815. The first and second steel cables 831 and 832 are wound in the same direction around the spool 815. The first and second corner connectors 821 and 822 are disposed within rails 841 and 842, respectively, attached to the left and right edges of the upper panel 531 of the third section 530. The rails 841 and 842 are configured to guide the vertical movement of the lower panel 532.

[0098] The motor 818 is operable to rotate the spool 815 clockwise and counterclockwise, which adjusts the length of the first and second steel cables in the same direction to move the lower panel 532 vertically up and down relative to the upper panel 531 via the first and second corner connectors 821 and 822. That is, in the illustrated example, clockwise rotation of the spool 815 lengthens the first and second steel cables 831 and 832, lowering the lower panel 532 (inside the first and second rails 841 and 842) relative to the upper panel 531 via the first and second corner connectors 821 and 822. Counterclockwise rotation of the spool 815 shortens the first and second steel cables 831 and 832, raising the lower panel 532 relative to the upper panel 531 via the first and second corner connectors 821 and 822. Motor 818 may be controlled, for example, by an electrical signal from control unit 105. However, in alternative configurations, spool 815 may be hydraulically or pneumatically operated, for example, without departing from the scope of the present teachings. Notably, the connection system movably connecting upper panel 521 and lower panel 522 of second section 520 of radiation shield 542 for vertical movement is substantially the same as connection system 800.

[0099] Similarly, FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a connection system that movably connects upper and lower panels of a first section of a radiation shield for vertical movement, according to a representative embodiment.

[0100] 9 , an exemplary connection system 900 includes a spool 915 and a dedicated motor 918 within the housing 710 connected to the top edge of the first section 510. The connection system 900 further includes first and second corner connectors 921 and 922 at the left and right corners of the top edge of the lower panel 512 of the first section 510, and first and second thin steel cables 931 and 932 extending between the first and second corner connectors 921 and 922, respectively, and the spool 915. The first and second steel cables 931 and 932 are wound in the same direction around the spool 915. The first and second corner connectors 921 and 922 are disposed within rails 941 and 942, respectively, attached to the left and right edges of the upper panel 511 of the first section 510. The rails 941 and 942 are configured to guide the vertical movement of the lower panel 512.

[0101] The motor 918 is operable to rotate the spool 915 clockwise and counterclockwise, which adjusts the lengths of the first and second steel cables 931 and 932 in the same direction to vertically move the lower panel 512 up and down relative to the upper panel 511 via the first and second corner connectors 921 and 922. That is, in the illustrated example, clockwise rotation of the spool 915 lengthens the first and second steel cables 931 and 932, lowering the lower panel 531 (inside the first and second rails 941 and 942) relative to the upper panel 511 via the first and second corner connectors 921 and 922. Counterclockwise rotation of the spool 915 shortens the first and second steel cables 931 and 932, raising the lower panel 512 relative to the upper panel 511 via the first and second corner connectors 921 and 922. The motor 918 may be controlled, for example, by an electrical signal from the control unit 105. However, in alternative configurations, the spool 915 may be operated, for example, hydraulically or pneumatically, without departing from the scope of the present teachings.

[0102] Although this specification describes components and functions that may be implemented in particular embodiments with reference to particular standards and protocols, the present disclosure is not limited to such standards and protocols. Such standards are periodically replaced by more efficient equivalents having essentially the same functionality. Accordingly, replacement standards and protocols having the same or similar functionality are considered equivalents thereof.

[0103] The descriptions of the embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of various embodiments. The descriptions are not intended to serve as a complete description of all of the elements and features of the present disclosure described herein. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the present disclosure. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived from the present disclosure, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, the illustrations are merely representational and may not be drawn to scale. Certain proportions in the figures may be exaggerated, while others may be minimized. Therefore, the present disclosure and the drawings should be considered illustrative and not limiting.

