Ultrasound-based organ morphology monitoring for radiation therapy

Abstract

The morphology of the anatomical target is monitored using ultrasound to verify that the morphology of the anatomical target substantially matches or otherwise corresponds to a reference morphology determined from pre-treatment ultrasound data and indicated in the radiation treatment plan. Ultrasound data is acquired to measure and monitor the morphology of the anatomical target, such as the bladder, rectum, stomach, etc. The ultrasound data is compared to the reference data. If the morphology of the anatomical target substantially matches or otherwise corresponds to the anatomical morphology indicated in the radiation treatment plan and the reference data, the patient may receive the radiation treatment planned for that day.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 483,252, entitled "Monitoring Organ Morphology for Radiation Treatment Delivery Using Ultrasound," filed February 3, 2023, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 505,473, entitled "Monitoring Organ Morphology for Radiation Treatment Delivery Using Ultrasound," filed June 1, 2023, both of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties. [Background technology]

[0002] Accurate radiation therapy delivery requires both reproducible patient positioning and accurate knowledge of the morphology of the internal organs surrounding the planning target volume. Therefore, for patients with pelvic malignancies, such as prostate cancer, anal cancer, rectal cancer, endometrial cancer, pelvic sarcoma, or cervical cancer, radiation therapy is preferably delivered with a properly filled bladder and an empty rectum. Similarly, for tumors of the upper abdomen (e.g., pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, or primary or secondary liver tumors), reproducible gastric emptying is required. However, even if the size and filling status of local organs such as the bladder, rectum, and stomach vary, optimizing their alignment with the planning target volume may reduce radiation exposure to surrounding organs at risk. Understanding the status of organs at risk adjacent to the lesion and maintaining optimal filling or emptying of these organs during patient preparation for radiation therapy is important but challenging.

[0003] During both planning and implementation of treatment, it can be difficult for patients to consistently maintain the fullness of organs at risk (e.g., the bladder, rectum, stomach, etc.) adjacent to the lesion. For example, one known method for maintaining a constant bladder fullness is to insert a catheter into the patient and drain urine only when the bladder is filled beyond a predetermined volume. However, this method may expose patients to undesirable risks, such as infection and trauma, that may occur during catheter insertion.

[0004] Because anatomical target morphology influences the delivery of external beam radiation therapy, there remains a need for less invasive techniques that can monitor said morphology with greater precision and reproducibility. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present disclosure provides an ultrasound data analysis method for monitoring the consistency of an anatomical target's morphology with a radiation treatment plan. The method includes acquiring ultrasound data from a patient's region of interest that includes the anatomical target, the ultrasound data being acquired using multiple ultrasound transducers positioned around the region of interest. Reference ultrasound data is also accessed by a computer system (which may include a user device). The patient's reference ultrasound data is acquired while the patient's anatomical target is maintained in a reference morphology indicated in the radiation treatment plan. The ultrasound data is compared with the reference ultrasound data to generate feedback data indicating whether the anatomical target's morphology conforms to the reference morphology. When the consistency of the anatomical target's morphology with the reference morphology is optimal, a notification is generated and transmitted to the patient via the user device. The notification indicates that the anatomical target's morphology is optimally aligned with the reference morphology of the radiation treatment plan.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a user device including a display, a memory, and a processor in communication therewith, configured to receive ultrasound data acquired from a region of interest of a patient including an anatomical target, the ultrasound data being acquired using a plurality of ultrasound transducers positioned about the region of interest, accessing from memory baseline ultrasound data acquired from the patient while the anatomical target was maintained in a baseline morphology indicated in a radiation treatment plan, comparing the ultrasound data to the baseline ultrasound data to generate feedback data indicative of a match between the morphology of the anatomical target and the baseline morphology, generating a user interface displayed to a user by the display, and presenting the feedback data within the user interface displayed by the display.

[0007] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for monitoring whether an anatomical target's morphology is consistent with a radiation treatment plan. The method includes using a computer system to access ultrasound data acquired from a region of interest in a patient having an anatomical target. The computer system also accesses baseline ultrasound data previously acquired from the patient while maintaining the anatomical target in a reference morphology indicated in the radiation treatment plan. Feedback data is generated by the computer system by comparing the ultrasound data to the baseline ultrasound data. The feedback data indicates whether the anatomical target's morphology is consistent with the reference morphology. The feedback data is then output to a user via the computer system. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a system for monitoring the morphology of an anatomical target using a wearable ultrasound device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating steps in an exemplary method for monitoring the morphology of an anatomical target in a patient undergoing radiation therapy. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of ultrasound data that can be acquired by a wearable ultrasound device that includes five different ultrasound transducers. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a system for monitoring and aligning the morphology of an anatomical target, according to some embodiments described in the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating example components that may implement the system of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Provided herein are systems and methods for planning and delivering radiation therapy based on ultrasound-based anatomical morphology monitoring. Generally, on the day a radiation therapy dose is administered to a patient, the patient is provided with a device equipped with multiple ultrasound transducers that can be attached to a region of interest (ROI). The device acquires ultrasound data for measuring and monitoring the morphology of an anatomical target, such as the bladder, rectum, or stomach. The ultrasound data is compared with reference data acquired from the patient prior to the day of radiation therapy (e.g., reference ultrasound data established as provisional reference points based on acceptable anatomical structures during simulation). At least a portion of this reference data is also used to generate the patient's radiation treatment plan. If the morphology of the anatomical target is substantially aligned (e.g., aligned within tolerances allowed by the radiation treatment plan) or otherwise consistent with the anatomical morphology indicated in the reference data and the radiation treatment plan, the radiation therapy scheduled for that day can be delivered to the patient. This allows for greater precision in the delivery of radiation therapy. Additionally or alternatively, the systems and methods disclosed herein can improve clinical throughput and patient satisfaction, and reduce the number of scans required to confirm organ positioning for radiation therapy.

