Contrast-Enhanced Imaging for Real-Time Tumor Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radiation therapy faces challenges in accurately targeting small cancerous regions within healthy tissue, such as glandular breast tissue, due to similar image contrast making it difficult to discern the target position, especially when the patient undergoes movement during treatment.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize contrast-enhanced and non-contrast-enhanced images, obtained at different times, to determine the position of a target by adjusting image contrast and brightness, allowing for real-time tracking and positioning of the target during radiation therapy, reducing the need for continuous contrast agent injection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If imaging techniques are used to determine the position of a small cancerous region, then the target position can be identified, but the object is not discernable from the images when embedded in healthy tissue with similar image contrast
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the imaging parameter by using contrast-enhanced images taken at different time points. The tumor enhances differently than surrounding healthy tissue over time, allowing differentiation. By comparing temporal parameter changes in image contrast rather than spatial parameters alone, the system can identify small tumors embedded in tissue with similar baseline contrast.
2Measurement precision
If contrast-enhanced images are obtained continuously to track moving targets, then real-time positioning is achieved, but the frequency of contrast agent injections increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by acquiring contrast-enhanced images at specific time intervals after a single contrast agent injection, rather than continuously. The enhancement patterns are captured at multiple discrete time points to track tumor position and motion, reducing the need for repeated contrast agent administration while maintaining adequate tracking capability.
3Reliability
If radiation therapy is delivered to treat tumors, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but damage to surrounding healthy tissue occurs when target positioning is inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical/physical positioning methods with image-based computational positioning. Instead of relying on physical markers or mechanical alignment, the system uses contrast-enhanced imaging and image processing to determine tumor position and guide radiation delivery, enabling more precise targeting and reducing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for use in a medical procedure includes obtaining a contrast-enhanced image of a portion of a patient, the portion of the patient having an object, obtaining a non-contrast-enhanced image of the portion, wherein the contrast-enhanced image and the non-contrast-enhanced image are created at different times, and determining a position of the object using the contrast-enhanced image and the non-contrast-enhanced image. A method for use in a medical procedure includes obtaining a contrast-enhanced image of a portion of a patient, the portion of the patient having an object, obtaining a non-contrast-enhanced image of the portion, and determining a position of the object using the contrast-enhanced image and the non-contrast-enhanced image, wherein the act of determining the position is performed is substantially real time.