Test system for testing a system for radiation therapy

Abstract

A test system (124) for testing a radiation therapy system (110) is provided. The test system (124) includes: A. at least one anthropomorphic phantom (118) for simulating the motion of at least a portion of a human body (116); and B. a control device (122) for controlling the phantom (118), the control device (122) including a programmable logic controller (160), a plurality of controller nodes (162), a plurality of device controllers (164) configured to control the actuators (140), and at least one real-time bus interface (166) connecting the controller nodes (162) to the programmable logic controller (160) and the device controllers (164). The programmable logic controller (160) is configured to act as a master device for the controller nodes (162), and specifically for each of the controller nodes (162). The controller nodes (162) are configured to act as a master device for the device controllers (164).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a test system for testing systems for radiation therapy, a method for simulating the movement of at least a part of a human body, and a method for testing systems for radiation therapy. The system and method according to the invention may be applied in particular to the field of radiation therapy using ionizing radiation, such as in the field of oncology. More particularly, the invention may be applied in the field of quality control and / or calibration of systems for radiation therapy. [Background technology]

[0002] Radiation therapy using ionizing radiation, such as X-rays, is a well-established method in oncology. Typically, a radiation plan is established prior to treatment, including the radiation dose, treatment schedule, and spatial region to be irradiated with ionizing radiation. To implement the radiation plan and define the spatial region to be irradiated, many radiation therapy systems include a variable multi-leaf collimator configured to shape the ionizing treatment line, as described in US2014 / 0288349 A1, US2014 / 0010355 A1, WO2019 / 197440 A1, or US2018 / 0211740 A1. However, a major challenge in radiation therapy is the need for quality control of the treatment equipment and the need to ensure that the actual radiation exposure complies with the radiation plan. For this purpose, the use of phantoms resembling the human body or parts thereof is known in the art. For example, the phantom can be placed on a treatment table and used for beam positioning, dosimetry, etc.

[0003] Many types of phantoms are known in the art. For example, WO 2012 / 040611 A1 discloses anthropomorphic breast phantoms that include a combination of components that mimic adipose tissue and components that mimic fibroglandular tissue. Typically, X-ray attenuation coefficients or magnetic resonance relaxation times T1 and T2 are selected that are sufficiently similar to those of actual patient tissue. The mimicking components are dispersed within the phantom so that the phantom's image contains characteristics similar to those of the patient's tissue. Breast phantoms can be based on a human breast or a lard / egg white combination shaped to resemble a compressed human breast prepared for mammography. Phantoms can also include lesion chambers that allow the introduction of contrast agents to simulate benign or malignant lesions, and the contrast agent concentration can be varied over time to generate a washout curve.

[0004] EP2586372 B1 discloses an anthropomorphic phantom for a medical imaging system. Organ models can be fixed to corresponding plate-like second connection elements within a hollow, torso-like humanoid housing. Lesion phantoms for simulating tumors can be firmly fixed inside each organ model using first connection elements with multiple first connection holes. The distribution of these first connection holes allows the lesion phantom to be positioned anywhere within the corresponding organ model. Furthermore, the modular design of the anthropomorphic phantom allows the organ models to be first assembled to form a modular structure, and then the entire modular structure can be moved into the humanoid housing using a handle element.

[0005] US8681937 B2 discloses an apparatus and method for performing image-guided radiotherapy or radiosurgery using a kilovoltage X-ray beam. A calibration curve is used to determine the amount of contrast agent at each point on the patient. This calibration curve is obtained using known concentrations of contrast agent embedded in an anthropomorphic phantom.

[0006] In some examples, phantoms that simulate human body movement are used. For example, US7402819 B2 discloses a respiratory phantom that can be used to perform quality assurance of radiation delivery systems. The respiratory phantom includes a human-like skeletal structure, at least one deformable component, and a respiratory actuator. The deformable component is positionable at least partially within the human-like skeletal structure, has a shape similar to an organ of the human anatomy, and attenuates radiation in a manner generally similar to that of the organ of the human anatomy. The respiratory actuator is positioned to deform the deformable component with a breathing-like motion.

[0007] US8608484 B2 discloses a cardiovascular flow system including a cardiovascular model system, a pump system fluidly connected to the cardiovascular model system, and an ECG simulator communicatively connected to the pump system. The ECG simulator system is adapted to generate and transmit a simulated ECG signal. The ECG simulator system adjusts the simulated ECG signal transmitted from the ECG simulator system using a signal received from the pump system. The cardiovascular flow system further includes an injection port adapted to be placed in fluid communication with an injector for injecting at least one fluid into the system.

[0008] US5052934A discloses a device designed to function as a phantom for evaluation of prosthetic valves and cardiac ultrasound procedures. A controlled pulsatile flow of a blood-mimicking fluid is passed through a multi-chambered region, into which mitral and aortic valves and an adjustably positionable ultrasound transducer are attached. A low-friction drive with very low levels of external vibration input provides additional control by a relatively easily adjusted screw to selectively adjust both the systolic and diastolic phases of the pulsatile flow generated by the bellows mechanism, adjusting the volumetric flow rate of the blood-mimicking fluid moved with each actuation pulse. A window made of a silicone elastomer material that presents both tissue-equivalent impedance to ultrasound transmission and tissue-equivalent attenuation of ultrasound is provided with a controlled thickness to allow detailed observation of valve flow parameters of interest, such as the flow velocity distribution observed in the transesophageal and apical directions. The device is suitable for clinical ultrasound examination of prosthetic heart valves, measurement of simulated blood flow velocity profiles, calibration of Doppler ultrasound parameters related to heart valves and associated blood flow characteristics, and fluid-mechanical evaluation of cardiovascular devices to compare their performance to competing systems.

[0009] EP2482926 B discloses a method for checking an irradiation plan in a particle therapy system, the method comprising the step of irradiating a phantom using control parameters and motion signals stored in an irradiation plan data set, the phantom being configured to detect a dose distribution accumulated in the phantom during or after irradiation, the phantom being a moving phantom.

[0010] WO 2017 / 004277 A1 discloses a dynamic phantom for use with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) equipment. In one example, the dynamic phantom includes an outer housing, an inner cylinder containing a removable partition, and a gearbox capable of rotating the cylinder, all made of an fMRI-compatible material. The partitions form longitudinal compartments within the cylinder, each of which can contain a contrast agent. When the cylinder contains at least two different concentrations of contrast agent, and the space between the cylinder and the housing also contains contrast agent, rotation of the cylinder generates a biomimetic hemodynamic signal that can be detected by the fMRI device.

[0011] US7151253 B2 discloses a chest phantom that allows for the simulation of tumor motion within tissue-equivalent materials. The system consists of a tissue-equivalent epoxy phantom representing a 15 cm axial cross-section of the human chest, including simplified spinal and pulmonary anatomy. Within the phantom are through-rods of similar tissue density. The rods are attached to computer-controlled actuators that facilitate both linear and rotational movement of the rods within the phantom. Multiple tumor targets and radiation detectors can be placed at various positions within the rods, allowing for the simulation of respiration- and cardiac-induced tumor motion within the phantom and the evaluation of the effects of these motions on image acquisition, treatment planning, and radiation therapy delivery.

[0012] US10090781B2 discloses a piezoelectric motor assembly for generating rotary motion. The piezoelectric motor assembly includes a motor frame and a circular body rotatably mounted to the motor frame, the circular body having a diameter, a thickness, and an outer circumferential surface. At least two piezoelectric motors are mounted to the motor frame in tangential engagement with the outer surface of the circular body. The at least two piezoelectric motors are biased relative to the outer surface, resulting in an unbalanced net force on the circular body.

[0013] US7699522 B2 discloses a quality assurance device for calibrating and testing the accuracy of a motion-correlated computed tomography ("4D CT") target localization system. The device includes a test unit subassembly adapted for combination with a dynamic phantom system. The test unit subassembly includes an axially and rotationally movable test rod slidably disposed within a substantially hollow, fixed housing. A matrix of markers, or "fiducials," is disposed on the wall of the housing. A single fiducial is disposed near the distal end of the movable test rod. The distal end portion of the movable test rod is adapted to be connected to a motion actuator that is programmed to oscillate the test rod in a predetermined pattern. When the test unit subassembly is inserted into a tissue-equivalent phantom member, the combined subassembly and phantom member can then be subjected to four-dimensional imaging to generate a visual image. Visual comparison of the actual relative positions of the fiducials in time with the known positions of the fiducials provides an indication of the accuracy of the 4D CT system.

[0014] Despite the advantages achieved by known phantoms, various technical challenges remain. First, patient motion still implies the risk of misalignment, which can lead to deviations from the radiation plan during treatment. However, the motion of the human body or its parts is highly complex and involves a large number of degrees of freedom. Furthermore, in particular in modern systems for radiation therapy, in addition to the actual radiation system for generating ionizing radiation and irradiating a part of the human body, one or more imaging devices configured to online image the body part during irradiation may be implemented. Nevertheless, there is a need to test the functionality of the interaction between the imaging device and the radiation system. In particular, if automatic adjustment of the beam shape and / or beam position is intended, testing and quality control of this automatic adjustment is technically challenging, given the large number of degrees of freedom of parts of a real human body. Therefore, there remains a need for reliable and efficient testing means and methods that enable testing of radiation therapy systems under realistic conditions. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0015] It would therefore be desirable to provide a radiation therapy test system and a method for testing a radiation therapy test system that at least partially addresses the above-mentioned technical challenges. In particular, reliable and efficient testing means and methods must be provided that enable testing of radiation therapy systems under realistic conditions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0016] The object is addressed by a test system for testing a system for radiation therapy, a method for simulating the movement of at least a part of a human body, and a method for testing a system for radiation therapy with the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments, which may be realized in isolation or in any combination, are recited in the dependent claims as well as throughout the specification.

[0017] As used below, the terms "have," "comprise," or "include," or any grammatical variations thereof, are used in a non-exclusive manner. Thus, these terms can refer both to a situation in which, besides the feature introduced by these terms, no further features are present in the entity described in this context, and to a situation in which one or more further features are present. For example, the expressions "A has B," "A comprises B," and "A includes B" can refer both to a situation in which, besides B, no other elements are present in A (i.e., a situation in which A consists solely and exclusively of B), and to a situation in which, besides B, one or more further elements are present in entity A, such as element C, elements C and D, or yet another element.

[0018] Furthermore, it should be noted that the terms "at least one," "one or more," or similar expressions indicating that a feature or element may be present one or more times are typically used only once when introducing each feature or element. In the following, in most cases, when referring to each feature or element, the expressions "at least one" or "one or more" will not be repeated, despite the fact that each feature or element may be present one or more times.

