Optical Tracking Registration for Proton Therapy Voxel Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional proton therapy systems face challenges with positional uncertainties due to inaccurate x-ray imaging for treatment planning, patient setup variations, and anatomical changes during treatment, leading to increased treatment volumes and operational costs.
Innovation Solution
The integration of proton radiography (pRad) and proton computed tomography (pCT) with optical tracking systems to register particle detector systems, allowing for precise measurement and registration of proton trajectories into a voxel space for improved imaging and treatment planning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional x-ray imaging is used for treatment planning, then treatment planning can be performed, but positional uncertainties and inaccurate tissue stopping power mapping occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an optical tracking system as an intermediary between the patient positioning system and the proton beam delivery system. This system uses reflective markers and cameras to track patient position and orientation in real-time, providing accurate spatial information that mediates between the mechanical positioning system and the proton beam control, thereby resolving the contradiction between treatment planning capability and positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the conventional x-ray imaging-based positioning system with an optical tracking system. Instead of relying on x-ray attenuation measurements for position determination, the system uses optical detection of reflective markers to directly measure patient position and orientation, substituting a mechanical/imaging system with an optical system that provides superior measurement precision for proton beam positioning
2Reliability
If uncertainty margins are added to mitigate positional uncertainties, then safety is improved, but treatment volume and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements real-time feedback through the optical tracking system that continuously monitors patient position and orientation during treatment. This feedback is used to dynamically adjust the proton beam positioning, allowing the system to maintain treatment safety without requiring fixed uncertainty margins that would expand the treatment volume. The feedback loop enables adaptive positioning that reduces the need for conservative margin additions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from static uncertainty margin-based safety planning to dynamic real-time position correction. The optical tracking system enables continuous adjustment of beam positioning during treatment, making the safety mechanism dynamic rather than static. This allows the treatment volume to be minimized while maintaining safety through active position management rather than passive margin expansion
3Measurement precision
If optical tracking system is integrated with particle detector system, then measurement precision and registration accuracy improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a unified coordinate system framework that serves multiple functions: it coordinates the optical tracking system, the particle detector system, and the treatment planning system. This universal coordinate framework allows a single integration approach to handle multiple subsystems, reducing the overall complexity that would otherwise arise from separate integration procedures for each system pair
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses reflective markers as optical copies or representations of the physical positioning references. These markers create easily detectable optical signals that can be tracked by the camera system, providing a simplified interface between the physical world and the optical measurement system. This copying approach simplifies the integration complexity by creating a standardized, easily measurable interface
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 reduces range uncertainties in proton therapy, enhances the accuracy and efficiency of treatment planning, and improves the quality of life for patients by minimizing side effects and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
an optical tracking system that utilizes a plurality of cameras to define a camera coordinate system and to track a position of a marker
Data Source
AI summary
A novel method and a related system are configured to place measured trajectories into a voxel space, which moves with respect to a particle detector system. The trajectories are measured in a detector reference frame. The voxel space, typically fixed with respect to the object being imaged, is tracked optically with markers and a camera system. A decipherable correlation is established between a set of markers and a set of detector elements. This correlation provides coordinate transformation definitions to place the trajectories into the voxel space in medical imaging, treatment planning, and/or therapeutic applications. The novel method provides a clever process to register an optical tracking system with a particle detector system, which improves quality assurance, accuracy, speed, and operating cost efficiencies of ion, particle, and/or radiation-based imaging, treatment planning, or therapies. This novel method may be utilized in proton imaging, helium imaging, other ion-based imaging, or x-ray imaging.