Workflow GUI for Radiotherapy Patient Setup

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional radiation therapy systems are complex and inefficient, requiring extensive training to operate effectively. The current graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are static, difficult to understand, and display all necessary data at once, leading to inefficiencies and potential errors during patient setup and treatment.

Innovation Solution

A workflow-oriented graphical user interface is introduced, segmented into interconnected pages that display only relevant data for each stage of the radiation therapy treatment. This interface is controlled by a central server and can be navigated using a user-friendly pendant, allowing technicians to operate the radiotherapy machine without diverting attention from the patient.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If all radiotherapy data is displayed on a single screen at once, then complete information is available, but the interface becomes difficult to understand and operators make errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of data displayVSAvoidunderstandability of interface

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The graphical user interface is divided into multiple sequential pages, each displaying a specific subset of radiotherapy data relevant to a particular treatment stage. This segmentation allows operators to view complete information across multiple pages while avoiding cognitive overload from displaying all data simultaneously on a single screen.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If conventional static GUIs display all data simultaneously, then all information is accessible, but setup time increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility of treatment dataVSAvoidpatient setup efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The GUI transitions from a static single-page display to a dynamic multi-page system that automatically progresses through treatment stages. Pages are displayed in a predetermined sequence corresponding to the radiotherapy workflow, allowing operators to access all necessary data while maintaining a streamlined, efficient setup process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-organizes treatment data into staged pages based on the predetermined radiotherapy workflow. This preliminary organization ensures that operators encounter data in the exact sequence needed for efficient patient setup, eliminating the need to search through unrelated information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If operators focus on wall-mounted display screens, then data is visible, but attention is diverted from the patient and machine

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of treatment informationVSAvoidoperator focus on patient safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The display system transitions from a fixed wall-mounted position to a mobile robotic arm-mounted display. This dimensional change allows the screen to be positioned in three-dimensional space near the operator's line of sight, enabling simultaneous viewing of treatment data and direct observation of the patient and machine without requiring the operator to turn away.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Adaptability or versatility

If conventional pendants with multiple input mechanisms are used, then comprehensive control is possible, but operators require extensive training and errors increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol capability of pendantVSAvoidoperational simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The pendant is designed with a universal set of input mechanisms that can control multiple functions across different treatment stages. Rather than having specialized buttons for each parameter, the pendant provides versatile controls that adapt to the current workflow stage, reducing the number of input mechanisms needed while maintaining comprehensive control capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12268896B1Radiotherapy methods, systems, and workflow-oriented graphical user interfaces

Publication Date: 2025.04.08 VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC

AI summary

Disclosed herein are radiotherapy methods and systems that can display a workflow-oriented graphical user interface(s). A method comprises presenting a plurality of pages for display, each corresponding to a stage of a radiotherapy treatment for a patient; in response to receiving an indication that a surface of a patient is aligned, retrieving, from a radiotherapy file, a first image of an internal target aligned in accordance with treatment attributes; receiving a second image of the internal target; overlaying on a first page of the plurality of pages, the first image and the second image, the first page displaying a direction to position the internal target in the second image to align with the internal target in the first image; and when the internal target is aligned, presenting for display a second page of the plurality of pages corresponding to a subsequent stage of the radiotherapy treatment for the patient.