[0019] Furthermore, as used hereinafter, the terms "preferably," "more preferably," "particularly," "more particularly," "particularly," "more particularly," or similar terms are used in conjunction with optional features without limiting the possibilities for substitution. Features introduced by these terms are therefore optional features and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. The present invention can be practiced by using alternative features, as those skilled in the art will recognize. Similarly, features introduced by "in an embodiment of the present invention" or similar phrases are intended to be optional features, without limitations on alternative embodiments of the invention, without limitations on the scope of the invention, and without limitations on the possibilities for combining the feature so introduced with other optional or non-optional features of the invention.

[0020] In a first aspect, a test system for testing a system for radiation therapy is disclosed, the test system comprising: A. At least one anthropomorphic phantom for simulating the movement of at least a portion of a human body, the at least one anthropomorphic phantom comprising: a plurality of flexible components, each flexible component simulating at least a portion of a human organ; an at least partially flexible receiver for receiving a flexible component; and at least one anthropomorphic phantom comprising a plurality of actuators configured to at least one of deform and move a flexible component within the receptacle; B. A control device for controlling at least one anthropomorphic phantom, comprising: Programmable logic controllers, Multiple controller nodes, a plurality of device controllers configured to control the actuators; and a control device comprising at least one real-time bus interface connecting the controller node to the programmable logic controller and the device controller; The programmable logic controller is configured to act as a master device for the controller nodes, and in particular for each of the controller nodes, and the controller nodes are configured to act as master devices for the device controllers.

[0021] The term "system," as used herein, is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term specifically refers, without limitation, to any set of interacting or interdependent components or parts that form a whole. Specifically, the components may interact with each other to perform at least one common function. At least two components may be treated independently, coupled, or connectable.

[0022] The term "testing," as used herein, is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to at least one of the processes of adjusting, obtaining, and acquiring at least one item of information regarding at least one of the quality, functionality, and status of the entity under test. Specifically, in the context of testing a radiation therapy system, testing may refer to one or more of the processes of quality control, e.g., by obtaining one or more items of quality information, and the process of checking the functionality or proper functioning of one or more components of the system.

[0023] As a result, the term "test system" as used herein is also a broad term and should be given its ordinary and accustomed meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to a system as defined above that is configured to test at least one entity under test.

[0024] The term "radiation therapy" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and should not be limited to any particular or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to a process of exposing at least a portion of a human patient or human body part to ionizing radiation, specifically, at least one of X-rays, gamma rays, protons, and heavy ions. The exposure may specifically be performed for therapeutic and / or diagnostic purposes. Hereinafter, without further limiting options, the present invention will be described with reference to radiation therapy, e.g., for tumor treatment. However, as indicated, other options are also feasible.

[0025] As a result, the term "system for radiation therapy" may specifically refer to a system as defined above, which is configured for radiation therapy. Specifically, the system for radiation therapy may include at least one radiation system for generating ionizing radiation and irradiating at least a portion of a human body with the ionizing radiation. The radiation system may include at least one radiation source, such as an accelerator. The radiation system may further include at least one device for one or more of controlling, adjusting, and / or shaping the radiation, such as at least one collimator, e.g., a multi-leaf collimator, such as those described in WO2019 / 197440 A1. Furthermore, the system for radiation therapy may also optionally include at least one imaging device for imaging at least a portion of the human body, such as at least one of a camera, a computed tomography device, a magnetic resonance imaging device, and an ultrasound device. Other options or combinations of imaging devices are also possible.

[0026] As indicated above, the test system initially includes at least one anthropomorphic phantom for simulating the movement of at least a portion of a human body. The term "anthropomorphic phantom," as used herein, also referred to simply as "phantom," is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning by those skilled in the art and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to an artificial object configured to emulate the physical characteristics of at least a portion of a human body, such as at least one of the shape, density, flexibility, and optical absorption of at least a portion of a human body, without limitation. The anthropomorphic phantom may specifically respond to external influences, such as radiation therapy, in a manner similar to that of at least a portion of a human body, e.g., in terms of absorbing ionizing radiation used in radiation therapy. The anthropomorphic phantom may include optically visible object structures and / or optical markers, such as a line grid, to facilitate monitoring of the anthropomorphic phantom. Additionally or alternatively, the anthropomorphic phantom may also comprise at least one object and / or at least one optical marker that is visualized by the imaging device, such as one that is visualized in a computed tomography image and / or a magnetic resonance imaging image, particularly when the radiation therapy system comprises at least one imaging device for imaging at least a portion of the human body.

[0027] The term "motion" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to a change in at least one of the position, orientation, and shape of an object over time. Motion may refer to a spatial displacement of the center of gravity of an object. Motion may refer to a rotation of an object. Motion may refer to a deformation of an object. Motion may refer to a superposition of at least two of the spatial displacement, rotation, and deformation of the center of gravity of an object.

[0028] As used herein, the term "simulate" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to the reproduction of a process or state of an entity by using a model process or entity that is identical or at least within an acceptable range of similarity with respect to at least one or more parameters. Thus, with respect to the simulation of behavior, the simulation may provide a model process or entity that resembles or reproduces the behavior of at least a portion of a human body with respect to changes in one or more parameters, e.g., at least one of shape, size, position, rotation, orientation, etc.

[0029] As described above, the phantom initially includes a plurality of flexible components. Each flexible component is configured to simulate at least a portion of a human organ. As used herein, the term "flexible" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. Specifically, without limitation, the term may refer to the physical property of an object being able to deform without breaking when subjected to an external force and then return to its original shape. Having flexibility may include at least one of being bendable and stretchable. The flexible object may include at least one elastic material. As used herein, the term "flexible component" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. Specifically, without limitation, the term refers to a portion of the phantom system, which portion is flexible. Thus, the flexible component may be or include at least one dummy organ or portion thereof, such as an element that at least resembles a human organ or portion thereof in shape. The flexible component may include at least one housing or shell made at least in part of at least one flexible material. By way of example, the flexible component may be made entirely or in part of an elastomeric material such as silicone. For example, the flexible component may be manufactured by additive manufacturing, such as a printing technique, e.g., 3D printing, e.g., 3D printing of silicone or other elastomeric materials.

[0030] The phantom further comprises at least one receptacle for receiving the flexible component. The receptacle is at least partially flexible. The term "receptacle" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to any object having at least one hollow interior that can be filled with at least one additional object. Thus, in addition to the flexible component, one or more other components or media may be received within the at least one interior space of the receptacle. For example, the flexible component may be wholly or partially embedded in at least one deformable matrix medium, such as a liquid, gel, or paste. For example, the matrix medium may include agarose or other gel material. Thus, the receptacle in the present application may include an outer cover, shell, or artificial skin that simulates the appearance of at least part of a human body. By way of example, if the anthropomorphic phantom is an abdominal phantom, the receptor may include an outer surface that at least partially resembles the abdominal body surface or skin of a human abdominal region.

[0031] As used herein, the term "at least partially flexible" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to the physical property that at least one section or at least one portion of an object is flexible, while the remainder of the object may be inflexible. Thus, at least a portion of the receptacle may have flexible properties, such as at least one portion simulating the abdominal wall of an abdominal phantom, while at least another portion may optionally be inflexible.

[0032] The phantom further includes a plurality of actuators configured to at least one of deform and move the flexible component within the receptacle. As used herein, the term "actuator" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to a device configured to exert at least one influence on at least one entity, such as another device. The influence may be or include, by way of example, at least one of a mechanical influence, an electrical influence, a thermal influence, a magnetic influence, and a chemical influence. Specifically, the actuator may be configured to exert a mechanical influence on the entity, such as at least one of a mechanical force, a pressure, a negative pressure, and a mechanical stress. Specifically, the actuator may be or include at least one electromechanical actuator configured to convert at least one electrical control signal into at least one mechanical action or influence. Specifically, by way of example, the actuator may be configured to convert at least one electrical signal into at least one of a movement and a pressure change. The actuator may comprise a single component or multiple interacting components. Thus, the actuator may comprise an electrical or electromechanical control component, such as an electronic control unit and / or an electric motor, and actuation components, such as a movable stage, a syringe, a plunger, etc. The components of the actuator may be located in a single location or unit, or may be distributed. The latter case is given as an example in a pressure actuator, where the electrical control device may be separated from the syringe. Other options are also possible.

[0033] The actuator may be configured to at least one of deform and move a flexible component disposed within the receiver, as outlined above. To this end, the actuator may act directly or indirectly on the flexible component. For example, a direct action may be exerted by the actuator directly contacting the flexible component. An indirect action may be exerted by the actuator affecting at least one intermediary element or entity that subsequently affects the flexible component. In both cases, which may be combined, the action of the actuator is transferred to the flexible component. Furthermore, a single actuator of the multiple actuators may act on one of the flexible components. Additionally or alternatively, at least one actuator of the multiple actuators may act on more than one of the flexible components, for example, simultaneously. Again, additionally or alternatively, multiple actuators may act on a single flexible component. Various options are feasible for deforming and / or moving the flexible component by the actuator.

[0034] As indicated above, the test system secondarily includes a control device for controlling the phantom. The term "control" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to at least one of managing, commanding, instructing, and regulating the behavior of at least one additional device or system, either in general terms within a defined area or system. In particular, this includes collecting and / or exchanging information, preferably digital and / or analog information, e.g., voltage and / or current information, with the additional device or system. In this regard, the term "control" may also include addressing the additional device or system with a job and / or command. The information may include various system parameters that can be affected by the additional device. The term "control device" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to a device configured to control at least one additional device, entity, or system.

[0035] The control device comprises multiple components, such as a programmable logic controller, a controller node, a device controller, and a real-time bus interface, as outlined above. These components are described in further detail below. It should be noted that these components may be specifically embodied as separate components interconnected to form the control device. However, alternatively, two or more of the components may be embodied, in whole or in part, as integrated components. Thus, specifically, the controller node and the device controller may be embodied, in whole or in part, as integrated components, such as by integrating the device controller into the controller node or vice versa, while specifically, the remaining components of the enumerated control device may be embodied as separate components.

[0036] The control device comprises a programmable logic controller. As used herein, the term "programmable logic controller," which may be abbreviated by the terms "PLC" or "SPS," is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. The term specifically refers, without limitation, to a processor- or microprocessor-based device, particularly one configured for use in an industrial environment, that includes a programmable memory for storing application-oriented instructions. The programmable logic controller may include at least one processor, or at least a processor configured to interpret input signals, execute instructions stored in memory, and determine output signals. The programmable logic controller may include at least one input port configured to receive at least one input signal from at least one additional device or system. The programmable logic controller may include at least one output port configured to transmit at least one output signal to at least one additional device or system. The programmable logic controller may include at least one serial port configured to load at least one user program. The programmable logic controller may include firmware containing an unalterable program. Programmable logic controllers may specifically include real-time operating systems configured to process incoming information, typically without buffering delays.

