Parametric Response Map for Early Cancer Treatment Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating cancer lack effective means to promptly assess the efficacy of therapies, leading to potential systemic toxicity and high costs due to the inability to accurately and early evaluate treatment effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
The development of systems and methods utilizing a parametric response map approach that employs imaging devices, signal processing software, and display components to monitor tissue regions over time, providing a qualitative and quantitative analysis of hemodynamic alterations following medical interventions, allowing for early assessment of treatment effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If traditional imaging methods are used to assess treatment effectiveness, then the assessment can be performed with existing technology, but the assessment occurs too late to prevent systemic toxicity and additional treatment costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing imaging assessments at multiple early time points (e.g., 15-60 minutes, 1-24 hours) after chemotherapy administration, before toxic effects manifest systemically. This early detection allows clinicians to intervene before harm occurs, transforming the late assessment problem into an early warning system that prevents toxicity rather than merely detecting it afterward
2Loss of time
If early imaging assessments are performed to detect treatment response, then treatment effectiveness can be evaluated sooner, but the measurement precision and reliability of early changes are insufficient with traditional methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by measuring multiple dynamic parameters (blood flow, blood volume, permeability, area under curve) rather than a single static parameter. This multi-parameter approach captures the complex physiological changes occurring early in treatment response, providing sufficient measurement precision even at early time points when changes are subtle and difficult to detect with traditional single-parameter methods
3Reliability
If multiple imaging time points are collected to improve assessment accuracy, then treatment response prediction improves, but the device complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by using a single imaging platform (MRI, CT, or nuclear medicine) to perform multiple functions: anatomical imaging, blood flow measurement, blood volume measurement, and permeability assessment. This multi-functional approach allows comprehensive treatment response evaluation at early time points without requiring multiple different devices or complex integrated systems, thereby improving reliability while controlling device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides systems and methods for monitoring tissue regions. In particular, the present invention provides systems and methods for detecting changes in tissue regions over a period of time. In some embodiments, the systems and methods of the present invention are used to evaluate the effectiveness of a particular treatment of a tissue region. In some embodiments, the systems and methods of the present invention provide a parametric response map approach for detecting and analyzing changes in tissue regions over a period of time to detect and monitor disease or tissue health and to monitor the impact of therapeutic interventions.