Catheter Positioning Assistance Device for Focal Radiation Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current focal radiation therapy techniques face challenges in accurately positioning catheters without a pre-defined plan, especially in grid-less and freehand procedures, leading to potential misplacements and suboptimal dose distribution.
Innovation Solution
A positioning assistance device that iteratively optimizes catheter placement and dwelling times using a composite constraint function, combining linear constraints to guide catheter insertion and adaptation in real-time, enabling efficient and accurate positioning without an initial plan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If grid-less and freehand catheter insertion techniques are used, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements real-time feedback by continuously monitoring catheter position during freehand insertion and providing immediate guidance to the operator. The positioning assistance device receives live position data, compares it with the optimal trajectory, and delivers feedback signals to guide the operator toward correct positioning, thereby maintaining operational flexibility while improving positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning assistance device acts as an intermediary between the operator and the catheter insertion process. It processes position data, calculates optimal trajectories, and provides guidance information that mediates the interaction between the operator's freehand movements and the required precision, enabling accurate positioning without rigid constraints.
2Manufacturing precision
If real-time optimization of catheter placement is performed, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optimization system is segmented into distinct functional modules: a position data acquisition module, a trajectory calculation module, and a guidance provision module. Each module performs a specific function, making the overall complex system manageable and maintainable while delivering real-time optimization capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculations of optimal catheter trajectories before actual insertion occurs. By pre-computing the ideal path and positioning requirements based on the target volume and insertion point, the system reduces the complexity of real-time decision-making during the procedure.
3Manufacturing precision
If iterative optimization of dwelling times is performed, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dwelling time optimization is performed iteratively in periodic cycles rather than continuously. The system updates dwelling times at discrete intervals based on current catheter positions and dose distribution assessments, balancing the need for precision with the constraint of treatment time.
Solution Approach 2:
The optimization system is dynamic and adaptive, adjusting the intensity and frequency of iterative optimization based on the procedural context. When catheter positions are stable, more iterations may be performed; when positions are changing frequently, the system reduces iterations to save time, maintaining an optimal balance between precision and efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An efficient direct parameter optimization (DPO) approach is provided, in which a dosimetry gradient-based iterative greedy technique is applied to determine positioning assistance information for catheter insertion in focal radiation therapy, by toggling between optimization of candidate catheter positions and candidate radiation source dwelling times. In the specific case of free hand delivered catheters, the insertion point may be directly selected by the human expert. Using monitoring of the catheter position by additional imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging or ultrasound imaging, the method enables real-time orientation guidance and adaptive dose correction in the course of treatment delivery.