Patents by Inventor Eric Schnarr

Eric Schnarr has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8913716
    Abstract: A dose calculation tool operable to generate a variance map that represents a dose uncertainty. The variance map illustrates on a point-by-point basis where high uncertainty in the dose may exist and where low uncertainty in the dose may exist. The dose uncertainty is a result of an error in one or more data parameters related to a delivery parameter or a computational parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: TomoTherapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Geoff Sobering, Eric Schnarr, Kenneth J. Ruchala
  • Patent number: 8767917
    Abstract: A system for and method of delivering radiation therapy to a moving region of interest is disclosed. The method, in one implementation, includes the acts of generating a plurality of treatment plans for providing radiation therapy, delivering radiation therapy to the patient following one of the plurality of treatment plans, monitoring the patient while providing radiation therapy, and changing the treatment plan based at least in part on monitoring the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Tomotherapy Incorpoated
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Ruchala, Gustavo H. Olivera, Weiguo Lu, Eric Schnarr, John H. Hughes, Jeffrey M. Kapatoes, Thomas R. Mackie, Paul J. Reckwerdt
  • Patent number: 8442287
    Abstract: System and method of determining whether a component of a radiation therapy system is operating within a dosimetric tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Tomotherapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerald D. Fordyce, II, Kenneth J. Ruchala, Eric Schnarr, Yu Chen, Graham T. Reitz, Scott Finley, Rob O'Connell, Matthew Orton
  • Patent number: 8363784
    Abstract: A dose calculation tool operable to generate a variance map that represents a dose uncertainty. The variance map illustrates on a point-by-point basis where high uncertainty in the dose may exist and where low uncertainty in the dose may exist. The dose uncertainty is a result of an error in one or more data parameters related to a delivery parameter or a computational parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Tomotherapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Geoff Sobering, Eric Schnarr, Kenneth J. Ruchala
  • Publication number: 20110112351
    Abstract: System and method of determining whether a component of a radiation therapy system is operating within a dosimetric tolerance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Inventors: Gerald D. Fordyce, II, Kenneth J. Ruchala, Eric Schnarr, Yu Chen, Graham T. Reitz, Scott Finley, Rob O'Connell, Matthew Orton
  • Patent number: 7839972
    Abstract: A system and method of evaluating dose delivered by a radiation therapy system using a marker that indicates motion. The marker is associated with the patient. In one method of operation, the method includes delivering radiation to the patient, monitoring motion of the marker during the delivering radiation, and evaluating a dose delivered to the patient based at least in part on the motion of the marker. In another method of operation, the method includes delivering radiation to the patient, obtaining information relating to the delivery of radiation, estimating dose to the marker based at least in part on the information, acquiring dose received by the marker, and comparing the received dose with the estimated dose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Tomotherapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Ruchala, Gustavo H. Olivera, Eric Schnarr, Weiguo Lu, Thomas R. Mackie
  • Patent number: 7773788
    Abstract: System and method of evaluating quality assurance criteria related to the delivery of a radiation therapy treatment plan. The method includes the acts of acquiring image data of a patient, generating a treatment plan for the patient based at least in part on the image data, the treatment plan including a calculated radiation dose to be delivered to the patient, acquiring an on-line image of the patient in substantially a treatment position, delivering at least a portion of the calculated radiation dose to the patient, monitoring quality assurance criteria related to the delivery of the treatment plan, calculating the radiation dose received by the patient, and determining whether delivery of the treatment plan occurred as intended based on the quality assurance criteria and the radiation dose received by the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Tomotherapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Weiguo Lu, Gustavo H. Olivera, Jeffrey M. Kapatoes, Kenneth J. Ruchala, Eric Schnarr, John H. Hughes, Thomas R. Mackie, Paul J. Reckwerdt
  • Publication number: 20100054413
    Abstract: A dose calculation tool operable to generate a variance map that represents a dose uncertainty. The variance map illustrates on a point-by-point basis where high uncertainty in the dose may exist and where low uncertainty in the dose may exist. The dose uncertainty is a result of an error in one or more data parameters related to a delivery parameter or a computational parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: TomoTherapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Geoff Sobering, Eric Schnarr, Kenneth J. Ruchala
  • Patent number: 7643661
    Abstract: A system and method of evaluating a radiation dose delivered to a patient receiving radiation therapy. The method includes the acts of generating a time-based series of patient images, collecting a time-based series of data indicating patient motion, and evaluating a radiation dose delivered to the patient based upon the time-based series of patient images and the time-based series of data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Tomo Therapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Ruchala, Gustavo H. Olivera, Weiguo Lu, Eric Schnarr, Jason Haimerl, Thomas R. Mackie, Jeffrey M. Kapatoes
  • Patent number: 7639853
    Abstract: A system and method of predicting a radiation dose to be delivered to a patient. The method includes the acts of generating a first image of at least a portion of the patient, defining a treatment plan for the patient, generating a second image of at least a portion of the patient while the patient is substantially in a treatment position, updating the patient profile with the second image, and predicting the radiation dose to be delivered to the patient based upon the patient profile and the treatment plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: TomoTherapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Gustavo H. Olivera, Kenneth J. Ruchala, Eric Schnarr, Jeffrey M. Kapatoes, Weiguo Lu, Jason Haimerl, John H. Hughes, Thomas R. Mackie
  • Patent number: 7639854
    Abstract: A system and method of automatically processing data relating to a radiation therapy treatment plan. The method includes the acts of acquiring image data of a patient, generating a treatment plan for the patient based at least in part on the image data, the treatment plan including a calculated radiation dose to be delivered to the patient, acquiring an on-line image of the patient in substantially a treatment position, delivering at least a portion of the calculated radiation dose to the patient, and automatically recalculating the radiation dose received by the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: TomoTherapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Eric Schnarr, Kenneth J. Ruchala, Gustavo H. Olivera, Weiguo Lu, Jeffrey M. Kapatoes, Jason Haimerl, John H. Hughes, Thomas R. Mackie