[0010] An example of an anatomical target includes, but is not limited to, the bladder. In such cases, ultrasound data acquired on the day of treatment can be used to monitor bladder morphology compared to the bladder morphology on the day the radiation treatment plan was created prior to the treatment day. For example, the patient may be instructed to drink a certain amount of water or other fluid prior to the treatment day to optimize the bladder volume for the planned radiation delivery. Optimizing the volume may include achieving a bladder morphology that optimally aligns the planned treatment volume (e.g., the prostate or other anatomical region to be treated) with the radiation beam. Optimizing the alignment of the planned target volume may include aligning the planned target volume while minimizing exposure to organs-at-risk (OARs).

[0011] Thus, in general, the systems and methods described herein aim to monitor the morphology of anatomical targets to enable optimal alignment of adjacent planning target volumes with a therapeutic radiation beam, i.e., to ensure that planning target volumes in a radiation treatment plan are aligned with the path of the radiation beam while minimizing exposure of organs at risk adjacent to the anatomical target. Close monitoring of anatomical morphology allows for more accurate and repeatable positioning than simply positioning the patient in an approximate position relative to the radiation beam. In particular, monitoring the internal morphology of anatomical structures that may affect the location of the planning target volume can further improve the reproducibility of patient positioning. Monitoring the morphology of an anatomical target(s) includes monitoring the volume, location, and effect of the target's morphology on surrounding anatomical structures, including the planning target volume.

[0012] For example, an ultrasound device can acquire data indicative of the morphology of one or more internal organs. The ultrasound data, or a report generated based on the data, can be displayed to the patient through a user interface on a user device. By way of example and not limitation, the ultrasound data and / or report can be presented to the user via a user device such as a computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet. In some embodiments, the user interface can be generated as part of an application running on the user device. The ultrasound data and / or report can provide feedback to the patient regarding the morphology of the anatomical target, including organ size and shape. This data can aid in radiation treatment preparation by providing feedback to the patient regarding whether the morphology of the anatomical target is accurately or optimally aligned based on the dosimetric requirements of the radiation treatment plan.

[0013] In some embodiments, feedback data can be generated by the user device and presented to the patient via the user device. For example, the user device can process ultrasound data to generate feedback data indicative of the rate at which the anatomical target morphology is changing (e.g., due to bladder fullness, rectal fullness, stomach fullness, inspiration / expiration, etc.). The feedback data can be further processed by the user device to generate a report that can be presented to the patient via the user device, providing information predicting the optimal time to return for treatment, i.e., when the anatomical target morphology will best fit the radiation treatment plan.

[0014] Equipment outline 1, an example of a system 100 for measuring the morphology of an anatomical target is shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the system 100 includes an ultrasound device 102, a user device 104, a server 106, and a network 108.

[0015] In the illustrated embodiment, the ultrasound device 102 generally comprises a wearable ultrasound device incorporating multiple ultrasound transducers 110. The ultrasound transducers 110 may be coupled together. For example, the ultrasound transducers 110 may be coupled together, such as by a band 112. The band 112 may be worn around an area of ​​interest on a patient 114 to hold the ultrasound transducers 110 around the anatomical target to be measured by ultrasound. Advantageously, multiple ultrasound transducers 110 may be positioned around the anatomical target at different positions and orientations to provide a more complete measurement of the anatomical target's morphology.

[0016] In other embodiments, the ultrasound device 102 may include a single ultrasound transducer that is patient-wearable. Alternatively, the ultrasound device 102 may include one or more ultrasound transducers that are not configured to be patient-wearable. For example, the ultrasound device 102 may include a handheld ultrasound transducer that can be operated by the patient or another user (e.g., a healthcare provider). In these cases, the ultrasound device 102 may be in direct communication with the user device 104 and / or server 106, or may be in communication with an ultrasound system that initially acquires ultrasound data and then passes the ultrasound data, or other data generated by processing the ultrasound data, to the user device 104 and / or server 106.

