Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty Path Avoiding Blood Vessels
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Trabeculoplasty procedures face challenges in avoiding irradiation of blood vessels and other sensitive areas to prevent adverse effects like bleeding, while ensuring effective treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension, as the sensitivity of the eye to radiation can vary among patients.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that use a controller to define a treatment path avoiding blood vessels by identifying edge points on the eye, defining target regions on this path, and continuously monitoring the eye during the procedure to adjust the treatment path in real-time if any changes or obstructions are detected, shifting or skipping target regions if necessary to minimize risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the radiation source irradiates the trabecular meshwork to treat glaucoma, then the intraocular pressure is lowered, but blood vessels may be accidentally irradiated causing bleeding
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary identification of blood vessels and defines a treatment path that avoids them before irradiation begins. The controller identifies edge points on blood vessels, defines target regions between these edge points and the reference point, and establishes a safe treatment path that does not intersect with identified blood vessels, thereby preventing bleeding before it can occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the eye during the procedure by acquiring images and processing them to identify any obstructions or changes at the target location. If a blood vessel or other obstruction is detected during the iterative process, the controller refrains from irradiating that location or adjusts the treatment path in real-time, providing feedback-based safety control.
2Ease of operation
If the treatment path is fixed in advance, then the procedure is simple to operate, but it cannot adapt to real-time changes in the eye
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a dynamic treatment approach where the controller performs an iterative process during the procedure. For each target region, the system acquires an image, calculates the location, processes the image to identify obstructions, and only then determines whether to irradiate. This dynamic adaptation allows the treatment path to be adjusted in real-time based on actual eye conditions while maintaining a structured methodology.
3Reliability
If the system continuously monitors the eye during irradiation, then the safety is improved, but the procedure time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous monitoring through an iterative process where image acquisition, location calculation, and obstruction identification are performed seamlessly for each target region. The controller efficiently cycles through multiple target regions, acquiring images and processing them in sequence without interrupting the overall treatment flow, thereby maintaining continuous safety monitoring while managing procedure time.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for targeted and safe irradiation of the eye, minimizing the risk of adverse effects while maintaining treatment efficacy by dynamically adjusting the treatment path based on real-time imaging and anatomical features.
Implementation Method 1
a radiation source and a controller. The controller is configured to designate, for irradiation, multiple target regions on an eye of a patient
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a radiation source and a controller. The controller is configured to designate, for irradiation, multiple target regions on an eye of a patient, and to perform an iterative process that includes, during each iteration of the process, acquiring an image of the eye, based on the image, calculating a location of a different respective one of the target regions, processing the image so as to identify any obstruction at the location, and provided no obstruction at the location is identified, causing the radiation source to irradiate the location. Other embodiments are also described.