Irradiation Control Data Generation via Patient Movement Modeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radiotherapy is hindered by patient movement during and between treatment sessions, leading to inaccurate dosing and damage to healthy tissues, particularly in regions like the abdomen and thorax, due to challenges in compensating for respiratory and other movements.
Innovation Solution
A method generating control data for irradiation apparatuses using a patient movement model derived from imaging scans, such as MRI, which accounts for respiratory signals and organ movements, allowing for real-time adaptation and precise irradiation by predicting and compensating for patient movement during and between sessions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is used to improve irradiation precision, then manufacturing precision is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to patient movement during treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary imaging (MRI/CT scans) and movement modeling before treatment to predict patient movement patterns. This advance preparation allows the irradiation plan to be pre-adjusted for anticipated movements, maintaining both precision and reliability during actual treatment delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors patient position and movement during treatment using imaging systems and sensors. This real-time feedback enables dynamic adjustment of the irradiation beam to compensate for patient movement, ensuring the target receives the correct dose despite positional changes.
2Reliability
If real-time movement monitoring is implemented to improve treatment reliability, then device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multi-functional imaging equipment (MRI/CT scanners) that serves both diagnostic planning and treatment monitoring purposes. This eliminates the need for separate dedicated monitoring devices, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining treatment reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the patient's own anatomical structures and natural contrast (e.g., respiratory motion) as markers for tracking movement, rather than requiring external fiducial markers or complex tracking devices. This self-service approach simplifies the monitoring system while improving reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for generating control data for an irradiation apparatus for a patient by an electronic computing facility of the irradiation apparatus is provided. A movement model of the patient for irradiation in the irradiation apparatus is provided. Control data for the irradiation of the patient is generated in dependence on at least one item of patient information and in dependence on the movement model.