[0017] The ultrasound device 102 can communicate with a user device 104, which can be a computer, laptop, smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, or other similar device. The ultrasound device 102 can communicate with the user device 104 via a wired connection, a wireless connection, or a combination thereof. Ultrasound data acquired by the ultrasound transducer 110 is transmitted to the user device 104, which then processes the ultrasound data to monitor or measure the morphology of an anatomical target.

[0018] The user device 104 can generate a user interface (e.g., a graphical user interface (UI)) that enables the patient 114 to control the operation of the ultrasound device 102, monitor ultrasound data received from the ultrasound device 102, display reports or other feedback data generated from the ultrasound data, provide patient feedback to a clinical team (e.g., feedback regarding the patient's comfort level based on the current fill state of an anatomical target), and the like. For example, the user device 104 can execute an app that provides a user interface for the patient 114 to control and / or display data received from the ultrasound device 102. In some cases, the user device 104 can generate feedback data by processing the ultrasound data received from the ultrasound device 102 and can also generate alerts, warnings, or other notifications to the patient based on the currently measured morphology of the anatomical target. As one example, the user device 104 can generate a notification when the morphology of an anatomical target is aligned, substantially aligned, or otherwise matches a reference morphology (e.g., the morphology of the anatomical target shown in a pre-generated radiation treatment plan). Additionally or alternatively, the user device 104 can generate a notification indicating the rate of change of the anatomical target's morphology, such as the size or shape of the anatomical target. The notification may include a timer that predicts when the anatomical target's morphology is likely to match the reference, thereby providing the patient 114 with information about how long it will take to be ready to receive radiation therapy. For example, the timer may count down the time remaining until the anatomical target's morphology is predicted to optimally match the reference morphology.

[0019] Additionally or alternatively, the user device 104 may execute an app that provides a user interface (e.g., a graphical user interface) through which the patient 114 can generate patient feedback data that can be used to provide updates to the clinical team and adjust goals related to the anatomical target morphology (e.g., by relaxing the required alignment with the reference morphology based on the patient's comfort level). For example, when the patient 114 receives feedback data related to the anatomical target morphology via the user device 104, the patient 114 can generate their own patient feedback data via the user device 104 indicating their comfort level based on the fill state of the anatomical target. In this manner, the patient can inform the clinical team whether the proposed anatomical target morphology is so uncomfortable that it is difficult for the patient 114 to achieve. This two-way feedback between the patient 114 and the clinical team can improve alignment with the treatment plan and also improve patient comfort.

[0020] In some embodiments, the user device 104 may include a long-range transceiver for communicating with the server 106 and / or a short-range transceiver for communicating with other external devices via a short-range communication protocol such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. In some embodiments, the user device 104 bridges communications between the ultrasound device 102 and the server 106. For example, the ultrasound device 102 may transmit data to the user device 104, which may then forward the data from the ultrasound device 102 to the server 106 over the network 108.

[0021] To perform its various functions, the user device 104 may include an electronic control assembly with an electronic processor, memory, and a transceiver. The electronic processor may be configured to receive communications transmitted from the ultrasound device 102, process the data, store the data in memory, generate notifications for the patient 114, etc. The electronic processor and memory may collectively form a device electronic controller configured to perform certain methods described herein (e.g., the method shown in FIG. 2).

[0022] The server 106 includes a server electronic control assembly that includes a server electronic processor, a server memory, and a transceiver. The transceiver allows the server 106 to communicate with the user device 104. The server electronic processor receives ultrasound data and / or other data from the ultrasound device 102 and / or the user device 104 and stores the received data in the server memory. The server 106 may also maintain a database (e.g., in the server memory) for storing ultrasound data, baseline ultrasound data, radiation treatment plan data, etc. For example, the server 106 may store baseline ultrasound data that is accessible to the user device 104 for use in comparison with ultrasound data received from the ultrasound device 102 to monitor whether the anatomical target morphology is compatible with the radiation treatment plan.

[0023] Although server 106 is illustrated as a single device, it may be a distributed device in which the server electronic processor and server memory are distributed among two or more units that are communicatively coupled (e.g., communicatively coupled via network 108).

[0024] Network 108 may be the Internet or a long-range wireless network such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. In other embodiments, network 108 may be a short-range wireless communication network. In still other embodiments, network 108 may be a wired network using, for example, a USB cable. Additionally or alternatively, network 108 may include a combination of long-range communications, short-range communications, and / or wired connections. In some embodiments, network 108 may include wired and wireless devices and connections.

[0025] Method outline 2, a flowchart illustrating steps in an exemplary method for monitoring anatomical target morphology in a patient undergoing radiation therapy is shown. Ultrasound data is acquired from the anatomical targets using an ultrasound device, and the data is analyzed to identify and monitor the morphology of one or more anatomical targets of interest. An alert, notification, or other report is provided to the patient indicating when the anatomical target morphology substantially aligns (or otherwise matches or corresponds) with a reference morphology indicated in the radiation treatment plan.

