Light Emitting Markers for Tumor Tracking in Radiation Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radiation therapy faces challenges in accurately targeting tumors due to normal physiological movement, such as respiration, which can cause tumors to move during treatment, leading to inadequate irradiation of the tumor and unnecessary exposure of healthy tissue.
Innovation Solution
A marker system comprising light-emitting markers and a camera with filters to reduce ambient light, allowing for precise detection of the markers' light and determining the patient's physiological state, such as breathing amplitude or phase, to synchronize radiation delivery with the patient's movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the radiation beam size is expanded to account for tumor movement, then the tumor can be fully irradiated, but healthy tissue receives unnecessary radiation exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic radiation beam adjustment by continuously monitoring tumor position through optical markers and real-time image processing. The beam parameters (position, size, shape) are dynamically modified during treatment to track and adapt to tumor movement, allowing precise irradiation without requiring expanded margins that would expose healthy tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs optical markers on the tumor and real-time imaging to continuously monitor tumor position and provide feedback to the radiation delivery system. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the radiation beam to be adjusted in response to actual tumor movement, ensuring complete tumor coverage while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If physiological gating is used to synchronize radiation with patient movement, then healthy tissue exposure is reduced, but the complexity of the treatment system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces optical markers as intermediaries that can be placed on or near the tumor to serve as reference points for position monitoring. These markers reflect or emit light that is detected by the imaging system, providing a simplified and direct way to track tumor position without requiring complex physiological sensors or gating mechanisms, thus reducing overall system complexity.
3Device complexity
If conventional markers are used for position detection, then the system is simpler, but the measurement precision of physiological state is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs optical markers with specific wavelength characteristics (e.g., infrared or visible light emitters) that can be detected with high precision by the imaging system. By using markers that emit or reflect light at specific wavelengths, the system achieves high measurement precision for physiological state detection while maintaining relative simplicity in the marker design and implementation.
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 system enables more accurate and targeted radiation therapy by allowing for real-time tracking and synchronization with the patient's physiological state, reducing exposure to healthy tissue and ensuring complete irradiation of the tumor.
Implementation Method 1
The one or more light sources comprise one LED at a LED unit
Implementation Method 2
a first fiber optic configured to transmit light from the one or more light sources to the first marker
Implementation Method 3
a camera with filters to reduce ambient light, allowing for precise detection of the markers' light
Data Source
AI summary
A marker system includes: a first marker; and a second marker; wherein the first marker and the second marker are configured to emit light from one or more light sources coupled to the first marker and the second marker; and wherein the first marker and the second marker are configured to emit the light for detection by a camera. A method performed using a marker system includes: generating light using one or more light sources; emitting the light at a plurality of markers that are coupled to the light sources; and detecting the light emitted from the plurality of markers using a camera; wherein the act of detecting comprises using one or more filters to reduce ambient light to a level that corresponds with a noise level of the camera while allowing light emitted from the markers to be imaged by the camera.