Radiation Therapy Device EPID Positional Error Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radiation therapy devices face challenges in accurately maintaining the position of electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs), leading to positional errors that affect diagnosis and treatment accuracy, increasing treatment time and costs.
Innovation Solution
A radiation therapy device equipped with a frame attachment guide, a reference image acquisition frame, and a positional error correcting unit, utilizing an electronic portal imaging device (EPID) to capture reference and analysis-target images, allowing for the calculation and correction of positional errors by moving the gantry, radiation head, or image acquisition unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the image acquisition unit (EPID) position is not precisely maintained, then the device structure becomes simpler and operation easier, but diagnosis and treatment accuracy decrease while treatment time increases
Solution Approach 1:
A laser distance meter is introduced as an intermediary measurement tool to non-contactively measure the distance between the EPID and the patient's skin surface. This intermediary device enables precise position monitoring without requiring complex mechanical position control systems, thus improving measurement precision while avoiding excessive device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical position control systems with an optical measurement system (laser distance meter). Instead of using mechanical mechanisms to maintain EPID position, the system uses laser-based distance measurement to monitor and calculate actual position, substituting mechanical control with optical sensing and computational correction
2Reliability
If conventional quality control methods using radiation films are used, then the quality control process is established, but costs increase and treatment time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the radiation field geometry by measuring distances with a laser distance meter and calculating spatial relationships through software. Instead of using physical radiation films to verify quality, the system creates a digital model of the treatment geometry and compares it with the treatment plan, achieving the same quality control purpose without the time and cost overhead of physical films
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the physical chemistry-based radiation film detection method with an optical measurement and computational analysis system. The laser distance meter and software-based geometric verification replace the need for radiation-sensitive films, eliminating the time required for film processing while maintaining quality control reliability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables precise quality control, reduces the need for radiation films, saves costs, and automates the quality control process, improving accuracy and reducing time and manpower required for quality assurance.
Implementation Method 1
Radiation therapy device equipped with an electronic portal imaging device (EPID) to capture reference and analysis-target images
Data Source
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AI summary
An embodiment of the present invention provides a radiation therapy device including: a main body; a gantry coupled to a side of the main part and rotatable relative to the main part in at least one direction; a radiation head provided on a side of the gantry to emit radiation; an image acquisition unit facing the radiation head to detect radiation emitted from the radiation head and obtain images by converting the detected radiation into electric signals; and a reference image acquisition frame provided on a side of the radiation head and including a plurality of markers formed thereon.