[0104] One or more embodiments of the present disclosure may be individually and / or collectively referred to herein by the term "invention" merely for convenience and without any intention to intentionally limit the scope of the present application to any particular invention or inventive concept. Furthermore, while specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be understood that any subsequent configurations designed to achieve the same or similar purpose may replace the specific embodiment shown. The present disclosure is intended to cover any and all subsequent adaptations or variations of the various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the description.

[0105] The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided for purposes of compliance with 37 CFR § 1.72(b) and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Additionally, in the foregoing Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together or described in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter may be directed to less than all features of any of the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as defining separately claimed subject matter.

[0106] The foregoing description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable those skilled in the art to practice the concepts described in this disclosure. Accordingly, the subject matter disclosed above should be considered illustrative and not limiting, and the appended claims are intended to encompass all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments that fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted by law, the scope of the present disclosure should be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and should not be limited or constrained by the foregoing detailed description.

Claims

1. 1. A system for reducing radiation exposure in a treatment room using a radiation shield, the system comprising: a controller having a processor and a memory; wherein the processor receiving first location data indicative of a location of at least one clinician within the treatment room; receiving second position data indicative of a position of an imaging source of an imaging device configured to provide image data of a patient within the treatment room; estimating a radiation pattern of radiation emitted by the imaging source based on the first position data and the second position data; predicting an optimal position of a radiation shield within the treatment room that minimizes exposure of the at least one clinician to the emitted radiation based on the estimated radiation pattern, the first position data, and the second position data; The system is configured as follows:

2. the radiation shield having a plurality of interconnected sections; at least one section of the plurality of interconnected sections is configured to fold and unfold relative to other sections of the plurality of interconnected sections to change a coverage area of ​​the plurality of interconnected sections; At least one section of the plurality of interconnected sections has a plurality of panels, and at least one panel of the plurality of panels is configured to slide relative to another panel of the plurality of panels to change the coverage area of ​​the plurality of interconnected sections. The system of claim 1 .

3. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the prediction of the optimal position of radiation shielding that minimizes exposure of the at least one clinician to the emitted radiation includes prediction of (i) a position of the at least one section of the plurality of interconnected sections relative to another section of the plurality of interconnected sections, and (ii) a position of the at least one panel of the plurality of panels relative to the other panel of the plurality of panels.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to utilize a radiation model configured to estimate the radiation pattern based on the first position data and the second position data.

5. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the radiation model is further configured to estimate the radiation based on settings of the imaging source, the settings including at least one of a dose, a frame rate, an exposure time, and a collimation of the radiation emitted by the X-ray source.

6. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to utilize a shield positioning model configured to predict the optimal position of the radiation shield based on the position of the at least one clinician indicated by the first position data, the position of the imaging source indicated by the second position data, and the estimated radiation pattern.

7. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the shield localization model is a machine learning model comprising at least one of an artificial neural network (ANN) algorithm, a convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm, and a recurrent neural network (RNN) algorithm.

8. The system further comprises a second processor configured to train the shield positioning model, the second processor comprising: receiving first prior location data indicating a location of the at least one clinician during a prior procedure; receiving second previous position data indicating a position of the imaging source during the previous procedure; estimating a radiation pattern of the imaging during the previous procedure based on the previous first position data and the previous second position data; inputting the previous first position data, the previous second position data, and the estimated radiation pattern into the shield positioning model; using the shield positioning model to estimate an optimal configuration of the radiation shield that minimizes exposure of the at least one clinician to radiation from the imaging source; adjusting parameters of the shield positioning model based on a difference between the estimated optimal configuration and a ground truth optimal configuration of the radiation shield; The system of claim 6 , configured to:

9. The shield positioning model is minimizing radiation exposure to a clinician of the at least one clinician standing closest to the imaging source; avoidance of obscuring or blocking access to the region of interest; protecting the anatomical region of interest from said imaging radiation; The system of claim 6 , further comprising one or more loss functions configured to predict the optimal position based on at least one of:

10. the radiation shield comprising a radiation shielding material; at least one sensor configured to provide at least one of the first position data, the second position data, and position data of one or other objects within the procedure room; The method of claim 1 further comprising:

11. The system comprises: at least one motor configured to move at least a portion of the radiation shield; and the processor is further configured to operate the at least one motor to move the radiation shield to the optimal position. The system of claim 10.

12. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an internal encoder configured to receive motion data indicative of movement of the imaging source during the procedure, and the second position data comprises the motion data.

13. the first position data further indicating a position of a region of interest on the patient; the processor is further configured to predict the optimal position of the radiation shield for at least one of (i) avoiding the radiation shield from obscuring or blocking access to the region of interest, and (ii) protecting the region of interest from the x-ray radiation. The system of claim 1 .

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first position data further indicates a position of one or more objects in the procedure room, including at least one of the radiation shield and a surgical table.

15. 1. A method of reducing radiation exposure in a treatment room using a radiation shield, comprising: determining first position data indicative of a position of at least one clinician within the treatment room; determining second position data indicative of a position of an imaging source of an imaging device configured to provide image data of a patient within the treatment room; estimating a radiation pattern of radiation emitted by the imaging source based on the first position data and the second position data; predicting an optimal position of a radiation shield within the treatment room that minimizes exposure of the at least one clinician to the emitted radiation based on the estimated radiation pattern, the first position data, and the second position data; A method comprising:

16. the radiation shield having a plurality of interconnected sections; at least one section of the plurality of interconnected sections is configured to fold and unfold relative to other sections of the plurality of interconnected sections to change a coverage area of ​​the plurality of interconnected sections; at least one section of the plurality of interconnected sections has a plurality of panels, at least one panel of the plurality of panels configured to slide relative to another panel of the plurality of panels to change the coverage area of ​​the plurality of interconnected sections; the prediction of the optimal position of a radiation shield that minimizes exposure of the at least one clinician to the emitted radiation includes predictions of (i) a position of the at least one section of the plurality of interconnected sections relative to the other sections of the plurality of interconnected sections, and (ii) a position of the at least one panel of the plurality of panels relative to the other panels of the plurality of panels; The system of claim 15.

17. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predicting the optimal position of a radiation shielding comprises utilizing a shield positioning model comprising a machine learning model trained to predict the optimal position of the radiation shielding based on the position of the at least one clinician indicated by the first position data, the position of the imaging source indicated by the second position data, and the estimated radiation pattern.

18. When executed by a processor, the processor: determining first position data indicative of a position of at least one clinician within the treatment room; determining second position data indicative of a position of an imaging source of an imaging device configured to provide image data of a patient within the treatment room; estimating a radiation pattern of radiation emitted by the imaging source based on the first position data and the second position data; predicting an optimal position of a radiation shield within the treatment room that minimizes exposure of the at least one clinician to the emitted radiation based on the estimated radiation pattern, the first position data, and the second position data. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program having instructions.

19. the radiation shield having a plurality of interconnected sections; at least one section of the plurality of interconnected sections is configured to fold and unfold relative to other sections of the plurality of interconnected sections to change a coverage area of ​​the plurality of interconnected sections; at least one section of the plurality of interconnected sections has a plurality of panels, at least one panel of the plurality of panels configured to slide relative to another panel of the plurality of panels to change the coverage area of ​​the plurality of interconnected sections; the prediction of the optimal position of a radiation shield that minimizes exposure of the at least one clinician to the emitted radiation includes predictions of (i) a position of the at least one section of the plurality of interconnected sections relative to the other sections of the plurality of interconnected sections, and (ii) a position of the at least one panel of the plurality of panels relative to the other panels of the plurality of panels; 20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18.

20. To predict the optimal position of a radiation shield, the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to: utilizing a shield positioning model, the shield positioning model comprising a machine learning model trained to predict the optimal position of the radiation shield based on the position of the at least one clinician indicated by the first position data, the position of the imaging source indicated by the second position data, and the estimated radiation pattern.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18.

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