Image-Guided Ocular Radiosurgery Targeting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for ocular disorders, such as macular degeneration and glaucoma, face challenges in precisely targeting radiation to specific eye regions without damaging critical structures like the lens and optic nerve, and existing technologies are not optimized for ocular radiation therapy, leading to unnecessary exposure and potential harm.
Innovation Solution
The development of systems and methods for image-guided low-energy x-ray therapy that utilize radiotherapy systems to deliver targeted radiation to specific ocular regions, including the use of stereotactic radiation therapy and brachytherapy, with advanced treatment planning and positioning systems to minimize exposure to non-target areas and enhance treatment efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If radiation therapy is applied to treat ocular disorders, then treatment efficacy is improved, but exposure to critical structures like the lens and optic nerve increases causing potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The radiation field is segmented into multiple discrete beams that are individually targeted at the ocular disorder from different angles. Each beam is carefully collimated to cover only the necessary treatment area, and the combined effect of multiple segmented beams achieves the therapeutic dose at the target while minimizing exposure to any single critical structure along the beam paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The radiation dose distribution is optimized to provide high dose localization precisely at the ocular disorder site while maintaining low dose levels in surrounding healthy tissues. This is achieved through careful beam angle selection, collimation settings, and dose calculation that ensures the lens, optic nerve, and other critical structures receive minimal radiation exposure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing radiotherapy systems are used for ocular treatment, then treatment capability is provided, but precision in targeting specific eye regions is insufficient leading to unnecessary exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates real-time feedback mechanisms including imaging systems that verify beam alignment with the ocular disorder before and during treatment. Positioning feedback ensures that the radiation beams remain precisely targeted on the disorder throughout the treatment process, compensating for any patient movement or system drift, thereby maintaining high targeting precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces conventional mechanical positioning methods with image-guided positioning systems that use optical or imaging technologies to precisely locate and track the ocular disorder. This substitution of mechanical alignment with imaging-based alignment significantly improves targeting precision and reduces exposure to surrounding healthy tissues.
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
These systems enable precise delivery of radiation to treat ocular disorders, stabilizing or improving visual acuity, reducing neovascularization, and preventing scarring, while minimizing toxicity and side effects, and can be used in combination with other therapies like laser therapy for enhanced effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
image-guided low energy x-ray therapy
Implementation Method 2
radiation to specific ocular regions
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1C
AI summary
A radiosurgery system describes a therapeutic radiation delivery to a target structure in a patient. The radiosurgery system treats inflammatory ocular disorders; places ocular structures in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging; automates ocular structures inside the global coordinate system to direction of a positioning system that is directed based on ocular structures within the coordinate system; tracks and relates the position of ocular structures to the status of the radiosurgery system; determines beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided; tracks structure of an eye; holds and fixes the eye is in place; places a fiducial is on the eye to aid in positioning; positions the eye off the refelction; and combines with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments.