Abstract: The invention relates to a treatment assessment device (37) for assessing a treatment of a subject, wherein a current treatment is tracked by a tracking unit (15, 30) and previous conformance values being indicative of previous degrees of conformance of previous treatments with previous treatment plans are provided. A visualization unit (34) generates a visualization being indicative of a current degree of conformance of the current treatment with the current treatment plan in relation to the previous degrees of conformance based on the tracking of the current treatment, the current treatment plan and the provided previous conformance values. The visualization can be shown on a display such that a physician can see how well the current treatment conforms to the treatment plan in comparison to the degree of conformance achieved in previous treatments, thereby providing an assessment of the quality of the current treatment in relation to previous treatments.

Abstract: A dose planning system includes a biopsy map creation module configured for receiving biopsy information for an organ of interest regarding biopsy locations and tissue characteristics of tissue found at the biopsy locations and creating a spatially annotated biopsy map for the organ, by linking the spatial information on the biopsy locations to the tissue characteristics of tissue found at the corresponding biopsy locations. A probability map calculation module is configured for creating a tumor probability map by calculating a tumor probability for locations in the organ from which no biopsy was taken by using the tumor and/or tissue characteristics from the biopsy locations and a dose planning module configured for creating a dose plan based on the tumor probability map. The planning constraints are such that on average a higher tumor probability results in a higher planned dose and a lower tumor probability results in a lower planned dose.

Abstract: The present invention proposes an electromagnetic (EM) tracking technology that can be used to track devices with embedded EM sensors over time. If these objects move too fast, tracking signals are lost because of the motion induced potential differences. It is therefore proposed to add a processing mechanism incorporating additional processing algorithms to enable tracking of the EM sensors. An embodiment of the invention is for performing biopsies using a biopsy gun. The additional processing algorithms incorporate dedicated prior information on the expected signal obtained from the embedded EM sensor and are introduced to allow processing the signals from the moving sensors. The prior information can be incorporated in a heuristic or statistical model to process the EM signal.

Abstract: An efficient direct parameter optimization (DPO) approach is provided, in which a dosimetry gradient-based iterative greedy technique is applied to determine positioning assistance information for catheter insertion in focal radiation therapy, by toggling between optimization of candidate catheter positions and candidate radiation source dwelling times. In the specific case of free hand delivered catheters, the insertion point may be directly selected by the human expert. Using monitoring of the catheter position by additional imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging or ultrasound imaging, the method enables real-time orientation guidance and adaptive dose correction in the course of treatment delivery.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultrasound imaging system (100) for producing spatially compounded 3D ultrasound image data, comprising: —an ultrasound acquisition unit (16) for acquiring a plurality of 3D ultrasound image data having different but at least partially overlapping field of views, —a tracking unit (62) adapted to determine a relative spatial position of each of 5 the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data with respect to each other, and —a stitching unit (64) adapted to compound the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data by stitching them to each other in order to generate compounded 3D ultrasound image data, wherein the stitching unit (64) is adapted to calculate a stitching order of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data based on the determined relative spatial position of the 3D 10 ultrasound image data by minimizing an overlapping area of the different field of views of the plurality of 3D ultrasound image data, and wherein stitching unit (64) is adapted to stitch the plurality of 3D ul

Abstract: An applicator device (100, 200, 300) for use in interventional brachytherapy, wherein the applicator device (100, 200, 300) is configured to be inserted in, or near a region of interest within a living body, and the applicator device is defining a lumen (101, 201, 301) for receiving a radiation source (103, 203, 303), characterized in that the applicator device (100, 200, 300) comprises one or more sensor elements (102, 202, 302) each configured to generate an output signal indicative of whether or not the radiation source (103, 203, 303) is at a predetermined position in the lumen (101, 201, 301).

Abstract: A device (10) configured to detect the presence of metal artifacts in a patient's eye includes a head mount (14) configured to receive at least a portion of the patient's head. At least one inductor coil (12) is disposed on or in the head mount and positioned to inductively couple with at least one eye of the patient's head received into the head mount. An inductance meter (18) is operably connected to the at least one inductor coil to measure an inductance as a change of frequency of the at least one inductor coil. A processor (22) is programmed to: determine whether the inductance is greater than an inductance threshold value; and generate an indication of at least one metal artifact when the inductance is greater than the inductance threshold value. A display component (24) is configured to display the indication.

