Radiotherapy Image Quality Evaluation for Motion Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radiotherapy techniques face challenges in accurately determining the position and motion of tumors due to inaccurate motion tracking algorithms, particularly with large deformations and through-plane motion, leading to potential unsuitable radiation doses to healthy tissue or tumors.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method for evaluating image quality in radiotherapy devices, which involves obtaining a time series of images, determining a quality factor based on metrics such as deformation, through-plane motion, and jitter, and generating instructions to adjust the radiotherapy device operation to prevent inaccurate radiation delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If motion tracking algorithms are used to determine subject position and motion, then real-time motion monitoring capability is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inaccurate outputs from algorithms
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors image quality metrics during the radiotherapy treatment and provides feedback to adjust the treatment delivery. When image quality deteriorates (e.g., large deformations or through-plane motion detected), the system triggers feedback mechanisms to pause or modify radiation delivery, ensuring that treatment is not delivered based on inaccurate motion tracking data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces reliance on algorithmic motion tracking with direct image quality assessment. Instead of trusting the output of motion tracking algorithms, the system directly evaluates image properties (deformation, through-plane motion, jitter) to determine whether accurate position information is available, substituting the mechanical/algorithmic tracking system with a direct image quality verification system.
2Productivity
If radiation delivery is based on algorithm outputs, then treatment delivery speed is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential inaccurate dose application
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of image quality before allowing radiation delivery to proceed. By evaluating image quality metrics (deformation, through-plane motion, jitter) in advance, the system determines whether the current image is suitable for guiding treatment. This preliminary check prevents unreliable algorithm outputs from triggering treatment delivery, ensuring that only accurate position information leads to radiation delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control where image quality metrics continuously monitor the treatment process and provide real-time feedback to the radiation delivery system. When image quality deteriorates beyond acceptable thresholds, the feedback mechanism pauses or modifies treatment delivery, ensuring that treatment reliability is maintained even though the system can operate at high speed when image quality is acceptable.
3Reliability
If image quality metrics are continuously monitored, then treatment safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates specific image quality metrics (deformation, through-plane motion, jitter) from the complex image data stream. By focusing monitoring on these specific, clinically-relevant parameters rather than analyzing every pixel and detail in the images, the system reduces the complexity of the evaluation process while maintaining comprehensive safety monitoring. The complex image data is reduced to a manageable set of key metrics that directly impact treatment safety.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented image evaluation method for a radiotherapy device, a radiotherapy device and a computer-readable medium are provided. The computer-implemented image-evaluation method comprises obtaining a time series of images of a subject disposed in the radiotherapy device. The computer-implemented image-evaluation method further comprises determining a quality factor for an image of the time series of images. The computer-implemented image-evaluation method further comprises, in response to determining that the quality factor does not meet a condition, generating a computer-executable instruction for adjusting operation of the radiotherapy device.