[0037] The term "processor" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to any logic circuitry configured to perform the basic operations of a computer or system, and / or generally to a device configured to perform calculations or logical operations. In particular, a processor may be configured to process the basic instructions that drive a computer or system. By way of example, a processor may include at least one arithmetic logic unit (ALU), such as a math coprocessor or numeric coprocessor, at least one floating-point unit (FPU), multiple registers, particularly registers configured to supply operators to the ALU and store the results of operations, and memory, such as L1 and L2 cache memories. In particular, a processor may be a multi-core processor. In particular, a processor may be or comprise a central processing unit (CPU). Additionally or alternatively, a processor may be or comprise a microprocessor; thus, in particular, the elements of a processor may be included on one single integrated circuit (IC) chip. Additionally or alternatively, the processor may be or comprise one or more chips, such as one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), one or more tensor processing units (TPUs), and / or dedicated machine learning-optimized chips, etc. The processor may be specifically configured, such as by software programming, to perform one or more evaluation operations.

[0038] The control device further comprises a plurality of controller nodes. As used herein, the term "controller node" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to a processor- or microprocessor-based device configured to distribute information within a system. The controller node may comprise at least one input port configured to receive at least one input signal from at least one additional device or system. Specifically, the controller node may receive at least one input signal from a programmable logic controller. The controller node may comprise at least one processor configured to at least one of interpret the received information, determine at least one target device or system for the received information, and manipulate the received information. The controller node may comprise at least one output port configured to forward the at least one input signal to at least one target device or system. The controller node may forward the at least one input signal without manipulating it to at least one device controller. The controller node may manipulate the at least one input signal and send the manipulated input signal to at least one of the device controllers.

[0039] As indicated above, the control device further includes a plurality of device controllers configured to control the actuators. As used herein, the term "device controller" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. Specifically, without limitation, the term may refer to a device configured to generate machine-readable instructions or signals based on information received from a PLC via at least one controller node. By way of example, the device controller may include at least one processor configured to generate machine-readable instructions or signals that can then be transmitted to the actuators. The device controller may include at least one input port configured to receive at least one input signal from at least one additional device or system, such as a PLC, via at least one controller node. Specifically, the device controller may receive at least one input signal from at least one of the controller nodes. The device controller may include at least one processor configured to convert the input signal into an output signal readable by at least one device, such as at least one actuator. The device controller may include at least one compiler configured to convert source code into machine code. The device controller may include at least one output port configured to send at least one output signal to at least one device, such as at least one actuator. Specifically, the device controller may send the at least one output signal to the at least one actuator.

[0040] The control device further includes at least one real-time bus interface connecting the controller node to the programmable logic controller and the device controller. The term "real-time," as used herein, is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer to a characteristic of a system in which the duration of an operation within the system, e.g., at least one of an update cycle, a delay time, and a response time, is predetermined, such as a predetermined maximum duration, e.g., a maximum duration of 5 milliseconds or less, or a maximum duration of 1 millisecond or less. A real-time system may perform operations within strict constraints, particularly strict time constraints called deadlines. A real-time system may be said to have failed if an operation is not completed by the deadline, and the deadline may be set relative to an event. Typically, the operational time interval of a real-time system between an event and a system response may be in the millisecond to microsecond range. Real-time may be classified as hard real-time or soft real-time. Soft real-time may be applied to systems where deadlines are typically not met. Hard real-time may be applied to systems where strict time deadlines are guaranteed. Missing a deadline in a hard real-time system may be classified as a failure of the entire system. A hard real-time system may specifically guarantee that all time deadlines are met.

[0041] The term "bus interface" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to a system configured to exchange information unidirectionally or bidirectionally between multiple individual devices or systems. The bus interface may be or include a serial bus interface that serially exchanges information, e.g., single bits, over a single signal line. Additionally or alternatively, the bus interface may be a parallel bus interface with multiple synchronous signal lines for parallel information exchange. The bus interface may use electrical connections and / or connections via electromagnetic waves, such as at least one of radio frequency connections, radio frequency connections, and photonic connections including optical fibers and / or optical beam paths. Additional types of connections are also possible.

[0042] As a result, the term "real-time bus interface" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not intended to be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to a bus interface configured for real-time operation and / or real-time measurement applications.

[0043] The programmable logic controller is configured to act as a master device for the controller nodes, and in particular for each of the controller nodes, and the controller nodes are configured to act as master devices for the device controllers.

[0044] As used herein, the term "master device," often also referred to as "primary device," is a broad term that should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to a device in an asymmetric device setup, a hierarchical device setup, an asymmetric communication setup, or a hierarchical communication setup that is configured to control or actually controls one or more additional devices or processes, often referred to as "slave devices" or "secondary devices," where the master device may serve as a communications hub for one or more slave devices. A master device may specifically be or include any device configured to control at least one additional device in relation to the master device, the additional device being referred to herein as a slave device. A master device may be permitted to communicate, without being requested, via a connection between the master device and at least one slave device, which connection may specifically include a bus interface, more specifically a real-time bus interface. A master device may request a slave device to communicate via a connection between the master device and the slave device, also referred to as polling, which connection may specifically include a bus interface, more specifically a real-time bus interface.

[0045] Thus, as used herein, the term "slave device," also sometimes referred to as "secondary device," is a broad term that should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to any device configured to be controlled by at least one master device. A slave device may wait to be requested by the master device before communicating over a connection between the master and slave devices, which connection may specifically include a bus interface, more specifically a real-time bus interface. A device may be both a slave device of at least one first additional device and a master device of at least one second additional device different from the at least one first additional device.

[0046] As outlined above, the programmable logic controller is configured to act as a master device for the controller nodes, particularly for each of the controller nodes. As a result, the controller nodes, specifically each of the controller nodes, can be configured to act as a slave device for the programmable logic controller. Similarly, the device controllers, specifically each of the device controllers, can be configured to act as a slave device for the corresponding controller node. Thus, each device controller can be assigned to at least one corresponding controller node, e.g., by software assignment and / or hardware assignment, e.g., via a real-time bus interface. However, the programmable logic controller can be configured to supervise the functionality of the phantom. Thus, while a controller node can act as a master device for a corresponding device controller, the programmable logic controller can remain the supervising master of the setup, which can also control each device controller via the corresponding controller node.

[0047] The phantom may further include at least one sensor device. The control device may be further configured to receive sensor data from the sensor device. The term "sensor device," as used herein, is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to any device configured to at least one of detect, measure, and monitor at least one measurement variable and / or measurement property of at least one entity or medium. The sensor device may be configured to generate at least one signal, such as a measurement signal, e.g., an electrical signal, that is a qualitative or quantitative indicator of the measurement variable and / or measurement property. The at least one sensor device may, by way of example, include at least one of a voltage sensor, a resistance sensor, a current sensor, a capacitance sensor, a pressure sensor, a position sensor, a rotation sensor, a fill-state sensor, a flow sensor, a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a velocity sensor.

[0048] The at least one sensor device may be configured to determine at least one item of status information of at least one of the flexible components. As used herein, the term "item of status information" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to qualitative and / or quantitative information, e.g., measurements, regarding a physical characteristic of an object, such as a flexible component, at a current time or over a period of time. The item of status information may include at least one item selected from the group consisting of a position of the flexible component, an orientation of the flexible component, a deformation of the flexible component, an acceleration of the flexible component, a pressure of the flexible component, a flow throughput of a liquid through the flexible component, and a filling level of the flexible component.

[0049] At least one of the device controllers may be further configured to control at least one sensor device. Additionally or alternatively, the control device may further include at least one sensor device controller configured to control the at least one sensor device. The control device may further include at least one sensor controller node. The programmable logic controller may be further configured to act as a master device for the at least one sensor controller node. The at least one sensor controller node may be configured to act as a master device for the at least one sensor device controller. At least one real-time bus interface may connect the at least one sensor controller node to the programmable logic controller and the at least one sensor device controller.

[0050] The programmable logic controller may be configured to move at least one of the flexible components to at least one target configuration. At least one of the controller nodes may be configured to execute the target configuration by providing a command to at least one of the device controllers. The device controller may be configured to provide at least one command corresponding to the target configuration to at least one of the actuators, which is assigned to the flexible component. As used herein, the term "assign" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and is not limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to an assignment of one entity to at least another entity, specifically a non-exclusive assignment. For example, an actuator assigned to a flexible component may act on the flexible component and on additional flexible components, and the flexible component may also be acted on by additional actuators. Alternatively, it is still possible that an actuator assigned to a flexible component may only act on the flexible component, beyond which additional actuators may not act on the flexible component. The assignment may be hardwired and / or software assigned.

[0051] The term “configuration” as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to a physical characteristic, such as at least one of a position, an orientation, and a shape, of at least one object, such as one of the flexible components. The configuration may specifically refer to the arrangement and / or formation of multiple objects relative to one another. The term “target configuration” as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to a desired or nominal configuration to which the configuration is adjusted. The target configuration may specifically be or include at least one of a target position, a target orientation, and a target shape. By way of example, the configuration may refer to a fillable flexible component surrounded by further flexible components, and the configuration is adjusted to a desired or target configuration by filling the fillable flexible component with liquid, thereby changing the shape of the fillable flexible component as well as the position and / or shape of the further surrounding flexible components.

[0052] The target configuration may be selected from the group consisting of a static target configuration and a dynamic target configuration. The programmable logic controller may be configured to generate the dynamic target configuration by using at least one algorithm that determines the evolution of the target configuration of the flexible component over time. The algorithm that determines the evolution of the target configuration over time may be configured to simulate a movement of the respective flexible component, specifically a movement of the flexible component caused by a movement of a part of a human body.

[0053] The term "algorithm," as used herein, is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to a finite sequence of clear, well-defined, typically computer-executable instructions for solving a problem or a class of problems or for performing a calculation. Specifically, the algorithm may determine at least one trajectory of at least a portion of at least one flexible component. The trajectory may be determined such that the motion of the flexible component resembles the motion of at least a portion of an actual human body. Thus, by way of example, to determine the trajectory of at least one flexible component, the motion of one or more organs of the human body may be empirically or semi-empirically simulated and / or recorded.

