Radiation Therapy Controller Phase Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
The accuracy of tracking a diseased portion in a living body during radiation therapy is compromised due to low resolution in radiation projection images, making it difficult to identify the position of the diseased portion, especially when it varies due to factors like respiration.
Innovation Solution
A radiation therapy device controller that selects CT image data for various body motion phases, generates reconstructed images, and compares them with radiation projection images to determine the current body motion phase, thereby accurately identifying the position of the diseased portion by minimizing luminance differences between images at specific rotation angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If radiation projection images are used to identify diseased portion position, then the identification process is simple, but the resolution is low and identification accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines radiation projection images with CT image data to create a composite imaging approach. The radiation projection image provides operational simplicity while CT image data provides high-resolution anatomical detail, merging both advantages to achieve accurate diseased portion identification without sacrificing ease of use
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a body motion phase determination mechanism as an intermediary that bridges the radiation projection image and the final position identification. By determining the current body motion phase and selecting corresponding high-resolution CT image data, the system mediates between the low-resolution projection image and the need for precise position identification
2Measurement precision
If CT image data is used to improve resolution, then identification accuracy improves, but processing complexity increases due to multiple body motion phases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the CT image data into multiple body motion phases, allowing the system to process and compare images from different respiratory phases. This segmentation enables the determination of the current body motion phase and selection of the most appropriate high-resolution image data for accurate diseased portion identification
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of body motion phase to optimize image selection. By determining the current body motion phase and selecting CT image data corresponding to that phase, the system adapts the processing parameters to match the patient's current physiological state, improving identification accuracy while managing processing complexity through phase-specific optimization
3Measurement precision
If the current body motion phase is determined by comparing multiple reconstructed images, then identification accuracy improves, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-processing CT image data into multiple body motion phases before the actual treatment begins. This preliminary segmentation and organization of image data by body motion phase allows for rapid comparison and determination during treatment, reducing real-time processing time while maintaining high determination accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
This radiation therapy device controller selects, for a plurality of body motion phases, computed tomography image data obtained which shows a diseased portion, and generates, for each rotation angles of a ray source and a sensor array, a reconstructed image. The control device generates a radiation projection image which shows the diseased portion when the radiation is radiated if the rotation angle is a predetermined rotation angle, compares the reconstructed image of each of the plurality of body motion phases with the radiation projection image, and determines a body motion phase indicated by a reconstructed image in which a difference is small, to be a current respiratory phase. As a result, a position of the diseased portion calculated for the computed tomography image data in the computed tomography image data group of the respiratory phase in advance is identified to be a current position of the diseased portion.