Abstract: Systems, methods, and related computer program products for image-guided radiation treatment (IGRT) are described. Provided according to one preferred embodiment is an IGRT apparatus including a barrel-style rotatable gantry structure that provides high mechanical stability, versatility in radiation delivery, and versatility in target tracking. Methods for treatment radiation delivery using the IGRT apparatus include conical non-coplanar rotational arc therapy and cono-helical non-coplanar rotational arc therapy. A radiation treatment head (MV source) and a treatment guidance imaging system including a kV imaging source are mounted to and rotatable with a common barrel-style rotatable gantry structure, or alternatively the MV and kV sources are mounted to separate barrel-style rotatable gantry structures independently rotatable around a common axis of rotation.
Abstract: Systems, methods, and related computer program products for image-guided radiation treatment (IGRT) are described. Provided according to one preferred embodiment is an IGRT apparatus including a barrel-style rotatable gantry structure that provides high mechanical stability, versatility in radiation delivery, and versatility in target tracking. Methods for treatment radiation delivery using the IGRT apparatus include conical non-coplanar rotational arc therapy and cono-helical non-coplanar rotational arc therapy. A radiation treatment head (MV source) and a treatment guidance imaging system including a kV imaging source are mounted to and rotatable with a common barrel-style rotatable gantry structure, or alternatively the MV and kV sources are mounted to separate barrel-style rotatable gantry structures independently rotatable around a common axis of rotation.
Abstract: A method and apparatus for tracking a target by tracking the location of an imaging device while the imaging device is tracking the target is described.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 11, 2011
Date of Patent:
March 22, 2016
Assignee:
Accuray Incorporated
Inventors:
Sankaralingam Ramraj, Sohail Sayeh, Calvin R. Maurer, Jr.
Abstract: A method and apparatus to automatically control the timing of an image acquisition by an imaging system in developing a correlation model of movement of a target within a patient.
Abstract: Systems and methods for tracking a target volume, e.g., tumor, in real-time during radiation treatment are provided. Under one aspect, a system includes an ultrasound probe, an x-ray imager, a processor, and a computer-readable medium that stores a 3D image of the tumor in a first reference frame and instructions for causing the processor to: instruct the x-ray imager and ultrasound probe to substantially simultaneously obtain inherently registered x-ray and set-up ultrasound images of the tumor in a second reference frame; establish a transformation between the first and second reference frames by registering the 3D image and the x-ray image; instruct the ultrasound probe to obtain an intrafraction ultrasound image of the tumor; registering the intrafraction ultrasound image with the set-up ultrasound image; and track target volume motion based on the registered intrafraction ultrasound image.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 5, 2011
Date of Patent:
August 18, 2015
Assignee:
Accuray Incorporated
Inventors:
Calvin R. Maurer, Jr., Jay West, Petr Jordan
Abstract: A method and apparatus for radiation treatment planning are described. The method includes receiving a plurality of radiation treatment-planning parameters, and sequentially optimizing the plurality of radiation treatment-planning parameters.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 13, 2012
Date of Patent:
June 2, 2015
Assignee:
Accuray Incorporated
Inventors:
Warren D. Kilby, Gregory L. Orr, Etienne Lessard, Colin Sims, John R. Dooley, Calvin R. Maurer, Jr., Jay B. West
Abstract: The disclosure relates to systems and methods for interleaving operation of a standing wave linear accelerator (LINAC) for use in providing electrons of at least two different energy ranges, which can be contacted with x-ray targets to generate x-rays of at least two different energy ranges. The LINAC can be operated to output electrons at different energies by varying the power of the electromagnetic wave input to the LINAC, or by using a detunable side cavity which includes an activatable window.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 11, 2012
Date of Patent:
May 12, 2015
Assignee:
Accuray Incorporated
Inventors:
Ching-Hung Ho, Stephen Wah-Kwan Cheung, Roger Heering Miller, Juwen Wang
Abstract: Systems, methods, and related computer program products for image-guided radiation treatment (IGRT) are described. For one preferred embodiment, an IGRT apparatus is provided comprising a gantry frame including a ring member, the ring member being rotatable around a substantially horizontal, longitudinally extending central axis, the ring member having first and second horizontally opposing ends. The IGRT apparatus further comprises a radiation treatment head coupled to the ring member by an arm member, the arm member being connected to the ring member at an arm member base. Preferably, the IGRT apparatus is further characterized in that the arm member extends outwardly from the first end of the ring member in a direction away from the second end and is supported only by the arm member base, and the radiation treatment head is dynamically movable in at least a longitudinal direction toward and away from the first end of the ring member.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 8, 2011
Date of Patent:
March 24, 2015
Assignee:
Accuray Incorporated
Inventors:
Gopinath Kuduvalli, Paul D. Treas, Adam J. Weber
Abstract: An image guided treatment is performed to treat a target. To perform the image guided treatment, measurement data indicative of target motion is acquired. A timing of one or more x-ray images is determined based on the measurement data. Treatment may be performed on the target using the position of the target.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 26, 2012
Date of Patent:
March 3, 2015
Assignee:
Accuray Incorporated
Inventors:
Calvin R. Maurer, Jr., Sohail Sayeh, Matthew A. Core
Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for operating a traveling wave linear accelerator to generate stable electron beams at two or more different intensities by varying the number of electrons injected into the accelerator structure during each pulse by varying the width of the beam pulse, i.e., pulse width. The electron beams may be used to generate x-rays having selected doses and energies, which may be used for cargo scanning or radiotherapy applications.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 16, 2012
Date of Patent:
January 27, 2015
Assignee:
Accuray Incorporated
Inventors:
Stephen Wah-Kwan Cheung, Roger Heering Miller, Juwen Wang
Abstract: Systems, methods, and related computer program products for image-guided radiation treatment (IGRT) are described. Provided according to one preferred embodiment is an IGRT apparatus including a barrel-style rotatable gantry structure that provides high mechanical stability, versatility in radiation delivery, and versatility in target tracking. Methods for treatment radiation delivery using the IGRT apparatus include conical non-coplanar rotational arc therapy and cono-helical non-coplanar rotational arc therapy. A radiation treatment head (MV source) and a treatment guidance imaging system including a kV imaging source are mounted to and rotatable with a common barrel-style rotatable gantry structure, or alternatively the MV and kV sources are mounted to separate barrel-style rotatable gantry structures independently rotatable around a common axis of rotation.
