Respiratory coaching system for ring gantry-type medical equipment

Abstract

Previously, coaching on optimal breathing exercises was provided via audio or video, but audio was difficult for those with poor hearing. Another method involved having patients wear video goggles and regulating their breathing in sync with the video image. However, this method required patients who wear eyeglasses to adjust their vision to take them off, which caused problems with the video image becoming unclear due to poor focus. [Solution] A small projector with a built-in computer is placed on the patient's bed, and a program that outputs video, text, and audio for breathing coaching is installed in the small projector. Breathing coaching is performed by projecting this video onto the ring gantry wall of a ring gantry-type medical device.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a respiratory coaching system for a ring gantry type medical device, and more particularly to a technique for a respiratory coaching system for a ring gantry type radiotherapy device or a ring gantry type diagnostic imaging device. [Background technology]

[0002] A ring gantry-type radiotherapy device for treating tumors inside a patient's body is known. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the ring gantry-type radiotherapy device, in which 1 is a hollow cylindrical ring gantry, 2 is an accelerator, 4 is a therapeutic X-ray beam emitted from the accelerator, 6 is a patient bed, and 8 is a patient. The accelerator 2 is rotated within this cross-section by a rotation mechanism (not shown) inside the ring gantry, allowing the therapeutic beam 4 to be emitted toward the patient 8 from any direction. Fig. 2 is an external view of the ring gantry-type radiotherapy device shown in Fig. 1. 1, 2, and 6 in Fig. 2 have been explained in Fig. 1, so their explanation will be omitted. [Prior art documents]

[0003] Details of the ring gantry type radiotherapy apparatus are described in, for example, Patent Document 1 and its corresponding Japanese application, Patent Document 2, and non-patent documents. [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 5,724,400 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication Hei 8-511452 [Non-patent literature] [Non-patent literature] Mackie, TR et al., Tomotherapy: A new concept for the delivery of dynamic conformal radiotherapy.Med.Phys.1993, 20:1709-1719. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this system is to stabilize the patient's breathing by selecting a breathing coaching image as an input image for the optical projection means and projecting the breathing coaching image onto the wall of a ring gantry for medical equipment such as a ring gantry-type radiation therapy device or a ring gantry-type diagnostic imaging device using the optical projection means. [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Conventionally, when treating lung cancer, liver cancer, or other cancers that exhibit respiratory motion, patients on a bed are often required to hold their breath or breathe regularly to ensure that the treatment beam can be accurately directed at the tumor.

[0007] Previously, coaching on optimal breathing exercises was provided via audio or video, but audio was difficult for those with poor hearing. Another method involved having patients wear video goggles and regulating their breathing in sync with the video image. However, this method required patients who wear eyeglasses to adjust their vision to take them off, which caused problems with the video image becoming unclear due to poor focus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In this invention, a small light projection device (projector) with a built-in computer is placed on the patient's bed, and a program that outputs video, text, and audio for respiratory coaching is installed in the small projector. Respiratory coaching is then performed by projecting this video onto the ring gantry wall of medical equipment such as a ring gantry-type radiotherapy device or a ring gantry-type diagnostic imaging device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] It outputs audio, text, and video, and projects these output images onto the ring gantry wall of a ring gantry-type medical device such as a ring gantry-type radiation therapy device or a ring gantry-type diagnostic imaging device, which allows the patient to view the video without losing focus and has the effect of stabilizing breathing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a respiratory coaching system for a ring gantry type radiotherapy apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [1. Configuration of this embodiment]

[0011] Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a breathing coaching system 10 for a ring gantry-type radiotherapy apparatus according to the present invention. 12 is a program for generating a breathing coaching image (22 in Figure 5), which is executed by computer 14 and outputs the breathing coaching image as a digital signal. The output breathing coaching image signal is input to optical projection means 18, which then outputs the breathing coaching image to the outside as an optically projected image. 19 is a speaker built into breathing coaching system 10 and is means for outputting sound synchronized with the breathing coaching image. 2. Operation of the First Embodiment

