Radiotherapy Contouring Processor with Reference Database Validation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current radiotherapy device configuration is prone to errors due to manual entry of contour data without external validation, leading to potential over- or under-irradiation of healthy or malignant tissue, and lacks automated tools for accurately determining tumor volumes.

Innovation Solution

A contouring processor that accesses a database using a generated key to identify reference contour data for target volumes, generating control commands for configuring radiotherapy devices, including beam guidance and dose calculations, with features like volume percentile calculation and warning systems for contour verification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual entry of contour data is used without external validation, then the configuration process is simple, but errors in contour data lead to over- or under-irradiation of tissue

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of contour dataVSAvoidcomplexity of configuration process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides automated feedback by comparing manually entered contour data with reference contour data from the database. The contouring processor retrieves reference data based on patient attributes and tumor characteristics, then validates the entered contour data against these references, highlighting discrepancies and guiding corrections to ensure accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Reference contour data is pre-stored in the database for various tumor types and patient conditions. Before the actual contouring process, the system prepares and makes available relevant reference data based on the patient's specific attributes, so that validation can occur during the configuration process rather than requiring complex post-processing checks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If manual contouring is performed without reference data, then the process is quick, but the precision of tumor volume definition is low

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of tumor volume definitionVSAvoidtime for configuration process

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates and stores reference contour data copies from previously validated cases in the database. These reference contours serve as templates that can be quickly retrieved and applied to similar cases, providing precise tumor volume definitions without requiring de novo manual contouring for each patient.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The contouring system performs automated validation and comparison operations without requiring manual intervention for each check. The contouring processor automatically retrieves reference data, compares it with entered contour data, and provides guidance, allowing the system to serve itself in validating accuracy while minimizing the time burden on users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If contour data is entered locally without matching external data sources, then the process is straightforward, but errors are not detected

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerror detection capabilityVSAvoidlevel of automated validation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The contouring processor acts as an intermediary between the user-entered contour data and the reference database. It automatically retrieves and compares contour data with stored reference data, serving as a mediation layer that validates accuracy without requiring direct manual comparison by the user, thus enabling error detection while maintaining ease of use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Measurement precision

If extensive validation and reference matching are performed, then accuracy is improved, but the configuration time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of contour validationVSAvoidspeed of device configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Reference contour data is pre-organized and stored in the database according to patient attributes and tumor characteristics. The system performs preliminary matching based on these attributes to quickly retrieve relevant reference data, avoiding the need to search through entire databases during the configuration process, thus maintaining both accuracy and speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10384079B2Method and computer using contour determination for configuring a radiotherapy apparatus

Publication Date: 2019.08.20 SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG

AI summary

A contouring processor transmits contour data to a radiotherapy device, and uses a key generated by a key generator, which identifies a target volume to be irradiated. The contouring processor is designed to access a contour database in order to acquire reference contour data in reference images relating to the target volume for determining the contour data. The contouring processor has a calculation processor designed to calculate volume percentiles from the acquired reference contour data and to emit them on a user interface to determine the contour data.