Abstract: Systems, methods, and related computer program products for image-guided radiation treatment (IGRT) are described. Provided according to one preferred embodiment is an IGRT apparatus including a barrel-style rotatable gantry structure that provides high mechanical stability, versatility in radiation delivery, and versatility in target tracking. Methods for treatment radiation delivery using the IGRT apparatus include conical non-coplanar rotational arc therapy and cono-helical non-coplanar rotational arc therapy. A radiation treatment head (MV source) and a treatment guidance imaging system including a kV imaging source are mounted to and rotatable with a common barrel-style rotatable gantry structure, or alternatively the MV and kV sources are mounted to separate barrel-style rotatable gantry structures independently rotatable around a common axis of rotation.
Abstract: A treatment delivery system or a simulation system simulates treatment of a patient, including testing the ability of one or more tracking methods to track a target position during the simulation. The system then presents simulation results to a user, the simulation results indicating whether any of the one or more tracking methods will successfully track the target position during treatment delivery.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 25, 2011
Date of Patent:
September 30, 2014
Assignee:
Accuray Incorporated
Inventors:
Matthew A. Core, Calvin R. Maurer, Jr., Jay B. West
Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for operating a traveling wave linear accelerator to generate stable electron beams at two or more different intensities by varying the number of electrons injected into the accelerator structure during each pulse by varying the electron beam current applied to an electron gun. The electron beams may be used to generate x-rays having selected doses and energies, which may be used for cargo scanning or radiotherapy applications.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 16, 2012
Date of Patent:
September 16, 2014
Assignee:
Accuray Incorporated
Inventors:
Stephen Wah-Kwan Cheung, Roger Heering Miller, Juwen Wang
Abstract: A method and an apparatus for fiducial-less tracking of a volume of interest (VOI) have been presented. In some embodiments, a pair of intra-operative images of a portion of a patient is generated during treatment of a target region in the patient to show a bony structure of the patient. The bony structure shown is movable responsive to respiration of the patient. Then the pair of intra-operative images is compared with a set of digitally reconstructed radiograph (DRR) pairs, generated from volumes of four-dimensional (4D) diagnostic imaging data, to determine a location of the movable bony structure that corresponds to a particular volume of the 4D diagnostic imaging data.
Abstract: A computing system determines a full motion range of a target, wherein the full motion range of the target defines an internal target volume (ITV). The computing system identifies a partial motion range of the target, wherein the partial motion range is a subset of the full motion range of the target. The computing system generates a partial-ITV based on the identified partial motion range, wherein the partial-ITV is a volume swept by the target as the target moves through the partial motion range, the partial-ITV being smaller than the ITV. The computing system generates a treatment plan to deliver treatment to the partial-ITV.
Abstract: A method and apparatus for treatment planning are described. A treatment planning system provides a computer-simulated virtual environment including a virtual artifact that is a three-dimensional simulation of a patient anatomy, wherein the three-dimensional simulation is generated from one or more diagnostic images taken of the patient anatomy. The treatment planning system performs a treatment planning operation associated with the virtual artifact in response to a user interaction with the virtual environment.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 15, 2010
Date of Patent:
August 26, 2014
Assignee:
Accuray Incorporated
Inventors:
Bai Wang, Kun Zhang, Xiangyong Cheng, I-Ning Chang, Robert W. Hill, Colin Sims, Hongwu Wang
Abstract: An image registration process for detecting a change in position of a surgical target, such as a tumor, within a patient is disclosed. A pre-operative model of the target and surrounding area is generated, then registered to live patient images to determine or confirm a location of the target during the course of surgery. Image registration is based on a non-iterative image processing logic that compares a similarity measure for a template of the target (generated from the pre-operative model) at one location within the live image to other locations within the live image.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 14, 2011
Date of Patent:
August 26, 2014
Assignee:
Accuray Incorporated
Inventors:
Andriy Myronenko, Petr Jordan, Jay Bailey West
Abstract: Systems, methods, and related computer program products for medical imaging and image-guided radiation treatment (IGRT) are described. In one embodiment, an IGRT system selectively integrates x-ray source arrays, dual-energy imaging, stereoscopic imaging, static and dynamic source collimation, and/or inverse geometry tomosynthesis imaging to acquire and/or track a target during radiation treatment. Advantages include reduced patient x-ray dose and/or reduced treatment delivery margins.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 8, 2011
Date of Patent:
August 12, 2014
Assignee:
Accuray Incorporated
Inventors:
Calvin R. Maurer, Jr., Mu Young Lee, Gopinath Kuduvalli, Petr Jordan, Prashant Chopra