Abstract: The invention relates to the generating of a treatment plan for an ablation therapy treatment of a target structure. In accordance with the invention, (i) a dose distribution in the treatment region is visualized to a user, the dose distribution corresponding to a first treatment plan generated on the basis of first objectives and/or constraints, (ii) a first user input specifying a dose value within the dose distribution and a second user input specifying at least one position (42) in the treatment region as a target position for the dose value are received, (iii) second objectives and/or constraints on the basis of the first objectives and/or constraints and the first and second user inputs are determined and (iv) a second treatment plan on the basis of the second objectives.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for applying radiation to a target region within a subject. An introduction element (12) like a brachytherapy catheter is inserted into the subject and a radiation source (10) is moved within the introduction element such that it is located within or close to the target region. The target region is heated, wherein the movement of the radiation source within the introduction element is controlled depending on the temperature along the introduction element. The susceptibility of the subject for the radiation emitted by the radiation source at a respective location along the length of the introduction element can depend on the temperature at the respective location such that by controlling the movement of the radiation source depending on the temperature along the length of the introduction element the application of the radiation can be optimized.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system 1 for planning a treatment of a subject 2. A treatment planning device 39 determines a treatment position of a treatment device like a needle or catheter which comprises an energy delivery element not completely encircling the treatment device. The determined treatment position is a position in a four-dimensional space being representable by three Cartesian coordinates and an angular coordinate defining the angular orientation of the treatment device with respect to a rotation around its longitudinal axis. The treatment device is then arranged in accordance with the treatment position. Since not only the three-dimensional position of the treatment device is determined, but also a rotational position of the treatment device with respect to a rotation of the treatment device around its longitudinal axis, the energy delivery can be very accurately planned, leading to a reduction of unwanted therapy side effects.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide for a system that can be used to improve a cancer related clinical workflow compared to the current cancer related clinical workflow. This object is achieved by an image guided system configured for supporting a combined biopsy and treatment procedure using image guidance to bring a needle from a defined location to a predetermined end location in a subject of interest. The image guidance system comprises a medical imaging system (580) configured for acquisition of medical images of a region of interest (403) in the subject of interest, wherein the medical images are used to determine a current position of the predetermined end location (404). The image guidance system further comprises needle guidance system (402, 403) configured for defining a needle position in space and thereby defining the defined location (405, 406) and configured for guiding a biopsy and treatment needle into the region of interest.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to improve treatment planning. This object is achieved by a dose planning system comprising a biopsy map creation module configured for receiving biopsy information for an organ of interest regarding biopsy locations and tissue characteristics of tissue found at the biopsy locations, wherein the biopsy map creation module is further configured for creating a spatially annotated biopsy map for the organ, by linking the spatial information on the biopsy locations to the tissue characteristics of tissue found at the corresponding biopsy locations.

Abstract: A system (10) for quantification of uncertainty of contours includes a display (48) which displays a portion of a 4D image of at least a left ventricle over a plurality of cardiac phases. A measurement device (16) includes at least one processor (42) programmed to receive the 4D image (18) from an imaging device (12), receive a selected location on the myocardial wall of the left ventricle, cast a ray perpendicular to at least one of the myocardial wall or center of the left ventricle through the selected location, calculate a thickness the myocardial wall along the cast ray, evaluate myocardial wall motion over the range of the cardiac phases, calculate a quantification of the myocardial contractile function, and display the calculate a quantification of the myocardial contractile function on the display device (48).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for analyzing a multidimensional cardiac image set, the multidimensional cardiac image set comprising: a first image set of a heart; and a second image set of a heart, wherein the first image set is segmented resulting into respective first cardiac contours for each image within the first image set; and the second image set is segmented resulting into respective second cardiac contours for each image within the second image set, the method comprising: determining resulting cardiac contours for each image within the first image set and for each image within the second image set from the first cardiac contours and the second cardiac contours.

Abstract: The invention relates to a registration apparatus for registering an elongated introduction element (18), like a catheter or a needle, during an interventional procedure, for instance, a brachytherapy or a biopsy. A guide element (13) comprising at least one opening guides the introduction element when being introduced into a living being (2) through the opening. A temperature profile generation element (14) associated with the opening generates a characteristic temperature profile at the opening for being transferred to the introduction element when being present in the opening. A temperature determination unit (15) determines a temperature along the introduction element, and a registration unit (16) registers the introduction element, wherein the registering comprises identifying the transferred characteristic temperature profile on the introduction element based on the determined temperature.

Abstract: An applicator device (100, 200, 300) for use in interventional brachytherapy, wherein the applicator device (100, 200, 300) is configured to be inserted in, or near a region of interest within a living body, and the applicator device is defining a lumen (101, 201, 301) for receiving a radiation source (103, 203, 303), characterized in that the applicator device (100, 200, 300) comprises one or more sensor elements (102, 202, 302) each configured to generate an output signal indicative of whether or not the radiation source (103, 203, 303) is at a predetermined position in the lumen (101, 201, 301).

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for applying radiation to a target region within a subject. An introduction element (12) like a brachytherapy catheter is inserted into the subject and a radiation source (10) is moved within the introduction element such that it is located within or close to the target region. The target region is heated, wherein the movement of the radiation source within the introduction element is controlled depending on the temperature along the introduction element. The susceptibility of the subject for the radiation emitted by the radiation source at a respective location along the length of the introduction element can depend on the temperature at the respective location such that by controlling the movement of the radiation source depending on the temperature along the length of the introduction element the application of the radiation can be optimized.

Abstract: A system (100) for registering an image sequence includes an input (120) for obtaining the image sequence (200) which includes a plurality of images (201 -205) arranged sequentially within an image range. A transformation processor (140) establishes transformations between pairs of consecutive images in the image sequence (200) to obtain a plurality of transformations (211-214). An alignment processor (160) based on the plurality of transformations (211-214), establishes a reference image (203) from the plurality of images (201-205) based on a transformation metric and aligns the image sequence (200) to the reference image (203) to obtain a registered image sequence (230). The transformation metric quantifies a degree of transformation required for aligning the image sequence (200) to the reference image (203).

Abstract: A system (10) for planning cardiac MRI views, said system (10) includes a planning device (16) which includes at least one processor (42) programmed to: receive one or more images (18) from an imaging device (12) acquired utilizing an mDIX-ON protocol, determine a position and orientation of an object of interest from the one or more images, transform a model of the object of interest such that is matches the object of interest with a generalized Hough transform, and generate one or more object of interest views from the matching of the object of interest, A display (48) displays the one or more object of interest views.

Abstract: A method image includes determining an end systolic imaging trigger, acquiring cardiac imaging data including first imaging data corresponding to a first predetermined data acquisition interval surrounding end systole, and post-processing the cardiac imaging data based at least on the end systolic imaging trigger.