[0026] The method includes accessing ultrasound data by a user device, as shown in step 202. Accessing ultrasound data may include retrieving the data from a memory or other suitable data storage device or medium. Additionally or alternatively, accessing ultrasound data may include acquiring such data by an ultrasound device and transferring or otherwise communicating the data to a user device. An example of ultrasound data acquired by an ultrasound device is shown in FIG. 3.

[0027] Typically, ultrasound data is acquired on the day the patient is scheduled to receive radiation therapy. For example, ultrasound data is acquired while the patient is waiting to receive radiation therapy, i.e., before being placed in the radiation treatment room. That is, in some embodiments, ultrasound data may be acquired while the patient is at the treatment facility, before being placed in the treatment room. Additionally, or alternatively, ultrasound data may be acquired while the patient is at home. In these cases, the patient can practice filling to achieve optimal anatomical shape.

[0028] Ultrasound data may be acquired while the patient is waiting for radiation therapy or performing filling exercises at home, and may be acquired continuously or intermittently according to a pre-timed schedule (e.g., an intermittent schedule). In some embodiments, ultrasound data may be acquired on-demand by the ultrasound device in response to user input.

[0029] The method also includes accessing the reference ultrasound data by the user device, as shown in step 204. Accessing the reference ultrasound data may include retrieving such data from a memory or other suitable data storage device or medium. In some circumstances, the reference ultrasound data may be stored locally to the user device. In other examples, the reference ultrasound data may be stored at a remote location, such as a server accessible to the user device.

[0030] Typically, baseline ultrasound data is acquired during a pre-treatment planning session. The baseline ultrasound data may be acquired along with other image data, such as computed tomography (CT) data. When the anatomical target being monitored is the patient's bladder, the baseline ultrasound data is preferably acquired after the patient has been instructed to drink a predetermined amount of fluid (e.g., water) to optimally fill the bladder, to void rectally, to refrain from eating for a period of time to allow the stomach to empty, or to eat a meal to optimally fill the stomach (which may include drinking a predetermined amount of fluid, e.g., water). As described above, optimal filling refers to a state in which the patient's bladder morphology provides an optimal treatment trajectory for the planning target volume while minimizing risk to surrounding organs at risk. In some instances, the baseline morphology may be confirmed in the baseline ultrasound data based on additional medical imaging performed by the patient. For example, the baseline morphology may be confirmed by a computed tomography (CT) image, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or similar image of the patient.

[0031] As shown in step 206, the ultrasound data is compared to the reference ultrasound data to monitor the morphology of the anatomical target relative to the reference morphology indicated in the radiation treatment plan. The ultrasound data is compared in real time as it is being acquired or otherwise accessed. A check is performed to determine whether the morphology of the anatomical target is substantially aligned with or otherwise matches or corresponds to the reference morphology indicated in the reference ultrasound data, as determined in decision block 208. If the morphology of the anatomical target is not aligned with, matches, or corresponds to the reference morphology, feedback may be provided to the patient via a user device. For example, a report may be displayed or an alert or notification may be generated, as shown in step 210. Additionally or alternatively, a report, alert, or notification may be generated and presented to a clinician, technician, or other healthcare provider. For example, the feedback data or a corresponding report, alert, or notification may be presented to an operator of the radiation treatment system, allowing the operator to initiate radiation treatment delivery when optimal anatomical morphology has been achieved. In yet another embodiment, feedback data may be transmitted to a radiation therapy system, which may then process the feedback data to control operation of the radiation beam in accordance with a predetermined radiation treatment plan. As described above, the feedback data may include an indication of whether the morphology of the anatomical target is aligned, conforming, or consistent with a reference morphology, a rate of change of the anatomical target morphology, a prediction of when the anatomical target morphology will be aligned, conforming, or consistent with a reference morphology, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the report, alert, or notification may indicate that the patient needs to drink more fluids, urinate, defecate, etc., to achieve optimal anatomical target morphology.

[0032] In yet another example, as described above, the patient may provide patient feedback via a user device. In these cases, the patient feedback may be stored as patient feedback data that can be used to generate alerts or other notifications for the clinical team, to adjust the target morphology of the anatomical target, or for similar purposes. For example, the patient feedback may be used to adjust the alignment target of the anatomical target morphology with the reference morphology based on the patient feedback data. The patient feedback data may also include information indicating the patient's comfort level based on the current fill state of the anatomical target (e.g., the current morphology of the anatomical target). In this manner, the patient feedback data may be used to revise the target morphology of the anatomical target to consider patient comfort in addition to alignment with the reference morphology. In some situations, it may be acceptable to relax the degree to which the anatomical target morphology matches the reference morphology. For example, the anatomical target morphology may deviate from the reference morphology by a predetermined tolerance. The patient feedback data may be used to identify whether the target morphology can be relaxed within these tolerances. Alternatively, the patient feedback data may be processed to generate alerts and / or notifications for the clinical team. For example, if the patient is unable to comfortably achieve the target morphology or acceptable revised morphology, an alert and / or notification may be sent to the clinical team indicating that the target morphology and / or treatment plan may need to be adjusted to accommodate the patient's comfort. Additionally or alternatively, a notification may be sent informing the clinical team that the patient is unable to achieve or maintain the target morphology of the anatomical target based on their comfort level. In these cases, the notification may alert the clinical team that treatment needs to be performed immediately (regardless of whether the anatomical target is perfectly aligned with the reference morphology) or that treatment may need to be postponed to another day.