[0054] The control device may include at least one sensor-based feedback loop for controlling the movement of the flexible component to the target configuration. The term "sensor-based" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to the fact that sensor data from at least one sensor may be used as information, for example, a reference value, for subsequent decision-making processes and corresponding actions. For possible sensors and their definitions, reference may be made to the above description.

[0055] The term "feedback loop," as used herein, is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to an ongoing cycle that occurs when an output of a system is at least indirectly routed back as an input to that system as part of a chain of cause and effect, particularly where the output affects the next input that is continually generated. By way of example, the input may be the current position of a flexible component, which causes an intended change in the position of the flexible component as the output, which again results in a new position of the flexible component as the next input.

[0056] Thus, the term "sensor-based feedback loop" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to a feedback loop in which the input provided to the feedback loop is at least partially sensor-based. As an example similar to the above, the input may be a current position of a flexible component measured by at least one sensor, which causes an intended change in the position of the flexible component as an output, which again results in a new position of the flexible component measured by at least one different possible sensor as a next input. Specifically, the programmable logic control may comprise a sensor-based feedback loop. Additionally or alternatively, at least one of the controller node and / or device controller may comprise a sensor-based feedback loop.

[0057] The testing system may be configured to simulate the movement of a portion of a human body over a range of velocities, particularly a range of velocities of movement of at least one of the flexible components between 0 m / s and 0.20 m / s, particularly between 0 m / s and 0.10 m / s, more particularly between 0 m / s and 0.02 m / s.

[0058] The actuators may be selected, independently of one another, from the group consisting of electromechanical actuators, piezoelectric actuators, hydraulic actuators, and pneumatic actuators. The electromechanical actuators may include at least one of a linear motor, a DC motor, and a stepper motor. The actuators may be selected, independently of one another, from the group consisting of linear actuators, particularly linear actuators configured for at least one of pushing and pulling, and rotary actuators. The linear actuators may also cause rotational movement of the flexible component.

[0059] At least one of the flexible components may include at least one flexible sidewall and a lumen at least partially surrounded by the flexible sidewall. At least one of the actuators may be assigned to the flexible component and configured to control filling of the lumen with at least one fluid material. The actuator may be configured to control at least one of the pressure of the fluid material within the lumen and the flow of the fluid material through the lumen. As used herein, the term "lumen" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to the lumen of a hollow organ, e.g., the bladder, and / or a tubular body structure such as an intestine, artery, or vein.

[0060] The actuator may be configured for use in a magnetic resonance environment. As used herein, the term "magnetic resonance environment" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to a spatial region surrounding a magnetic resonance imaging device that uses a high magnetic field for operation. The magnetic field of the magnetic resonance imaging device may be poorly shielded in the magnetic resonance environment. The magnetic field of the magnetic resonance imaging device may be completely unshielded in the magnetic resonance environment. Thus, a high magnetic field may be present in the magnetic resonance environment. Accordingly, an object configured for use in the magnetic resonance environment may be configured for operation in a high magnetic field. Specifically, an object configured for use in the magnetic resonance environment may be at least substantially immune to the high magnetic field. Thus, by way of example, an object configured for use in the magnetic resonance environment may essentially be free of ferromagnetic materials.

[0061] The test system may further include at least one radiation shield for separating the treatment chamber from the environment. At least the programmable logic controller may be located in an environment outside the treatment chamber. Additionally, at least one of the following components may be located outside the treatment chamber: at least a portion of the controller node, at least a portion of the actuator, and at least a portion of the device controller. As used herein, the term "radiation shield" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to an object configured to effectively prevent the passage of radiation, particularly ionizing radiation. For this purpose, the object may include a material with a high effective cross-section for radiation, where the effective cross-section is a measure of the interaction between the material and the radiation, such as absorption and / or scattering. By way of example, the material may be selected from the group consisting of lead, molybdenum, tungsten, and uranium. Thus, the radiation shield may include at least one of the above-mentioned shielding materials. In addition, the radiation shield may also be configured to effectively prevent the passage of electromagnetic fields, particularly magnetic fields. To this end, the object may comprise a material that can be easily magnetized, such as iron.

[0062] The term "treatment room" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to a room for medical procedures, specifically radiation therapy, more specifically diagnostic radiation therapy, but may also optionally refer to a room for therapeutic radiation treatment. Specifically, a treatment room may refer to a room in which a magnetic resonance imaging device is located. Thus, a treatment room may include a magnetic resonance environment. A treatment room may further include at least one radiation shield. Specifically, at least one wall of the treatment room may include at least one radiation shield. As indicated above, decentralized allocation of control devices allows for more radiation-sensitive devices of the control devices to be located outside the treatment room, while less radiation-sensitive devices of the control devices are located inside the treatment room.

[0063] The control device may further include a system clock. At predetermined time intervals determined by the system clock, the programmable logic controller may be configured to communicate with the controller node, and the controller node may be configured to communicate with the device controller. The length of the predetermined time interval may be 0.1 milliseconds to 100 milliseconds, specifically 1 millisecond to 10 milliseconds, more specifically 1 millisecond. As used herein, the term "system clock" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to clocks and / or devices capable of providing clock pulses and / or beats, specifically periodic signals, specifically with high precision and periodicity. In particular, the system clock may trigger and / or synchronize update cycles. Here, the system clock may include and / or be connected to at least one electronic trigger and / or at least one crystal oscillator and / or at least one atomic clock. The electronic trigger and / or crystal oscillator and / or atomic clock may be implemented within the control device or may be provided by an external device, for example by broadcasting a signal, for example by using at least one cable and / or radio frequency signal. Thus, the clock pulses and / or beats and / or system clock may be generated in the control device or may be generated by, for example, an atomic clock external to the control device. Inside the control device, the clock pulses and / or beats and / or system clock may be provided by a crystal oscillator, specifically a crystal oscillator capable of generating an electrical signal, e.g., a beat, at a very precise frequency, for example, to provide a beat at a frequency of about 1 kHz to 100 MHz, specifically 1 MHz to 50 MHz.

[0064] The control device may be configured to execute a real-time protocol, in which the exchange of commands between the programmable logic controller and the controller nodes and between at least one of the controller nodes and at least one of the device controllers may occur within one predetermined time interval. When executing the real-time protocol, the exchange of commands between the programmable logic controller and the controller nodes and between at least one of the controller nodes and at least one of the device controllers may be bidirectional. As an example, within one predetermined time interval, the programmable logic controller may send a target configuration for at least one flexible component to at least one device controller via at least one controller node, and still within the same predetermined time interval, the programmable logic controller may receive back information regarding the actual configuration from at least one of the device controllers via at least one of the controller nodes.

[0065] The cycle rate of the control device may be 0.5 kHz to 20 kHz, specifically 1 kHz to 8 kHz. The real-time bus interface may include at least one hard real-time fieldbus interface, specifically at least one of a fieldbus, specifically an Ethernet-based fieldbus, EtherCAT, DeviceNet, Profibus, Profinet, Interbus, Modbus, and SERCOS. The programmable logic controller may be a device compliant with the DIN / EN IEC 61131 standard and / or the IEC 61131 standard, specifically IEC 61131-3. The programmable logic controller may include at least one feedback loop, such as a feedback loop with a proportional-integral-derivative controller.

[0066] The phantom may be configured to simulate at least abdominal movement of a human body. The human body may be a male human body. The flexible component may include at least one flexible component selected from the group consisting of a flexible component simulating a human bladder, a flexible component simulating a human bowel, a flexible component simulating a human rectum, and a flexible component simulating a human prostate. The test system may be configured to control filling of the flexible component simulating movement of one of the human bladder and the human rectum.

[0067] At least one of the actuators may be operably connected to at least one membrane, particularly at least one synthetic membrane. The actuator operably connected to the membrane may be configured to simulate at least one movement of the human body selected from the group consisting of breathing, swallowing, coughing, and hiccuping. The membrane may include a synthetic diaphragm.

[0068] The term "operably connected" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, without being limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to a configuration of at least two components in which at least a first of the components can directly or indirectly act on at least a second of the components. Specifically, an actuator may be configured to control the movement of at least one of the membranes. An actuator operably connected to the membrane may be configured to act on the membrane, for example, to pull and / or push at least a portion of the membrane. To this end, the actuator may at least temporarily, but not necessarily constantly, contact the membrane. The actuator may be operably connected to only the membrane, or the actuator may be operably connected to at least one additional entity, and / or at least one additional actuator may be operably connected to the membrane.

[0069] The term "membrane" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to at least one layer, specifically a flexible layer, configured to separate and / or cover an object, such as an organ, which layer may be selectively permeable for transport of a substance therethrough. The membrane may include at least one biological material from the human and / or animal body. The term "synthetic" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to an entity that is not naturally derived, which may include an artificially produced object, which may specifically include a chemically synthesized material. By way of example, a synthetic entity may include a plastic mold and / or plastic layer. Consequently, the term "synthetic membrane" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to membranes that include synthetic components.

[0070] The anthropomorphic phantom, particularly at least one of the flexible components, may include at least one cavity for receiving at least one dosimeter. The dosimeter, which may be part of the anthropomorphic phantom or a separate component, may be a device configured to generate at least one item of information regarding a dose of ionizing radiation to which the anthropomorphic phantom and / or the dosimeter are exposed. By way of example, the cavity may be accessible from an environment external to the phantom, for example, to introduce and / or remove the dosimeter.

[0071] In a second aspect, a method of simulating movement of at least a portion of a human body is disclosed, the method comprising the steps of: i. providing at least one test system as described herein, for example, according to any one of the embodiments disclosed above and / or any one of the embodiments disclosed in more detail below; ii. moving at least one of the flexible components to at least one target configuration by using a programmable logic controller, wherein at least one of the controller nodes executes the target configuration by providing commands to at least one of the device controllers, and the device controller provides at least one command corresponding to the target configuration to at least one of the actuators assigned to the flexible component.

[0072] At least step ii) may be computer-controlled. Furthermore, one or more of the method steps may be performed once or repeatedly. The method may include additional method steps not listed.

[0073] In a third aspect, a method for testing a system for radiation therapy is disclosed, the system comprising at least one imaging device for imaging at least a portion of a human body, the system further comprising at least one radiation system for irradiating the portion of the human body with ionizing radiation, the system configured to control the irradiation according to at least one item of information about the spatial configuration of the portion of the human body.

[0074] The term "imaging device" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to a device configured to generate at least one visual representation of the interior of at least one object, specifically a human body, specifically for medical analysis. Thus, the imaging device may be configured to generate a visual representation of the functionality of at least one organ of the human body. The imaging device may be selected from the group consisting of a photographic camera, a thermographic camera, an endoscope, an ultrasound device, a magnetic resonance imaging device, and a computed tomography device.

