Radiotherapy Feedback System for Patient Position Correction

Solution Overview

Problem

Current radiotherapy methods lack patient feedback during treatment, leading to uncertainty and potential misalignment, as patients receive no real-time position information, resulting in inaccurate immobilization and frequent treatment interruptions due to movement.

Innovation Solution

A radiotherapy apparatus with a position detector, comparator, and feedback system that provides visual, audible, or haptic feedback to patients, allowing them to actively correct their position relative to the radiation focal point, thereby maintaining alignment and reducing the need for treatment suspension.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If passive immobilization is used without feedback, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision (patient position accuracy) deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefeedback system complexityVSAvoidpatient position accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback system that provides real-time position information to the patient during radiotherapy treatment. The system includes a position detection system that continuously monitors patient position and a feedback interface (visual, auditory, or haptic) that communicates position deviation to the patient, enabling active position correction without complex active control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Manufacturing precision

If real-time position feedback is provided to the patient, then the manufacturing precision (patient position accuracy) is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient position accuracyVSAvoidfeedback system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback system that provides real-time position information to the patient during radiotherapy treatment. The system includes a position detection system that continuously monitors patient position and a feedback interface (visual, auditory, or haptic) that communicates position deviation to the patient, enabling active position correction without complex active control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the treatment is paused or aborted when patient movement is detected, then the reliability is improved, but the productivity deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment accuracyVSAvoidtreatment continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The feedback system enables patients to actively correct position deviations in real-time, preventing significant misalignment before it occurs. This reduces the frequency of treatment interruptions compared to passive monitoring where treatment is paused upon detection of movement, thereby maintaining both reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patient is empowered to self-correct position deviations using the feedback information provided during treatment. Instead of requiring intervention to pause or abort treatment, the patient actively maintains proper positioning through real-time awareness of their position relative to the treatment field.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS9643028B2Radiotherapy apparatus

Publication Date: 2017.05.09 ELEKTA AB

AI summary

A radiotherapy apparatus includes a source of radiation, a patient support for locating a patient in the field of the source of radiation, a position detector for determining a position of a patient relative to the radiotherapy apparatus, a comparator for comparing the output of the position detector with a predetermined position, and a feedback system for informing the patient of the output of the comparator.