[0033] If the anatomical target morphology is aligned, conforms, or otherwise matches the reference morphology, feedback is provided to the patient via the user device, as shown in step 212. For example, a report may be displayed, or an alert or notification may be generated, indicating that the anatomical target morphology is aligned, conforms, or has been made to match the reference morphology. The notification provided to the patient may include a prompt to the user to drink more fluids, fast, empty their bladder, and / or empty their rectum to bring the anatomical target morphology into alignment with the reference morphology. Additionally or alternatively, feedback data may be provided to a clinician, medical technician, or other healthcare provider via a treatment console or operator workstation, as described above. For example, feedback data may be transmitted to a treatment device, informing an operator or other healthcare provider that the patient is ready to receive the day's treatment. In yet another embodiment, feedback data may be transmitted to a radiation therapy system, where the feedback data may be processed by a processor or controller of the radiation therapy system and used to control the operation of the radiation therapy system (e.g., by switching the radiation beam on / off according to a predetermined radiation treatment plan and when the morphology of the anatomical target is aligned with, matches, or coincides with a reference morphology).

[0034] Next, as shown in step 214, the patient may be placed in a radiation treatment room, and as shown in step 216, radiation treatment may be administered according to a pre-created radiation treatment plan.

[0035] In this manner, the disclosed methods provide timing reference data / timing simulation data (e.g., CT image data, MRI data, ultrasound data) for optimal patient anatomical positioning, radiation timing for maximizing alignment of treatment CT anatomy with reference anatomy, or a combination thereof. Advantages of these methods include enabling optimal radiation treatment delivery by timing the reference CT and / or ultrasound to the optimal anatomical location or morphology, minimizing unwanted ionizing radiation from CT scans, and increasing clinic efficiency, reducing costs, labor, and facilitating logistics.

[0036] Computer Systems 4, an example of a system 400 for processing ultrasound data and determining and monitoring anatomical target morphology is shown in accordance with some embodiments of the systems and methods of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 4, a computing device 450 can receive one or more types of data (e.g., ultrasound data, reference ultrasound data, pre-treatment CT or MRI image data, radiation treatment planning data, patient feedback data, etc.) from a data source 402. In some embodiments, the computing device 450 can implement at least a portion of an anatomical target morphology monitoring and alignment system 404 to monitor alignment of the anatomical target morphology with a reference morphology indicated in the radiation treatment plan based on the data received from the data source 402.

[0037] Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, computing device 450 may communicate information regarding the data received from data source 402 via communications network 454 to server 452, which may implement at least a portion of anatomical target morphology monitoring and alignment system 404. In such embodiments, server 452 may return information indicative of the output of anatomical target morphology monitoring and alignment system 404 to computing device 450 (and / or other suitable computing devices).

[0038] In some embodiments, computing device 450 and / or server 452 may be any suitable computing device or combination of devices, such as a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a wearable computer, a server computer, a virtual machine running on a physical computing device, etc. Computing device 450 and / or server 452 may also reconstruct an image from the data.

[0039] The computing device 450 and / or server 452 may also be in communication with a radiation therapy system 470, such as a linear accelerator (linac), proton therapy system, or other external radiation beam therapy system. In such cases, the computing device 450 and / or server 452 may communicate information regarding the alignment of the anatomical target morphology with the reference morphology indicated in the radiation treatment plan, and may also control the operation of the radiation therapy system 470 to assist in administering radiation therapy to the patient.

[0040] In some embodiments, data source 402 may be any suitable source of data (e.g., measurement data, images reconstructed from measurement data, processed image data, etc.), such as an ultrasound system or another computing device (e.g., a server that stores the measurement data, images reconstructed from the measurement data, processed image data, etc.). In some embodiments, data source 402 may be local to computing device 450. For example, data source 402 may be incorporated into computing device 450 (e.g., computing device 450 may be configured as part of a device that measures, records, estimates, acquires, or otherwise collects or stores data). As another example, data source 402 may be connected to computing device 450 via a cable, a direct wireless link, etc. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, data source 402 may be located locally or remotely to computing device 450 and may communicate data with computing device 450 (and / or server 452) via a communications network (e.g., communications network 454).