  • Patent number: 7609809
    Abstract: A system and method of defining a new region of interest for an existing region of interest using a dose volume histogram. The method includes the acts of generating a dose volume histogram of radiation dose for a pre-existing region of interest, selecting a subset of the dose volume histogram, and defining a new region of interest that corresponds to the selected subset of the dose volume histogram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Tomo Therapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Kapatoes, Gustavo H. Olivera, Eric Schnarr, Weiguo Lu, Kenneth J. Ruchala, Paul J. Reckwerdt, John H. Hughes, Thomas R. Mackie
  • Patent number: 7574251
    Abstract: A system and method of adapting a radiation therapy treatment plan. The method includes the acts of preparing a treatment plan for a patient, acquiring images of the patient, performing deformable registration of the images, acquiring data relating to a radiation dose delivered to the patient, applying a biological model relating the radiation dose delivered and a patient effect, and adapting the radiation therapy treatment plan based on the deformable registration and the biological model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: TomoTherapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Weiguo Lu, Kenneth J. Ruchala, Gustavo H. Olivera, Eric Schnarr, Jeffrey M. Kapatoes, Thomas R. Mackie, Paul J. Reckwerdt
  • Patent number: 7567694
    Abstract: A system and method of placing constraints on a deformation map. The method includes the acts of generating a deformation map between two images, identifying a defined structure in one of the images, applying the deformation map to relate the defined structure from the one image onto the other image to create a deformation-based defined structure, modifying the deformation-based defined structure, and updating the deformation map in response to the step of modifying the deformation-based defined structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: TomoTherapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Weiguo Lu, Gustavo H. Olivera, Kenneth J. Ruchala, Eric Schnarr
  • Publication number: 20090041200
    Abstract: A method of delivering a radiation therapy treatment plan to a treatment area of a patient. The treatment plan is delivered using a radiation therapy system including a moveable support for supporting a patient, and a gantry moveable relative to the support. The gantry supports a radiation source, a set of jaws having a jaw width and a multi-leaf collimator for modulating the radiation during delivery of the treatment plan. The support is moved during delivery of the treatment plan to the treatment area, and the width of the jaws is dynamically adjusted during delivery of the treatment plan to the treatment area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: TomoTherapy Incorporated
    Inventors: Weiguo Lu, Yu Chen, Mingli Chen, Quan Chen, Gustavo H. Olivera, Graham Reitz, Kenneth J. Ruchala, Eric Schnarr
  • Publication number: 20070195929
    Abstract: A system and method of evaluating dose delivered by a radiation therapy system using a marker that indicates motion. The marker is associated with the patient. In one method of operation, the method includes delivering radiation to the patient, monitoring motion of the marker during the delivering radiation, and evaluating a dose delivered to the patient based at least in part on the motion of the marker. In another method of operation, the method includes delivering radiation to the patient, obtaining information relating to the delivery of radiation, estimating dose to the marker based at least in part on the information, acquiring dose received by the marker, and comparing the received dose with the estimated dose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Inventors: Kenneth Ruchala, Gustavo Olivera, Eric Schnarr, Weiguo Lu, Thomas Mackie
  • Publication number: 20070195930
    Abstract: A system and method of defining a new region of interest for an existing region of interest using a dose volume histogram. The method includes the acts of generating a dose volume histogram of radiation dose for a pre-existing region of interest, selecting a subset of the dose volume histogram, and defining a new region of interest that corresponds to the selected subset of the dose volume histogram.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Inventors: Jeffrey Kapatoes, Gustavo Olivera, Eric Schnarr, Weiguo Lu, Kenneth Ruchala, Paul Reckwerdt, John Hughes, Thomas Mackie
  • Publication number: 20070189591
    Abstract: A system and method of placing constraints on a deformation map. The method includes the acts of generating a deformation map between two images, identifying a defined structure in one of the images, applying the deformation map to relate the defined structure from the one image onto the other image to create a deformation-based defined structure, modifying the deformation-based defined structure, and updating the deformation map in response to the step of modifying the deformation-based defined structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Weiguo Lu, Gustavo Olivera, Kenneth Ruchala, Eric Schnarr
  • Publication number: 20070104316
    Abstract: Systems and methods for utilizing remote access to a radiation therapy treatment system. Remote access to the radiation therapy treatment system can assist in providing quality assurance processes, service and maintenance procedures, patient monitoring, and statistical analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Inventors: Kenneth Ruchala, Thomas Mackie, Gustavo Olivera, Paul Reckwerdt, John Hughes, Robert Cravens, Eric Schnarr, Jeffrey Kapatoes
  • Publication number: 20070088573
    Abstract: A system and method for developing and analyzing radiation therapy treatment plans and a computer-generated user interface for presenting data relating to a radiation therapy treatment plan. The user interface includes a list of fractions identified in the treatment plan, data identifying delivery status of the fraction, and data identifying a processing status of the fraction. The system includes a computer processor, a data store connected to the computer processor and storing information relating to at least one fraction of a radiation therapy treatment plan, which fraction has been delivered to a patient as part of the implementation of the radiation therapy treatment plan, and software, stored in a computer readable medium accessible by the computer processor, the software being operable to automatically process the information relating to the at least one fraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2006
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Inventors: Kenneth Ruchala, Gustavo Olivera, Eric Schnarr, Jason Haimerl, Weiguo Lu, Quan Chen