Abstract: A device to acoustically couple a patient to an MR-HIFU system includes a first membrane configured to acoustically couple to an ultrasound window of the MR-HIFU system, a second membrane configured to acoustically couple to the patient at an exposed region overlying an ultrasound focus of the MR-HIFU system, a continuous side wall that includes a first edge sealed to the first membrane and a second edge sealed to the second membrane, and an acoustic coupling fluid contained within a closed internal volume defined by the first membrane, the second membrane, and the continuous side wall. The device also includes a heat exchange device operatively coupled to the acoustic coupling fluid. The device is configured to form an impedance-matched ultrasound coupling between the ultrasound window and the exposed region of the patient and is further configured to regulate a temperature of the exposed region of the patient.

Abstract: A system and method for validating the accuracy of delineated contours in computerized imaging using statistical data for generating assessment criterion that define acceptable tolerances for delineated contours, with the statistical data being conditionally updated and/or refined between individual processes for validating delineated contours to thereby adjust the tolerances defined by the assessment criterion in the stored statistical data, such that the stored statistical data is more closely representative of a target population. The present invention may be used to facilitate, as one example, on-line adaptive radiation therapy.

Abstract: A system and method for validating the accuracy of delineated contours in computerized imaging using statistical data for generating assessment criterion that define acceptable tolerances for delineated contours, with the statistical data being conditionally updated and/or refined between individual processes for validating delineated contours to thereby adjust the tolerances defined by the assessment criterion in the stored statistical data, such that the stored statistical data is more closely representative of a target population. The present invention may be used to facilitate, as one example, on-line adaptive radiation therapy.