[0075] The term "item of information," as used herein, is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to at least one of data, knowledge, or evidence that provides a qualitative and / or quantitative description of at least one entity, such as with respect to the physical characteristics of an object. Specifically, the item of information may include at least one image of at least a portion of a human body at a current time and / or a video sequence showing at least a portion of a human body over a period of time. Additionally or alternatively, the at least one item of information may be or include at least one item of spatial information derived from the at least one image, such as at least one of the position, orientation, and shape of at least one organ and / or portion thereof.

[0076] A method for testing a system for radiation therapy comprising the steps of: I. Providing at least one test system according to any one of the embodiments disclosed above referring to a test system and / or according to any one of the embodiments referring to a test system disclosed in more detail below; II. Placing a phantom of the test system in at least one treatment position of a system for radiation therapy; III. Imaging at least a portion of the phantom by using an imaging device of the radiation therapy system; IV. Simulating a movement of at least a part of a human body by using a method according to any one of the embodiments of the method disclosed above and / or according to any one of the embodiments of the method for simulating a movement of at least a part of a human body disclosed in more detail below; V. Evaluating the system response of the radiation therapy system to the simulated motion.

[0077] The method steps may be performed in a given order. However, it should be noted that different orders are possible. Furthermore, one or more of the method steps may be performed once or repeatedly. Furthermore, two or more of the method steps may be performed simultaneously or in an overlapping manner. The method may include additional method steps not listed.

[0078] The term "treatment location" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to a location suitable for a medical procedure, specifically radiation therapy. By way of example, the treatment location may be or include at least one position defined by at least one patient positioning system, such as a patient positioning system selected from the group consisting of a bed, a backrest, and a stool. Accordingly, an imaging device and / or a radiation system may be aligned with the treatment location. Furthermore, the treatment location may be directly accessible by the imaging device and / or the radiation system. By way of example, the treatment location may be within a tube included in a magnetic resonance imaging device and / or a computed tomography device.

[0079] The term "evaluation" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to the processing of at least one item of input information to generate at least one item of result information. Specifically, the term may refer to the process of calculating and / or determining at least one result with a corresponding output, e.g., an expected measure, based on input data, such as parameters describing a current state. Specifically, evaluation may define the adaptation of a system to a change in a current state. The term "system response" as used herein is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art and should not be limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically, without limitation, refer to an action taken by a system in response to a change in a current state. For example, an imaging device and / or radiation system of a radiation therapy system may be aligned to the position of a flexible component of a phantom, but observing a change in the position of the flexible component may initiate a realignment of the flexible component to the new position. Alternatively, the entire phantom may be automatically moved to return the flexible component to its initial position without changing the alignment of the imaging device and / or radiation system.

[0080] Evaluating the system response in step V may include evaluating whether controlling irradiation according to at least one item of information about the spatial configuration of a part of the human body includes recognizing a reconfiguration by the simulated motion in step IV. Thus, by way of example, a motion of at least a part of the human body may be simulated by using the simulated motion in step IV, and the method for testing a system for radiation therapy may determine in step V whether the system recognizes the motion and, optionally, whether it takes appropriate action by readjusting irradiation, generating a warning, stopping irradiation, etc. Thus, the system may be configured to recognize a motion of the human body or a part thereof and may take appropriate action. The method for testing the system may generate information about the proper functionality of this recognition and / or the correctness of the action.

[0081] Therefore, evaluating the system response in step V may further include adjusting the illumination according to the recognized reconstruction, specifically by at least one of adjusting the spatial configuration of the illumination, adjusting the orientation of the illumination, and adjusting the shape of the illumination. The illumination may be paused during the adjustment. As used herein, the term "illumination shape" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to a special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to the geometric shape, e.g., diameter, of at least one light beam. As described in WO2019 / 197440 A1, a collimator may be used to shape the light beam.

[0082] The method for testing a radiation therapy system may further include providing information regarding the evaluation in step V, specifically by providing an evaluation report. As used herein, the term "providing" is a broad term and should be given its ordinary and customary meaning to those skilled in the art, and is not limited to any special or customized meaning. The term may specifically refer, without limitation, to the process of making something available to a person or entity. Thus, the evaluation report may include documentation of at least one evaluation and its submission in the form of a report including the starting point of the evaluation and the results of the evaluation. The evaluation report may be made available by at least one of displaying the evaluation report, for example, via at least one of a visual output, an audible output, and a tactile output; saving the evaluation report, for example, in at least one data storage device; or transmitting the evaluation report, for example, to another device, for example, via at least one wireless interface and / or at least one wired interface. As an example, a report may be submitted that includes the development of the position of one of the flexible components of the phantom at the time the phantom's operation was simulated, and the report further includes the corresponding realignment of the imaging device and / or the radiation system and / or the entire phantom.

[0083] The methods as described herein, such as according to any one of the embodiments discussed above and / or according to any one of the embodiments shown in more detail below, may be at least partially computer-implemented or computer-controlled. Accordingly, at least step II of the method of simulating the movement of at least a portion of a human body may be computer-implemented or computer-controlled. Similarly, at least steps III-V of the method of testing a system for radiation therapy may be computer-controlled. Consequently, a computer program is further disclosed that includes computer-executable instructions for performing at least step II of the method of simulating the movement of at least a portion of a human body when executed by a computer, specifically by a control device of a test system as disclosed herein. Furthermore, a computer program is disclosed that includes computer-executable instructions for performing at least steps III-V of the method of testing a system for radiation therapy when executed by a computer, specifically by a control device of a test system as disclosed herein. Further disclosed are computer-readable data carriers and / or computer-readable storage media having stored thereon a data structure that, when loaded into a computer or computer network, specifically a control device of a test system as disclosed herein, can perform at least step II of the method for simulating the movement of at least a portion of a human body or at least steps III-V of the method for testing a system for radiation therapy when executed by the computer, specifically a control device of a test system as disclosed herein. As used herein, the terms "computer-readable data carrier" and "computer-readable storage medium" may specifically refer to non-transitory data storage means, such as a hardware storage medium, having computer-executable instructions stored thereon. The computer-readable data carrier or storage medium may specifically be or comprise a storage medium, such as a random access memory (RAM) and / or a read-only memory (ROM).

[0084] The testing system and method according to the present invention may offer numerous advantages over known methods, stations, and systems. In particular, they enable, in principle, more effective testing of any type of radiation therapy system, such as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, a computed tomography (CT) system, or a radiation system. They are particularly suitable for new hybrid devices, such as MR-Linac. Furthermore, they enable more effective testing of algorithms that simulate organ movement or deformation. Using the testing system and method according to the present invention, complex three-dimensional organ-specific movements and deformations can be simulated more realistically, deterministically, and reproducibly in real time. In particular, the interconnected movements and deformations of entire organ assemblies, including those involving rectal or bladder filling, can be simulated more realistically, deterministically, and reproducibly in real time. The results can be used in treatment planning systems to implement rapid, adaptive adjustments in response to organ movements or deformations. This reduces the risk of unintentional damage to the patient's healthy tissue during future radiation treatments. As a result, a smaller safety zone during treatment can still adequately protect the patient's health. Therefore, monitoring of the entire treatment sequence, including patient positioning before and during treatment, can be improved. Furthermore, tumor tracking during treatment as well as monitoring of adaptive therapy, such as gating, can be improved. Furthermore, the distributed allocation of control devices allows the radiation-sensitive parts of the control devices to be located outside the treatment room, resulting in less interference with imaging. As a result, higher field strengths can be used inside the treatment room during radiation therapy. Furthermore, system maintenance is also easier, since components can be used inside the treatment room that are easily replaceable even after being damaged by high field strengths. At the same time, most of the computing power can be located safely and easily accessible outside the treatment room.

[0085] Thus, by using any one of the testing systems and / or methods according to the present invention, the entire radiation therapy process can be quality controlled without the need for exposing a patient to the process. Specifically, correct patient positioning before and during treatment can be checked and quality controlled. Additionally or alternatively, adaptive radiation therapy methods, such as gating techniques, can be checked and simulated. Additionally or alternatively, tumor tracking during exposure can be checked and quality controlled, such as by simulating tumor motion using an anthropomorphic phantom and checking whether the system responds correctly to that motion, for example, by correctly readjusting a multi-leaf collimator or other component. Additionally or alternatively, the functionality of the imaging device can be quality controlled, such as by checking whether an image recognition algorithm running on the imaging device and / or system correctly recognizes position changes. Additionally or alternatively, the quality of the system's replanning algorithm can be quality controlled, such as by checking whether the system correctly performs real-time replanning of exposure parameters. Generally, quality control of any system response of the system, such as a system response to a position change, including, for example, replanning a treatment plan or radiation plan in response to a position change, can be performed using a test system. Quality control can thereby be improved by using a test system and / or method according to the present invention, reducing harmful patient exposure in any subsequent treatment process using the system. Specifically, by improving the quality control process, the safety zone around the tumor in the treatment plan can ultimately be reduced, leading to reduced exposure of healthy tissue and therefore more careful or gentle treatment.

[0086] To summarize without excluding further possible embodiments, the following embodiments can be envisaged:

[0087] Embodiment 1: A test system for testing a system for radiation therapy, the test system comprising: A. At least one anthropomorphic phantom for simulating the movement of at least a portion of a human body, the at least one anthropomorphic phantom comprising: a plurality of flexible components, each flexible component simulating at least a portion of a human organ; an at least partially flexible receiver for receiving a flexible component; and at least one anthropomorphic phantom comprising a plurality of actuators configured to at least one of deform and move a flexible component within a receptacle; B. A control device for controlling at least one anthropomorphic phantom, comprising: Programmable logic controllers, Multiple controller nodes, a plurality of device controllers configured to control the actuators; and a control device comprising at least one real-time bus interface connecting the controller node to the programmable logic controller and the device controller; The programmable logic controller is configured to act as a master device for the controller nodes, and in particular for each of the controller nodes, and the controller nodes are configured to act as master devices for the device controllers.

[0088] Embodiment 2: The test system of embodiment 1, wherein the controller nodes, and more particularly each of the controller nodes, are configured to act as a slave device to the programmable logic controller.

[0089] Embodiment 3: The test system of embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the device controllers, and more particularly each of the device controllers, are configured to act as slave devices to their corresponding controller nodes.

[0090] Embodiment 4: A test system according to any one of embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the programmable logic controller is configured to provide superior control over the functions of the phantom.