[0041] In some embodiments, communication network 454 may be any suitable communication network or combination of communication networks. For example, communication network 454 may include a Wi-Fi network (which may include one or more wireless routers, one or more switches, etc.), a peer-to-peer network (e.g., a Bluetooth network), a cellular network (e.g., a 3G network, a 4G network, etc., conforming to suitable standards such as CDMA, GSM, LTE, LTE Advanced, WiMAX, etc.), or other types of wireless networks, wired networks, etc. In some embodiments, communication network 454 may be a local area network, a wide area network, a public network (e.g., the Internet), a private or semi-private network (e.g., a corporate or university intranet), or any other suitable type of network or combination of networks. Each of the communication links shown in FIG. 4 may be any suitable communication link or combination of communication links, such as a wired link, an optical fiber link, a Wi-Fi link, a Bluetooth link, a cellular link, etc.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 5, an example of hardware 500 that may be used to implement data source 402, computing device 450, and server 452 according to some embodiments of the systems and methods of the present disclosure is shown.

[0043] 5, in some embodiments, computing device 450 may include a processor 502, a display 504, one or more inputs 506, one or more communication systems 508, and / or memory 510. In some embodiments, processor 502 may be any suitable hardware processor or combination of processors, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), etc. In some embodiments, display 504 may include any suitable display device, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, a light emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, an electrophoretic display (e.g., an "E-ink" display), a computer monitor, a touchscreen, a television, etc. In some embodiments, input 506 may include any suitable input device and / or sensor that may be used to receive user input, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen, a microphone, etc.

[0044] In some embodiments, communications system 508 may include any suitable hardware, firmware, and / or software for communicating information over communications network 454 and / or other suitable communications networks. For example, communications system 508 may include one or more transceivers, one or more communications chips and / or chipsets, etc. As a more specific example, communications system 508 may include hardware, firmware, and / or software that may be used to establish a Wi-Fi connection, a Bluetooth connection, a cellular connection, an Ethernet connection, etc.

[0045] In some embodiments, memory 510 may include any suitable storage device that may be used to store instructions, values, data, or the like, that may be used by processor 502, for example, to present content using display 504, to communicate with server 452 via communication system 508, etc. Memory 510 may include any suitable volatile memory, non-volatile memory, storage, or a suitable combination thereof. For example, memory 510 may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable ROM (EEPROM), other forms of volatile memory, other forms of non-volatile memory, one or more forms of semi-volatile memory, one or more flash drives, one or more hard disks, one or more solid-state drives, one or more optical drives, etc. In some embodiments, memory 510 may be encoded with or otherwise store a computer program for controlling the operation of computing device 450. In such an embodiment, processor 502 may execute at least a portion of the computer program to present content (e.g., images, user interfaces, graphics, tables), receive content from server 452, or transmit information to server 452. For example, processor 502 and memory 510 may be configured to perform methods described herein (e.g., the method of FIG. 2).

[0046] In some embodiments, server 452 may include a processor 512, a display 514, one or more inputs 516, one or more communication systems 518, and / or memory 520. In some embodiments, processor 512 may be any suitable hardware processor or combination of processors, such as a CPU or GPU. In some embodiments, display 514 may include any suitable display device, such as an LCD screen, an LED display, an OLED display, an electrophoretic display, a computer monitor, a touchscreen, a television, etc. In some embodiments, input 516 may include any suitable input device and / or sensor that may be used to receive user input, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen, a microphone, etc.

[0047] In some embodiments, communications system 518 may include any suitable hardware, firmware, and / or software for communicating information over communications network 454 and / or other suitable communications networks. For example, communications system 518 may include one or more transceivers, one or more communications chips and / or chipsets, etc. As a more specific example, communications system 518 may include hardware, firmware, and / or software that may be used to establish a Wi-Fi connection, a Bluetooth connection, a cellular connection, an Ethernet connection, etc.

[0048] In some embodiments, memory 520 may include any suitable storage device(s) that may be used to store instructions, values, data, or the like that may be used by processor 512, for example, to present content using display 514, to communicate with one or more computing devices 450, etc. Memory 520 may include any suitable volatile memory, non-volatile memory, storage, or a suitable combination thereof. For example, memory 520 may include RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, other types of volatile memory, other types of non-volatile memory, one or more types of semi-volatile memory, one or more flash drives, one or more hard disks, one or more solid-state drives, one or more optical drives, etc. In some embodiments, memory 520 may be encoded with a server program for controlling the operation of server 452. In such an embodiment, the processor 512 may execute at least a portion of a server program to send information and / or content (e.g., data, images, user interfaces) to one or more computing devices 450, receive information and / or content from one or more computing devices 450, and receive instructions from one or more devices (e.g., personal computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, smartphones).

[0049] In some embodiments, server 452 is configured to perform the methods described in this disclosure. For example, processor 512 and memory 520 may be configured to perform the methods described herein (e.g., the method of FIG. 2).

[0050] In some embodiments, data source 402 may include a processor 522, one or more data acquisition systems 524, one or more communication systems 526, and / or memory 528. In some embodiments, processor 522 may be any suitable hardware processor or combination of processors, such as a CPU or GPU. In some embodiments, the one or more data acquisition systems 524 are generally configured to acquire data, images, or both and may include an ultrasound device (e.g., ultrasound device 102) and / or a CT image acquisition system. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the one or more data acquisition systems 524 may include any suitable hardware, firmware, and / or software for coupling to and / or controlling the operation of an ultrasound device and / or a CT image system. In some embodiments, one or more portions of the data acquisition system 524 may be removable and / or replaceable.

