Real-Time Radiation Delivery Graphics for Plan Adherence
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiotherapy systems lack effective methods for accurately monitoring radiation delivery during treatment sessions, making it difficult for operators to ensure adherence to treatment plans and detect deviations in real-time.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for generating graphical representations of radiation delivery in real-time, allowing operators to monitor and adjust radiation delivery based on planned metrics, using sensors and a controller to compare actual delivery with planned parameters and provide visual indicators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If operators review system log files to monitor radiation delivery, then they can confirm hardware operation according to treatment plan, but the process is cumbersome and does not provide accurate real-time indication of radiation delivery progress
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors actual radiation delivery parameters (fluence, dose, position) and compares them against treatment plan specifications in real-time, providing immediate feedback to operators through graphical displays and alerts when deviations occur
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual review of text-based log files with an automated graphical user interface that visually presents radiation delivery progress, substituting mechanical data processing with automated computational analysis and visual representation
2Reliability
If the radiotherapy system continuously collects and processes radiation data for real-time monitoring, then accurate monitoring of radiation delivery is achieved, but system complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system is divided into separate functional modules: data collection from sensors, data processing and comparison with treatment plan, graphical representation generation, and operator alert systems, making each component independent and easier to manage
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary graphical user interface layer between the complex underlying radiation delivery system and the operator, simplifying the interface to essential visual information without exposing system complexity
3Ease of operation
If graphical representations are updated frequently to provide real-time feedback, then operator awareness of delivery progress is improved, but computational resources and processing time are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The graphical representations dynamically adjust their update frequency and detail level based on treatment phase and criticality, providing continuous updates during critical delivery phases and reduced updates during stable phases to optimize computational resource usage
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are methods for monitoring the radiation delivery during a radiotherapy delivery session and providing a graphical representation of radiation delivery to an operator (e.g., a clinician, a medical physicist, a radiation therapy technologist). The graphics are updated in real-time, as radiation data is collected by the radiotherapy system, and in some variations, can be updated every 15 minutes or less. A variety of graphical representations (“graphics”) can be used to indicate the status of radiation delivery relative to the planned radiation delivery. Methods optionally include calculating a range of acceptable metric values, generating graphics that represent the range of acceptable metrics values, and generating a graphic that depicts the real-time values of those metrics overlaid with the range of acceptable metrics values.