[0091] Embodiment 5: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the phantom further comprises at least one sensor device, and the control device is further configured to receive sensor data from the sensor device.

[0092] Embodiment 6: The test system of embodiment 5, wherein at least one sensor device is configured to determine at least one item of status information of at least one of the flexible components.

[0093] Embodiment 7: A test system as described in embodiment 6, wherein the items of status information include at least one item selected from the group consisting of the position of the flexible component, the orientation of the flexible component, the deformation of the flexible component, the acceleration of the flexible component, the pressure of the flexible component, the flow throughput of the liquid through the flexible component, and the fill level of the flexible component.

[0094] Embodiment 8: A test system according to any one of embodiments 5 to 7, wherein at least one of the device controllers is further configured to control at least one sensor device.

[0095] Embodiment 9: A test system described in any one of embodiments 5 to 8, wherein the control device further comprises at least one sensor device controller configured to control at least one sensor device, the control device further comprises at least one sensor controller node, the programmable logic controller is further configured to act as a master device for the at least one sensor controller node, the at least one sensor controller node is configured to act as a master device for the at least one sensor device controller, and at least one real-time bus interface connects the at least one sensor controller node to the programmable logic controller and the at least one sensor device controller.

[0096] Embodiment 10: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the programmable logic controller is configured to move at least one of the flexible components to at least one target configuration, at least one of the controller nodes is configured to execute the target configuration by providing commands to at least one of the device controllers, and the device controller is configured to provide at least one command corresponding to the target configuration to at least one of the actuators assigned to the flexible component.

[0097] Embodiment 11: The test system of embodiment 10, wherein the target configuration is selected from the group consisting of a static target configuration and a dynamic target configuration.

[0098] Embodiment 12: A test system as described in embodiment 11, wherein the programmable logic controller is configured to generate a dynamic target configuration by using at least one algorithm that determines the evolution of the target configuration of the flexible component over time.

[0099] Embodiment 13: A test system as described in embodiment 12, wherein the algorithm for determining the time evolution of the target configuration is configured to simulate the behavior of each flexible component, specifically the behavior of the flexible component caused by the movement of a part of the human body.

[0100] Embodiment 14: A test system described in any one of embodiments 10 to 13, wherein the control device comprises at least one sensor-based feedback loop for controlling movement of the flexible component to the target configuration.

[0101] Embodiment 15: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 14, wherein the test system is configured to simulate the movement of a part of a human body in a speed range, specifically a speed range of the movement speed of at least one of the flexible components from 0 m / s to 0.20 m / s, specifically from 0 m / s to 0.10 m / s, more specifically from 0 m / s to 0.02 m / s.

[0102] Embodiment 16: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 15, wherein the actuators are specifically selected, independently of one another, from the group consisting of electromechanical actuators, piezoelectric actuators, hydraulic actuators, and pneumatic actuators.

[0103] Embodiment 17: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 16, wherein the actuators are selected, particularly independently of each other, from the group consisting of linear actuators, particularly linear actuators configured for at least one of pushing and pulling, and rotary actuators.

[0104] Embodiment 18: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 17, wherein at least one of the flexible components has at least one flexible sidewall and an internal cavity at least partially surrounded by the flexible sidewall, and at least one of the actuators is assigned to the flexible component and configured to control filling of the internal cavity with at least one fluid material.

[0105] Embodiment 19: The test system of embodiment 18, wherein the actuator is configured to control at least one of the pressure of the fluid material in the lumen and the flow of the fluid material through the lumen.

[0106] Embodiment 20: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 19, wherein the actuator is configured for use in a magnetic resonance environment.

[0107] Embodiment 21: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 20, wherein the test system further comprises at least one radiation shield for separating the treatment room from the environment, and at least the programmable logic controller is disposed in an environment outside the treatment room.

[0108] Embodiment 22: A test system as described in embodiment 21, wherein at least one of the following components is located outside the treatment room: at least a portion of the controller node, at least a portion of the actuator, and at least a portion of the device controller.

[0109] Embodiment 23: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 22, wherein the control device further comprises a system clock, and the programmable logic controller is configured to communicate with the controller node, and the controller node is configured to communicate with the device controller, at predetermined time intervals determined by the system clock.

[0110] Embodiment 24: A test system as described in embodiment 23, wherein the length of the predefined time interval is between 0.1 milliseconds and 100 milliseconds, specifically between 1 millisecond and 10 milliseconds, more specifically 1 millisecond.

[0111] Embodiment 25: A test system as described in embodiment 23 or 24, wherein the control device is configured to execute a real-time protocol, and the exchange of commands between the programmable logic controller and the controller nodes and the exchange of commands between at least one of the controller nodes and at least one of the device controllers occurs within one predetermined time interval.

[0112] Embodiment 26: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 25, wherein the cycle rate of the control device is 0.5 kHz to 20 kHz, specifically 1 kHz to 8 kHz.

[0113] Embodiment 27: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 26, wherein the real-time bus interface includes at least one hard real-time fieldbus interface, specifically at least one of a fieldbus, specifically an Ethernet-based fieldbus, EtherCAT, DeviceNet, Profibus, Profinet, Interbus, Modbus, and SERCOS.

[0114] Embodiment 28: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 27, wherein the programmable logic controller is a device that complies with the DIN / EN IEC 61131 standard and / or the IEC 61131 standard, specifically IEC 61131-3.

[0115] Embodiment 29: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 28, wherein the programmable logic controller comprises at least one feedback loop, specifically a proportional-integral-derivative controller.

[0116] Embodiment 30: A test system according to any one of embodiments 1 to 29, wherein the phantom is configured to simulate at least abdominal movements of a human body.

[0117] Embodiment 31: The test system of embodiment 30, wherein the human body is a male human body.

[0118] Embodiment 32: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 31, wherein the flexible component includes at least one flexible component selected from the group consisting of a flexible component simulating a human bladder, a flexible component simulating a human intestine, a flexible component simulating a human rectum, and a flexible component simulating a human prostate.

[0119] Embodiment 33: A test system as described in embodiment 32, wherein the test system is configured to control the filling of a flexible component that simulates the operation of one of a human bladder and a human rectum.

[0120] Embodiment 34: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 33, wherein at least one of the actuators is operably connected to at least one membrane, particularly at least one synthetic membrane.

[0121] Embodiment 35: A test system as described in embodiment 34, wherein the actuator operably connected to the membrane is configured to simulate at least one movement of the human body selected from the group consisting of breathing, swallowing, coughing, and hiccuping.

[0122] Embodiment 36: The test system of embodiment 34 or 35, wherein the membrane comprises a synthetic diaphragm.

[0123] Embodiment 37: A test system described in any one of embodiments 1 to 36, wherein the phantom, in particular at least one of the flexible components, has at least one cavity for receiving at least one dosimeter.

[0124] Embodiment 38: A method of simulating the movement of at least a portion of a human body, the method comprising: i. Providing at least one test system according to any one of embodiments 1 to 37; ii. moving at least one of the flexible components to at least one target configuration by using a programmable logic controller, wherein at least one of the controller nodes executes the target configuration by providing commands to at least one of the device controllers, and the device controller provides at least one command corresponding to the target configuration to at least one of the actuators assigned to the flexible component.

[0125] Embodiment 39: The method of embodiment 38, wherein at least step ii is computer-controlled.

[0126] Embodiment 40: A method for testing a system for radiation therapy, the system comprising at least one imaging device for imaging at least a part of a human body, and at least one radiation system for irradiating the part of the human body with ionizing radiation, the system being configured to control the irradiation according to at least one item of information about the spatial configuration of the part of the human body, the method comprising: I. Providing at least one test system according to any one of embodiments 1 to 37 that refer to a test system; II. Placing a phantom of the test system in at least one treatment position of a system for radiation therapy; III. Imaging at least a portion of the phantom by using an imaging device of the radiation therapy system; IV. Simulating the behavior of a phantom by using the method of embodiment 38 or 39; V. Evaluating a system response of the radiation therapy system to the simulated operation.

[0127] Embodiment 41: The method of embodiment 40, wherein evaluating the system response in step V includes evaluating whether controlling the illumination according to at least one item of information regarding the spatial configuration of a portion of the human body includes recognizing a reconstruction by the action simulated in step IV, and further includes adjusting the illumination according to the recognized reconstruction, specifically by at least one of adjusting the spatial configuration of the illumination, adjusting the orientation of the illumination, and adjusting the shape of the illumination.

[0128] Embodiment 42: The method of embodiment 41, wherein irradiation is paused during adjustment.

[0129] Embodiment 43: The method of any one of embodiments 40 to 42, wherein the method further comprises providing information regarding the evaluation in step V, in particular by providing an evaluation report.

[0130] Embodiment 44: The method of any one of embodiments 40 to 43, wherein at least steps III to V are computer-controlled.

[0131] Further optional features and embodiments are disclosed in more detail in the following description of the embodiments, preferably in conjunction with the dependent claims. Therein, each optional feature may be realized in any feasible combination, as well as in isolation, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. The scope of the present invention is not limited by the preferred embodiments. The embodiments are illustrated diagrammatically in the drawings, in which identical reference numerals in these drawings refer to identical or functionally comparable elements. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0132] [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary system for radiation therapy. [Figure 2] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a test system for testing a system for radiation therapy. [Figure 3] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of an anthropomorphic phantom according to the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for simulating the movement of at least a part of a human body. [Figure 5] 1 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for testing a system for radiation therapy. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0133] 1 discloses a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a system 110 for radiation therapy. The system 110 comprises at least one imaging device 112 for imaging at least a portion of a human body and at least one radiation system 114 for irradiating the portion of the human body with ionizing radiation.

[0134] In Figure 1, at least a portion of a human body is indicated by reference numeral 116. The body portion 116 may be replaced for testing and / or calibration purposes, as described below, by at least one anthropomorphic phantom 118, also symbolically shown in Figure 1. The body portion 116 and / or the anthropomorphic phantom 118 may be placed on a bed 120 or other type of patient positioning system.

[0135] The radiation therapy system 110 may, for example, further include at least one control device 122 connected to and configured to at least control the radiation system 114. The control device 122 may further be connected to the imaging device 112 and configured to control imaging of at least the human body portion 116 and / or the anthropomorphic phantom 118. The control device 122 may, for example, include at least one processor and may optionally be configured to control irradiation of the human body portion 116 and / or the anthropomorphic phantom 118 according to at least one item of information related to the spatial configuration of the human body portion 116 and / or the anthropomorphic phantom 118 collected by the imaging device 112. Thus, for example, the control device 122 may recognize a reconstruction due to a movement of the human body portion 116 and / or the anthropomorphic phantom 118 and adjust the irradiation according to the recognized reconstruction, specifically by at least one of adjusting the spatial configuration of the irradiation, adjusting the orientation of the irradiation, and adjusting the shape of the irradiation.

