Eye Alignment Tracking for Low-Energy X-Ray Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current eye treatment procedures face challenges in accurately aligning and stabilizing the patient's eye during low-energy X-ray therapy for conditions like macular degeneration, leading to potential misalignment and uneven radiation distribution, which can result in inadequate treatment or damage to collateral structures.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that involve aligning the patient's eye with a known system axis, measuring the eye's axial length, determining the coordinates of the lesion and radiation-sensitive structures, and tracking the eye's position to deliver a collimated radiation beam precisely, ensuring the lesion receives the desired radiation dose while minimizing exposure to sensitive structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the patient's eye is manually positioned and aligned during low-energy X-ray therapy, then the treatment can be performed with simple equipment and procedures, but the alignment accuracy is insufficient leading to uneven radiation distribution and potential damage to collateral structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning with an automated optical tracking system. The system uses imaging devices to capture eye position, processes the images to determine alignment status, and provides real-time feedback to the operator. This substitution of mechanical manual alignment with optical-digital feedback systems resolves the contradiction by achieving high alignment accuracy without requiring complex mechanical positioning mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the imaging device continuously monitors eye position during treatment, the processor analyzes the images to determine alignment status, and the system provides real-time feedback to the operator. This closed-loop feedback system enables high alignment accuracy while keeping the overall system architecture relatively simple, as the feedback is provided through software processing rather than complex mechanical adjustments.
2Reliability
If the eye position is not tracked during radiation delivery, then the treatment procedure is simple and fast, but the radiation distribution becomes uneven and may miss the lesion or damage surrounding healthy tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by capturing images of the eye at the beginning of treatment and establishing a reference alignment status before radiation delivery begins. This preliminary imaging and alignment verification ensures that the treatment starts from a known accurate position, improving reliability without requiring continuous time-consuming adjustments during the actual radiation delivery phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements real-time feedback by continuously monitoring eye position during radiation delivery through sequential imaging. The system compares current eye position against the reference alignment status and provides feedback to maintain accurate positioning throughout treatment. This real-time feedback ensures high radiation delivery accuracy while minimizing treatment time through automated monitoring rather than manual intervention.
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 approach enhances the accuracy and effectiveness of low-energy X-ray therapy by maintaining precise eye alignment, optimizing radiation distribution, and reducing the risk of collateral damage, thereby improving treatment outcomes for conditions like macular degeneration.
Implementation Method 1
an imaging device for capturing an image of the eye... processing the image in a computer processor so as to determine the position of the eye and the lesion
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments provide method and systems for determining alignment of a patient's body part, such as an eye, in an external coordinate system of a treatment or diagnostic device, such as a radiotherapy device, so as to define a reference axis for guiding device operation. Additional embodiments provide image-based methods and systems for aligning, tracking and monitoring motion of a body part and a treatment target in relation to a radiation beam axis. Particular ophthalmic embodiments provide method and systems including an eye-contact guide device and imaging system for aligning and tracking motion of an eye and ocular treatment target in relation to an orthovoltage X-ray beam axis, so as to monitor application of radiation to a lesion, such as a macular lesion of the retina. Particular methods for controlling radiation in response to motion of the target during treatment are described, such as algorithms for gating or interrupting radiation emission, both to ensure treatment goals and to avoid exposure to sensitive structures.