Dose Calculation via Intermediate 4D CT Images
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radiation treatment planning methods using 3D or 4D CT images struggle to accurately account for internal organ movement during cancer treatment, leading to dose differences and increased exposure, and are time-consuming and complex.
Innovation Solution
A dose calculation method that generates intermediate images between sequentially acquired 4D CT images using deformable vector fields and breathing function data, allowing for dose recalculation relative to a reference image without additional imaging, employing deterministic or stochastic simulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If more diagnostic images are acquired to reflect internal organ movement, then movement reflection accuracy is improved, but patient exposure dose increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces deformable vector fields as an intermediary to represent organ movement between sequentially acquired 4D CT images. Instead of acquiring additional images to capture movement, the system uses computational vector fields to model and interpolate movement patterns, thereby maintaining measurement precision while avoiding additional patient exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent generates intermediate images that copy and represent the organ's position at unacquired time points by applying deformable vector fields to existing diagnostic images. This computational copying approach allows the system to reflect internal organ movement accurately without physically acquiring additional images that would increase patient exposure.
2Measurement precision
If separate dose calculation processes are performed for each diagnostic image, then dose calculation accuracy is improved, but treatment planning time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate dose calculation processes into a unified approach. By generating intermediate images through deformable vector fields and performing dose calculations on these intermediate images along with the original diagnostic images, the system maintains dose calculation accuracy while reducing the total number of separate calculation processes and associated matching operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal dose calculation framework that handles both original diagnostic images and intermediate generated images through a single simulation process. This multi-functional approach allows the same dose calculation algorithm to process different types of images consistently, simplifying the overall process and reducing planning time while maintaining accuracy.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are a dose calculation method, a dose calculation device, and a computer-readable storage medium. The dose calculation method comprises: generating an intermediate image between a plurality of sequentially acquired diagnostic images; and calculating doses through a simulation using the diagnostic images and the intermediate image.