[0136] 2 shows a schematic diagram of a test system 124. The test system 124 is configured to test a system for radiation therapy, such as the system 110 shown in FIG.

[0137] The test system 124 as shown in Figure 2 includes at least one anthropomorphic phantom 118. As outlined above, the anthropomorphic phantom 118 may be used in the radiation therapy system 110 of Figure 1, for example, to simulate the human body portion 116 and / or for quality control or calibration purposes. In the context of the present invention, the anthropomorphic phantom 118 is configured to simulate the movement of the at least human body portion 116. Thus, the anthropomorphic phantom 118 may be controlled to simulate the movement of the at least human body portion 116, as outlined in more detail below.

[0138] An exemplary embodiment of an anthropomorphic phantom 118 that may be used in the test system 124 of Figure 2 is symbolically shown in Figure 3. In the following, Figures 2 and 3 are described in combination.

[0139] As shown in FIG. 3 , the anthropomorphic phantom 118 includes a plurality of flexible components 126. Each flexible component 126 is configured to simulate at least a portion of a human organ. The flexible components 126 may be or include dummy or phantom organs, which may be controlled, for example, by controlling at least one of their position, orientation, shape, and volume, as outlined in more detail below. Thus, by way of example, the anthropomorphic phantom 118 shown in FIG. 3 may be a phantom simulating the abdomen of a human, e.g., a male. Consequently, by way of example, the flexible components 126 may simulate at least one of a human bladder, a human intestine, a human rectum, and a human prostate. However, other examples are possible. For example, FIG. 3 schematically illustrates an artificial bladder 128, an artificial intestine 130, an artificial rectum 132, and an artificial prostate 134. However, it should be noted that the anthropomorphic phantom 118 may include any subset of one or more of these flexible components 126 and / or one or more additional flexible components 126 of other types.

[0140] The anthropomorphic phantom 118, and in particular at least one of the flexible components 126, may further comprise at least one cavity 136 for receiving at least one dosimeter. In Figure 3, two such cavities 136 are indicated by circles on the artificial bladder 128 and the artificial prostate 134.

[0141] The anthropomorphic phantom 118 further includes at least one receptacle 138 for receiving the flexible component 126. The receptacle 138 may further be at least partially filled with at least one matrix medium, e.g., a gel such as agarose, which may at least partially surround the flexible component 126. The receptacle 138 is at least partially flexible. By way of example, the receptacle 138 may be made entirely or partially of at least one elastomeric material, e.g., a plastic material such as silicone. Other materials or combinations of materials are also possible. Thus, the receptacle 138 may include at least one flexible portion and at least one rigid portion. As shown in FIG. 3, the receptacle 138 may correspond to the dimensions of a human abdomen and upper thigh. However, other examples are also possible.

[0142] The anthropomorphic phantom 118 further includes a plurality of actuators 140 configured to at least one of deform and move the flexible component 126 within the receptacle 138. The actuators 140 may be selected, independently of one another, from the group consisting of electromechanical actuators 142, piezoelectric actuators 144, hydraulic actuators 146, and pneumatic actuators 148. The actuators 140 may be selected, independently of one another, from the group consisting of linear actuators 150, specifically linear actuators 150 configured for at least one of pushing and pulling, and rotary actuators. At least one of the actuators 140 may be operably connected to at least one membrane 154, specifically at least one synthetic membrane 156. The actuator 140 operably connected to the membrane 154 may be configured to simulate at least one movement of the human body selected from the group consisting of breathing, swallowing, coughing, and hiccuping. The membrane 154 may include a synthetic diaphragm 158. 3, synthetic diaphragm 158 can be deformed by using actuator 140. Actuator 140 can push on selected portions of synthetic diaphragm 158, causing it to deform. The deformation of synthetic diaphragm 158 can be transmitted to the adjacent artificial bladder 128 and / or the adjacent artificial intestine 130.

[0143] At least one of the flexible components 126 may include at least one flexible sidewall and a lumen at least partially surrounded by the flexible sidewall, where at least one of the actuators 140 may be assigned to the flexible component and configured to control filling of the lumen with at least one fluid material. The actuator 140 may be configured to control at least one of a pressure of the fluid material within the lumen and a flow of the fluid material through the lumen. The test system 124 may be configured to control filling of the flexible component 126 to simulate the operation of one of a human bladder and a human rectum. As shown in FIG. 3 , by using the actuator 140, the artificial bladder 128 and / or the artificial rectum 132 may each be filled with a fluid material.

[0144] The test system 124 further comprises a control device 122 for controlling the phantom 118. As shown in FIG. 1 and outlined above, the control device 122 may be further configured to at least partially control the imaging device 112 and / or the radiation system 114. Alternatively, the control device 122 may only be configured to control the phantom 118.

[0145] 2, the control device 122 includes a programmable logic controller 160. The programmable logic controller 160 may be configured to supervise the functions of the phantom 118. The programmable logic controller 160 may be a device compliant with the DIN / EN IEC 61131 standard and / or the IEC 61131 standard, specifically IEC 61131-3. The programmable logic controller 160 may further include at least one feedback loop, specifically a PID (proportional-integral-derivative) controller.

[0146] The control device 122 further includes a plurality of controller nodes 162 and a plurality of device controllers 164 configured to control the actuators 140. As shown in Figure 2, the programmable logic controllers 160, the controller nodes 162, and the device controllers 164 may be spatially distributed. Alternatively, the programmable logic controllers 160, the controller nodes 162, and the device controllers 164 may be spatially grouped within an assembly.

[0147] The control device 122 further comprises at least one real-time bus interface 166 connecting the controller node 162 to the programmable logic controller 160 and the device controller 164. The real-time bus interface 166 may include at least one hard real-time fieldbus interface, in particular at least one of a fieldbus, in particular an Ethernet-based fieldbus, EtherCAT, DeviceNet, Profibus, Profinet, Interbus, Modbus, and SERCOS.

[0148] The programmable logic controller 160 is configured to act as a master device for the controller nodes 162, and in particular for each of the controller nodes 162. The controller nodes 162 are configured to act as master devices for the device controllers 164. The controller nodes 162, and in particular each of the controller nodes 162, may be configured to act as a slave device for the programmable logic controller 160. The device controllers 164, and in particular each of the device controllers 164, may be configured to act as a slave device for the corresponding controller node 162.

[0149] The programmable logic controller 160 may be configured to move at least one of the flexible components 126 toward at least one target configuration. At least one of the controller nodes 162 may be configured to execute the target configuration by providing commands to at least one of the device controllers 164. The device controller 164 may be configured to provide at least one command corresponding to the target configuration to at least one of the actuators 140, which is assigned to the flexible components 126. The target configuration may be selected from the group consisting of a static target configuration and a dynamic target configuration. The programmable logic controller 160 may be configured to generate the dynamic target configuration by using at least one algorithm that determines the time-development of the target configuration of the flexible component 126. The algorithm that determines the time-development of the target configuration may be configured to simulate the movement of the respective flexible component 126, specifically the movement of the flexible component 126 caused by the movement of the human body part 116. The test system 124 may be configured to simulate movement of the body part 116 over a range of velocities, specifically a speed range of movement speeds of at least one of the flexible components 126 between 0 m / s and 0.20 m / s, specifically between 0 m / s and 0.10 m / s, more specifically between 0 m / s and 0.02 m / s. The control device 122 may comprise at least one sensor-based feedback loop for controlling the transfer of the flexible component 126 to the target configuration.

[0150] The phantom 118 may further include at least one sensor device 168, and the control device 122 may be further configured to receive sensor data from the sensor device 168. The at least one sensor device 168 may be configured to determine at least one item of state information of at least one of the flexible components 126. The item of state information may include at least one item selected from the group consisting of a position of the flexible component 126, an orientation of the flexible component 126, a deformation of the flexible component 126, an acceleration of the flexible component 126, a pressure of the flexible component 126, a flow throughput of a liquid through the flexible component 126, and a fill level of the flexible component 126. As an example shown in FIG. 3 , the artificial bladder 128, the artificial intestine 130, and the artificial rectum 132 may each include a sensor device 168 for determining the flow throughput and / or the fill level.

[0151] 2 , the control device 122 may further include at least one sensor device controller 170 configured to control the at least one sensor device 168. The control device 122 may further include at least one sensor controller node 172. The programmable logic controller 160 may be further configured to act as a master device for the at least one sensor controller node 172. The at least one sensor controller node 172 may be configured to act as a master device for the at least one sensor device controller 170. At least one real-time bus interface 166 may connect the at least one sensor controller node 172 to the programmable logic controller 160 and the at least one sensor device controller 170. Additionally or alternatively, at least one of the device controllers 164 may be further configured to control the at least one sensor device 168. Accordingly, at least one of the sensor device controllers 170 may be embodied as a separate component and / or may be physically integrated, in whole or in part, into at least one of the device controllers 164. Additionally, at least one of the sensor controller nodes 172 may be embodied as a separate component and / or may be physically integrated in whole or in part into at least one of the controller nodes 162 .

[0152] The test system 124 may further include at least one radiation shield 174 for separating the treatment room 176 from the environment. At least the programmable logic controller 160 may be located in an environment outside the treatment room 176. Additionally, at least one of the following components may be located outside the treatment room 176: at least a portion of the controller node 162, at least a portion of the actuators 140, and at least a portion of the device controller 164. As an example shown in FIG. 2, all of the actuators 140 and device controllers 164 may be located within the treatment room 176, and all of the controller nodes 162 may be located outside the treatment room 176. At least a portion of the real-time bus interface 166 may bypass and / or pass through the radiation shield 174. The actuator 140 may be configured for use in a magnetic resonance environment 178. Also, as further shown in FIG. 2, all of the sensor devices 168 and sensor device controllers 170 may be located within the treatment room 176, and all of the sensor controller nodes 172 may be located outside the treatment room 176. The sensor devices 168 may be configured for use in a magnetic resonance environment 178. As previously mentioned, at least one of the sensor device controllers 170 may be embodied as a separate component and / or may be wholly or partially physically integrated into at least one of the device controllers 164, and at least one of the sensor controller nodes 172 may be embodied as a separate component and / or may be wholly or partially physically integrated into at least one of the controller nodes 162. In general, one or more of the sensor device controllers 170, device controllers 164, sensor controller nodes 172, and controller nodes 162 may be embodied as separate components and / or may be wholly or partially physically integrated into a single device, which may be located outside of the treatment room 176.