[0051] Although not shown, data source 402 may include any suitable input and / or output components. For example, data source 402 may include input devices and / or sensors that may be used to receive user input, such as a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen, a microphone, a trackpad, a trackball, etc. As another example, data source 402 may include any suitable display device, such as an LCD screen, an LED display, an OLED display, an electrophoretic display, a computer monitor, a touchscreen, a television, one or more speakers, etc.

[0052] In some embodiments, communications system 526 may include any suitable hardware, firmware, and / or software for communicating information to computing device 50 (and, in some embodiments, for communicating over communications network 454 and / or other suitable communications networks). For example, communications system 526 may include one or more transceivers, one or more communications chips and / or chipsets, etc. As a more specific example, communications system 526 may include hardware, firmware, and / or software that may be used to establish a wired connection using any suitable port and / or communications standard (e.g., VGA, DVI video, USB, RS-232, etc.), a Wi-Fi connection, a Bluetooth® connection, a cellular connection, an Ethernet connection, etc.

[0053] In some embodiments, memory 528 may include any suitable storage device(s) that may be used to store instructions, values, data, and the like that may be used, for example, by processor 522 to control one or more data acquisition systems 524 and / or receive data from one or more data acquisition systems 524, generate images based on the data, present content (e.g., data, images, user interfaces) using a display, communicate with one or more computing devices 450, etc. Memory 528 may include any suitable volatile memory, non-volatile memory, storage, or a suitable combination thereof. For example, memory 528 may include RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, other types of volatile memory, other types of non-volatile memory, one or more types of semi-volatile memory, one or more flash drives, one or more hard disks, one or more solid-state drives, one or more optical drives, etc. In some embodiments, memory 528 may have programs encoded therein or otherwise stored therein for controlling the operation of data source 402. In such an embodiment, processor 522 may execute at least a portion of the program to generate images, send information and / or content (e.g., data, images, user interfaces) to one or more computing devices 450, receive information and / or content from one or more computing devices 450, or receive instructions from one or more devices (e.g., personal computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, smartphones, etc.).

[0054] In some embodiments, any suitable computer-readable medium may be used to store instructions for performing the functions and / or processes described herein. For example, in some embodiments, the computer-readable medium may be transitory or non-transitory. For example, non-transitory computer-readable medium may include magnetic media (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks), optical media (e.g., compact discs, digital video discs, Blu-ray discs), semiconductor media (e.g., RAM, flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM), any suitable medium that is not ephemeral or lacks any permanent properties during transmission, and / or any suitable tangible medium. As another example, transitory computer-readable medium may include signals in networks, wires, conductors, optical fibers, circuits, or any suitable medium that is not ephemeral or lacks any permanent properties during transmission, and / or any suitable intangible medium.

[0055] As used herein in the context of computer implementation, unless expressly stated otherwise or limited, terms such as "component," "system," "module," and "framework" are intended to encompass all or a portion of a computer-related system, including hardware, software, a combination of hardware and software, or software in execution. For example, a component may be, but is not limited to, a processor unit, a process being executed (or executable) by a processor unit, an object, an executable file, a thread of execution, a computer program, or a computer. By way of example, both an application running on a computer and the computer itself may be a component. One or more components (or systems, modules, etc.) may reside within a process or thread of execution, may be localized on one computer, distributed among two or more computers or other processor units, or may be contained within another component (or system, module, etc.).

[0056] In some embodiments, devices or systems disclosed herein may be utilized or installed using methods embodying aspects of the present disclosure. Correspondingly, any description herein of a particular function, capability, or intended purpose of a device or system is generally intended to include a disclosure of how to use such function for that purpose, how to achieve such capability, and how to install disclosed (or otherwise known) components to support that purpose or capability. Similarly, unless expressly stated or limited, any description herein of how to make or use a particular device or system (including the installation of such device or system) is intended to include a disclosure of the functions utilized and capabilities implemented in such device or system as an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0057] While this disclosure has described one or more preferred embodiments, it should be understood that, except as expressly stated, many equivalents, alternatives, variations, and modifications are possible and are within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. 1. A method of analyzing ultrasound data to monitor conformance of an anatomical target configuration with a radiation treatment plan, comprising: (a) acquiring ultrasound data from a region of interest of a patient having an anatomical target using at least one ultrasound transducer positioned along the region of interest; (b) using a computer system to access baseline ultrasound data acquired from the patient while the anatomical target was maintained in a specific baseline configuration indicated in the radiation treatment plan; (c) comparing the ultrasound data to the baseline ultrasound data and generating feedback data indicative of whether the morphology of the anatomical target conforms to the baseline morphology; (d) generating and delivering to the patient via a user device a notification indicating that the anatomical target morphology has optimally matched the reference morphology when the anatomical target morphology is optimally matched to the reference morphology of the radiation treatment plan; A method comprising:

2. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a radiation therapy system to deliver radiation to the patient based on feedback data indicating that the anatomical target morphology optimally matches the reference morphology indicated in the radiation treatment plan.

3. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular reference morphology shown in the reference ultrasound data is confirmed via at least one of a computed tomography (CT) image of the patient or a magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the patient.

4. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound data is continuously acquired from the patient and compared to the baseline ultrasound data, thereby generating feedback data continuously in real time.

5. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasound data is acquired intermittently from the patient and compared to the baseline ultrasound data, thereby generating feedback data continuously in real time according to an intermittent schedule.

6. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the morphology of the anatomical target optimally matches the reference morphology when a planning target volume (PTV) of the radiation treatment plan is aligned with a radiation beam path while minimizing exposure of organs at risk (OAR) adjacent to the anatomical target.

7. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the anatomical target is the bladder.

8. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the specific reference morphology indicates a bladder filling state that results in optimal positioning of a planning target volume (PTV) adjacent to the bladder in the radiation beam path while minimizing exposure of organs at risk (OAR) adjacent to the bladder.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the specific reference morphology includes the size and shape of the bladder.

10. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the feedback data includes a notification to the patient that the bladder needs to be filled further to match the anatomical target morphology with the reference morphology, thereby instructing the patient to drink more fluid.

11. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the anatomical target is the rectum.

12. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the specific reference morphology indicates a rectal emptying state that results in optimal positioning of a planning target volume (PTV) adjacent to the rectum in the radiation beam path while minimizing exposure of organs at risk (OAR) adjacent to the rectum.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the feedback data includes a prompt to the patient to empty their rectum to conform the anatomical target morphology to a reference morphology.

14. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the anatomical target is the stomach.

15. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the specific reference morphology indicates a state of gastric emptying that leads to optimal positioning of a planning target volume (PTV) adjacent to the stomach in the radiation beam path while minimizing exposure of organs at risk (OAR) adjacent to the stomach.

16. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the feedback data includes a prompt to the patient to fast to conform an anatomical target morphology to a baseline morphology.

17. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the feedback data generated by the comparison of the ultrasound data includes a timer that counts down a predicted time until the morphology of the anatomical target is optimally aligned with the reference morphology.

18. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving patient feedback data via a user device, the patient feedback data indicating a comfort level of the patient based on a current configuration of an anatomical target.

19. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein ultrasound data is acquired from a region of interest of a patient using multiple ultrasound transducers centered about the region of interest.

20. A display unit; Memory and a processor capable of communicating with the display unit and the memory; a user equipment comprising: the processor: acquiring ultrasound data from a region of interest of a patient having an anatomical target using a plurality of ultrasound transducers positioned around the region of interest; accessing from the memory baseline ultrasound data acquired from the patient while the anatomical target was maintained in a particular baseline configuration indicated in a radiation treatment plan; comparing the ultrasound data with the reference ultrasound data to generate feedback data indicative of a match between the anatomical target morphology and the reference morphology; generating a user interface that is displayed to a user by a display unit; presenting the feedback data within a user interface displayed by the display unit; A user device configured to:

21. 21. The user device of claim 20, wherein the feedback data includes a notification indicating when the morphology of the anatomical target optimally matches a reference morphology indicated in a radiation treatment plan.

22. 21. The user device of claim 20, wherein the feedback data includes a timer indicating a predicted time when the anatomical target morphology will optimally align with a reference morphology indicated in a radiation treatment plan.

23. 23. The user device of claim 22, wherein the feedback data further includes a notification to the user to drink more fluids, fast, or empty their rectum.

24. 21. The user device of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to receive patient feedback data via the user interface indicative of a patient's comfort level based on a current configuration of an anatomical target.

25. 25. The user device of claim 24, wherein the processor is configured to adjust a matching goal between an anatomical target morphology and a reference morphology based on the patient feedback data.

26. 1. A method for monitoring conformance of an anatomical target morphology with a radiation treatment plan, comprising: (a) accessing, with a computer system, ultrasound data acquired from a region of interest of a patient having an anatomical target; (b) accessing, by the computer system, baseline ultrasound data previously acquired from the patient with the anatomical target maintained in a particular baseline configuration as indicated in the radiation treatment plan; (c) generating, by the computer system, feedback data indicative of a match of the anatomical target morphology to the reference morphology by comparing the ultrasound data with the reference ultrasound data; (d) outputting said feedback data to a user via said computer system; and A method comprising:

27. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein generating the feedback data further comprises receiving patient feedback data from a patient via the computer system; and updating the feedback data based on the patient feedback data.

28. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein outputting the feedback data to the user includes generating, by the computer system, a notification indicating the degree of match between the anatomical target morphology and the reference morphology.

Images