[0012] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a breathing coaching system 10 according to the present invention installed in a hollow cylindrical ring gantry-type radiotherapy device. The breathing coaching system 10 is installed on a patient couch 6, and projection light 20 is projected onto the inner wall of the ring gantry from an optical projection means 18 (FIG. 3) within the breathing coaching system 10. As a result, a breathing coaching image 22 (FIG. 5) is displayed on the inner wall of the ring gantry, and the ball in FIG. 5 repeatedly moves up and down at preset intervals to guide inhalation and exhalation. The image also displays text guiding inhalation and exhalation at predetermined timings. In FIG. 5, the text "Breathe out" is displayed during the exhalation guidance period, and the ball is currently moving downward. This text is multilingual; if Japanese is selected in the settings menu, it will appear as "Please exhale." When it is time to guide inhalation, the ball moves upward, displaying, for example, "Breathe in" or "Please inhale." Additionally, there is an option to output this text as audio through speaker 19 in Figure 3. 3. Operation of the Second Embodiment

[0013] Although the first embodiment described a ring gantry-type radiotherapy device, the present invention can also be applied to CT devices, PET CT devices, and other devices used in diagnostic imaging, which also have ring gantries. For example, in a CT device, the length of the gantry in the body axis direction is relatively short, but as shown in FIG. 6, the end of the ring gantry has a smoothly curved shape, so that the breathing coaching system 10 can be tilted as shown and placed on the patient bed, allowing projection onto the ring gantry wall. Reference numeral 24 denotes a breathing coaching image projected onto the ring gantry wall, which is specifically similar to the image illustrated in FIG. 5. Other reference numerals in FIG. 6 are the same as those in FIG. 4, and other operations are similar to those in the first embodiment, so description thereof will be omitted.

[0014] In the first and second embodiments, text and audio output is assumed, but text and audio output are not required. Also, while FIG. 5 illustrates a method of coaching and guiding breathing by moving a ball up and down, various other image formats for coaching are conceivable. In other words, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various configurations can be adopted without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, depending on the treatment area, it is conceivable to tilt the breathing coaching system 10 in FIG. 4 as shown at 10 in FIG. 6 and project the projection light 20 onto the inner wall of the ring gantry. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional ring gantry type radiotherapy device. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is an external view of a conventional ring gantry type radiotherapy device. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a respiratory coaching system for a ring gantry-type radiotherapy device according to the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a respiratory coaching system according to the present invention installed in a ring gantry type radiation therapy device. [Figure 5] 1 is an example of a breathing coaching image projected and displayed on the inner wall of a ring gantry when the breathing coaching system according to the present invention is installed in a ring gantry-type radiotherapy device. [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a respiratory coaching system according to the present invention installed in a ring gantry type diagnostic imaging device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0016] 1 ring gantry 2 accelerator 4 Therapeutic X-ray beams 6 berths 8 patients 10 Breathing Coaching System 12 Breathing coaching image generation program 14 Calculator 16 Breathing Coaching Images 18 Optical Projection Devices 19 Built-in speaker 20 Projection light 22 Breathing coaching images projected onto the inner wall of the ring gantry 24 Breathing coaching images projected onto the ring gantry wall

Claims

1. A breathing coaching system for a ring gantry-type medical device, characterized in that a breathing coaching image generation program and optical projection means incorporating a computer for executing said program are placed on a patient bed, a breathing coaching image generated by said program is selected as an input image for said optical projection means, and said breathing coaching image is optically projected and displayed on the ring gantry wall of the ring gantry-type medical device.

2. 2. The breathing coaching system for a ring gantry type medical device according to claim 1, wherein the breathing coaching image includes a predetermined mark that periodically moves up and down.

3. 3. The respiratory coaching system for a ring gantry type medical device according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined mark is one of a circle, an ellipse, a rectangle, a square, and a diamond.

4. 4. A breathing coaching system for a ring gantry-type medical device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, in addition to projecting and displaying the breathing coaching image, text encouraging the user to inhale is projected and displayed when the specified mark moves upward, and text encouraging the user to exhale is projected and displayed when the specified mark moves downward.

5. 5. A breathing coaching system for a ring gantry-type medical device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, in addition to projecting and displaying the breathing coaching image, a sound is output encouraging the user to inhale when the specified mark moves upward, and a sound is output encouraging the user to exhale when the specified mark moves downward.

6. 6. A breathing coaching system for a ring gantry type medical device according to claim 1, wherein a ring gantry type radiotherapy device is selected as the ring gantry type medical device.

7. 6. A breathing coaching system for a ring gantry type medical device according to claim 1, wherein a ring gantry type diagnostic imaging device is selected as the ring gantry type medical device.

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