[0153] The control device 122 may further include a system clock 179. The system clock 179 may be embodied in whole or in part by software and / or hardware. The system clock may be or be provided by an element, such as a port of a component, such as a port of a processor chip and / or another type of integrated circuit. The system clock may be configured to generate or provide at least one system clock signal, often identified as a "system clock." Thus, reference to a "system clock" may include either an element or a signal, or both. The programmable logic controller 160 may be configured to communicate with the controller node 162 at predetermined time intervals defined by the system clock 179. The programmable logic controller 160 may act as the system clock 179 and / or may be configured to generate and distribute the system clock signal. The controller node 162 may be configured to communicate with the device controller 164 at predetermined time intervals defined by the system clock 179. The length of the predefined time interval may be between 0.1 milliseconds and 100 milliseconds, specifically between 1 millisecond and 10 milliseconds, and more specifically 1 millisecond. The control device may be configured to implement a real-time protocol, whereby the exchange of commands between the programmable logic controller 160 and the controller nodes 162 and between at least one of the controller nodes 162 and at least one of the device controllers 164 occurs within one predefined time interval. The cycle rate of the control device may be between 0.5 kHz and 20 kHz, specifically between 1 kHz and 8 kHz.

[0154] 4 shows a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for simulating the movement of at least a portion of a human body 116. The method for simulating the movement of at least a portion of a human body 116 comprises the following method steps: i. (designated by reference numeral 180) providing at least one test system 124 as described herein, for example, according to any one of the embodiments disclosed above and / or according to any one of the embodiments disclosed in more detail below; ii. A step of moving at least one of the flexible components 126 to at least one target configuration by using a programmable logic controller 122 (denoted by reference numeral 182), wherein at least one of the controller nodes 162 executes the target configuration by providing a command to at least one of the device controllers 164, and the device controller 162 provides at least one command corresponding to the target configuration to at least one of the actuators 140 assigned to the flexible component 126.

[0155] At least step ii. may be computer-controlled. Furthermore, one or more of the method steps may be performed once or repeatedly. The method may include additional method steps not listed.

[0156] 5 shows a flow chart of an embodiment of a method for testing a radiation therapy system 110. The method for testing a radiation therapy system 110 includes the following method steps: I. Providing at least one test system 124 according to any one of the embodiments disclosed above referring to the test system 124 (designated by reference numeral 184); II. (Indicated by reference numeral 186) placing the phantom 118 of the test system 124 in at least one treatment position of the system for radiation therapy; III. Imaging at least a portion of the phantom 118 by using the imaging device 112 of the radiation therapy system 110 (denoted by reference numeral 188); IV. (Indicated by reference numeral 190) Simulating a movement of at least a portion 116 of a human body by using the method according to any one of the above-disclosed embodiments referring to the method of simulating a movement of at least a portion 116 of a human body; V. (designated by reference numeral 192) evaluating the system response of the radiation therapy system 110 to the simulated motion.

[0157] The method steps may be performed in a given order. However, it should be noted that different orders are possible. Furthermore, one or more of the method steps may be performed once or repeatedly. Furthermore, two or more of the method steps may be performed simultaneously or in an overlapping manner. The method may include additional method steps not listed.

[0158] Evaluating the system response in step V may include evaluating whether controlling the illumination according to at least one item of information about the spatial configuration of the body part 116 includes recognizing a reconstruction by the simulated movement in step IV. Evaluating the system response in step V may further include adjusting the illumination according to the recognized reconstruction, specifically by at least one of adjusting the spatial configuration of the illumination, adjusting the orientation of the illumination, and adjusting the shape of the illumination. The illumination may be paused during the adjustment. The method may further include providing information about the evaluation in step V, specifically by providing an evaluation report. At least steps III to V may be computer-controlled. [Explanation of symbols]

[0159] 110 Radiation Therapy Systems 112 Imaging Device 114 Radiation Systems 116 Body Parts 118 Anthropomorphic Phantom 120 beds 122 Control Devices 124 Test system for testing radiation therapy systems 126 Flexible Components 128 Artificial bladder 130 Artificial intestine 132 Artificial rectum 134 Artificial Prostate 136 Cavity 138 Receptor 140 Actuator 142 Electromechanical Actuators 144 Piezoelectric Actuator 146 Hydraulic Actuator 148 Pneumatic Actuator 150 Linear Actuator 154 Membrane 156 Synthetic Membranes 158 Synthetic diaphragm 160 Programmable Logic Controller 162 controller nodes 164 Device Controller 166 Real-time Bus Interface 168 Sensor Devices 170 Sensor Device Controller 172 Sensor Controller Node 174 Radiation Shield 176 Treatment Room 178 Magnetic Resonance Environment 179 System Clock 180 Method Step i 182 Method Step II 184 Method Step I 186 Method Step II 188 Method Step III 190 Method Step IV 192 Method Step V

Claims

1. A test system (124) for testing a system (110) for radiation therapy, said test system (124) comprising: A. At least one anthropomorphic phantom (118) for simulating the movement of at least a portion of a human body (116), said at least one anthropomorphic phantom (118) comprising: a plurality of flexible components (126), each flexible component (126) simulating at least a portion of a human organ; an at least partially flexible receiver (138) for receiving said plurality of flexible components (126); and at least one anthropomorphic phantom comprising a plurality of actuators configured to at least one of deform and move the plurality of flexible components within the receptacle; B. A control device (122) for controlling said at least one anthropomorphic phantom (118), comprising: a programmable logic controller (160); a plurality of controller nodes (162); a plurality of device controllers (164) configured to control the plurality of actuators (140); and a control device (122) comprising at least one real-time bus interface (166) connecting the plurality of controller nodes (162) to the programmable logic controller (160) and the plurality of device controllers (164); The test system (124), wherein the programmable logic controller (160) is configured to act as a master device for the plurality of controller nodes (162), and the plurality of controller nodes (162) are configured to act as master devices for the plurality of device controllers (164).

2. 2. The test system (124) of claim 1, wherein the at least one anthropomorphic phantom (118) further comprises at least one sensor device (168), the control device (122) is further configured to receive sensor data from the at least one sensor device (168), and the at least one sensor device (168) is configured to determine at least one item of status information of at least one of the plurality of flexible components (126).

3. 3. The test system (124) of claim 2, wherein the items of status information include at least one item selected from the group consisting of a position of the flexible component (126), an orientation of the flexible component (126), a deformation of the flexible component (126), an acceleration of the flexible component (126), a pressure of the flexible component (126), a flow throughput of liquid through the flexible component (126), and a fill level of the flexible component (126).

4. The test system (124) of claim 2 or 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of device controllers (164) is further configured to control the at least one sensor device (168).

5. 5. The test system of claim 2, wherein the control device further comprises at least one sensor device controller configured to control the at least one sensor device, the control device further comprises at least one sensor controller node, the programmable logic controller is further configured to act as a master device for the at least one sensor controller node, the at least one sensor controller node is configured to act as a master device for the at least one sensor device controller, and the at least one real-time bus interface connects the at least one sensor controller node to the programmable logic controller and the at least one sensor device controller.

6. 6. The test system (124) of claim 1, wherein the programmable logic controller (160) is configured to move at least one of the plurality of flexible components (126) to at least one target configuration, at least one of the plurality of controller nodes (162) is configured to execute the target configuration by providing commands to at least one of the plurality of device controllers (164), and the device controller (164) is configured to provide at least one command corresponding to the at least one target configuration to at least one of the plurality of actuators (140) assigned to the flexible component (126).

7. 7. The test system (124) of claim 6, wherein the target configuration is a dynamic target configuration, and the programmable logic controller (160) is configured to generate the dynamic target configuration by using at least one algorithm that determines the evolution of the at least one target configuration of the flexible component (126) over time.

8. 8. The test system (124) of claim 7, wherein the algorithm that determines the evolution of the target configuration over time is configured to simulate the behavior of each flexible component (126).

9. The test system (124) of any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the control device (122) comprises at least one sensor-based feedback loop for controlling movement of the flexible component (126) to the target configuration.

10. 10. The test system (124) of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the plurality of actuators (140) are selected from the group consisting of electromechanical actuators (142), piezoelectric actuators (144), hydraulic actuators (146), and pneumatic actuators (148).

11. 11. The test system (124) of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of flexible components (126) comprises at least one flexible sidewall and an internal cavity at least partially surrounded by the at least one flexible sidewall, and at least one of the plurality of actuators (140) is assigned to the flexible component (126) and configured to control filling of the internal cavity with at least one fluid material.

12. 12. The test system of claim 1, wherein the control device further comprises a system clock, the programmable logic controller is configured to communicate with the plurality of controller nodes, the plurality of controller nodes are configured to communicate with the plurality of device controllers at predetermined time intervals determined by the system clock, the control device is configured to execute a real-time protocol, and exchange of commands between the programmable logic controller and the plurality of controller nodes, and exchange of commands between at least one of the plurality of controller nodes and at least one of the plurality of device controllers, occurs within one predetermined time interval.

13. 1. A method of simulating a movement of at least a portion (116) of a human body, the method comprising: i. Providing at least one test system (124) according to any one of claims 1 to 12; ii. moving at least one of the flexible components (126) to at least one target configuration by using a programmable logic controller (160), wherein at least one of the controller nodes (162) implements the at least one target configuration by providing commands to at least one of the device controllers (164), and the device controller (164) provides at least one command corresponding to the at least one target configuration to at least one of the actuators (140) assigned to the flexible component (126).

14. 1. A method for testing a system (110) for radiation therapy, said system (110) comprising at least one imaging device (112) for imaging at least a part of a human body and at least one radiation system (114) for irradiating said part of a human body with ionizing radiation, said system (110) being configured to control irradiation according to at least one item of information relating to the spatial configuration of said part of a human body (116), said method comprising: I. Test System (124) Providing at least one test system (124) according to any one of claims 1 to 12; II. Placing the phantom (118) of the test system (124) in at least one treatment position of the system (110) for radiation therapy; III. Imaging at least a portion of the phantom (118) by using the at least one imaging device (112) of the system (110) for radiation therapy; IV. Simulating the movement of at least a portion of a human body (116) by using the method of claim 13; V. evaluating a system response of said system for radiation therapy (110) to the simulated motion.

15. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein evaluating the system response in step V includes evaluating whether controlling illumination according to at least one item of information about the spatial configuration of the body part (116) includes recognizing a reconstruction due to the simulated motion in step IV, and further comprising adjusting illumination according to the recognized reconstruction.

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