Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for specifying treatment criteria and treatment planning parameters for patient specific radiation therapy planning. According to an aspect, a method includes receiving data about a patient, computing geometric characterization of one or more organs at risk proximate to a target volume of a patient or vice versa, and selecting relevant treatment knowledge and experience. The method also includes generating, based on the received data, computed geometric characterization, and available knowledge and experience, a first set of radiation treatment planning parameters that will lead to a high quality plan for the patient. Further, the method includes model-based prediction, based on the data, a second set or more of radiation treatment planning parameters that will lead to alternative achievable plans with different organ sparing objectives for treating the patient. The multiple sets for parameters can be used separately or in conjunction to generate treatment plans.

Abstract: In an approach to alignment assistance, one or more computer processors receive one or more calibration parameters associated with an installation of a product. The one or more computer processors determine one or more boundaries for product registration associated with a receiving surface for the product. The one or more computer processors overlay, based, at least in part, on the received calibration parameters and the one or more boundaries for product registration, one or more alignment markings in a field of view of the receiving surface.

Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to cancer treatment with radiation sources. The present technology discloses techniques that can enable an automatic generation of radiotherapy trajectories using anatomical data of a patient. It can improve conformal dose distributions and target volume coverage by considering a radiation risk decided by an organs-at-risk (OAR)'s relative location to the target volume and the radiation source.

Abstract: A control circuit administers a radiation treatment plan that specifies a planned total radiation dose for a radiation treatment session for a given patient by modulating a radiation beam with at least one high-resolution aperture that is formed using one of a plurality of linearly-sequential high-resolution aperture possibilities. By one approach the foregoing comprises modulating the radiation beam using at least substantially only high-resolution apertures that are formed using a plurality of the linearly-sequential high-resolution aperture possibilities. In some cases the foregoing can comprise administering the radiation treatment plan using at least two separate radiation exposures for only a single treatment field, in which case, by one approach, each of the separate radiation exposures for the single treatment field can comprise modulating the radiation beam using at least substantially only high-resolution apertures.

Abstract: An apparatus for developing an intensity-modulated radiation therapy treatment plan includes a memory that stores machine instructions and a processor that executes the machine instructions to receive a clinical goal associated with the treatment plan as a user input. The processor further executes the machine instructions to determine a plan objective based on the clinical goal, generate a cost function comprising a term based on the plan objective, and assign an initial value to a parameter associated with the term. The processor also executes the machine instructions to identify a microstate that results in a reduced value associated with the cost function, evaluate a fulfillment level associated with the clinical goal, and adjust the value of the parameter to improve the fulfillment level.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining radiation exposure during an x-ray guided medical procedure are disclosed. In some embodiments, the system includes an x-ray equipment model that simulates the emission of radiation from x-ray equipment during the x-ray guided medical procedure, a human exposure model that simulates one or more human anatomies during the x-ray guided medical procedure, a radiation metric processor that calculates at least one radiation exposure metric, and a feedback system for outputting information based on the at least one radiation exposure metric. The radiation metric processor calculates radiation exposure metrics based on input parameters that correspond to operating settings as well as the location and structure of one or more human anatomies.

Abstract: An output radiation treatment plan for at least one target in a treatment volume is determined. Each target is associated with a prescribed radiation dose. An updated treatment plan causes the prescribed radiation dose to be delivered to the target when implemented by a radiation therapy machine. The updated treatment plan requires an updated delivery time to complete and is calculated by: [i] receiving a numerical value designating an upper bound on modulation efficiency of the updated treatment plan, [ii] receiving a current treatment plan, [iii] calculating a current delivery time for the current treatment plan, [iv] calculating an un-modulated delivery time for the current treatment plan, and [v] calculating the updated treatment plan by executing an optimization process while satisfying the upper bound on the modulation efficiency. Steps [ii] to [v] are traversed a predetermined number of times. Thereafter, the output radiation treatment plan is generated.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus automatically performs a patient positioning calculation at high speed and a positioning method. A positioning apparatus 40 has, as functional components, a DRR image generation element 41 that generates the DRR image based on the CT image data, an optimization element 43 that calculates the positional gap of the patient 57 by optimizing the fluoroscopic projection parameters; and an initial parameter adjustment element 42 that changes the initial position of the fluoroscopic projection parameters prior to optimization of fluoroscopic projection parameters with regard to the rotatable and translation of the CT image data relative to the optimization element 43.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for verifying a radiation beam intensity modulator. The apparatus includes a scanner; and a verification system verifying the verification target radiation beam intensity modulator, wherein the verification system includes: a modulator structure reconstruction unit extracting thickness information of the verification target radiation beam intensity modulator based on the 3D structure information of the verification target radiation beam intensity modulator; an original modulator structure information receiver receiving structure information of the original radiation beam intensity modulator; a modulator matching unit matching the verification target radiation beam intensity modulator with the original radiation beam intensity modulator based on the thickness information; and a modulator verification unit verifying the verification target radiation beam intensity modulator matched with the original radiation beam intensity modulator.

Abstract: Implementations provide user access to software functionality. In some implementations, a method includes selecting one or more portions of text. The method also includes employing the one or more portions to select software functionality. The method also includes presenting one or more user interface controls in combination with a representation of the text, where the one or more user interface controls includes a user selectable outline around one or more keywords in combination with a drop-down menu.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for manufacturing a radiation beam intensity modulator.

Abstract: Example methods and systems for determining a treatment plan for a radiotherapy treatment system to deliver radiotherapy treatment to a patient are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method may comprise performing a particle transport simulation to initiate a first set of particle histories and a second set of particle histories from a radiation source of the radiotherapy treatment system to a treatment volume with multiple voxels representing an anatomy of the patient. The method may also comprise determining first cumulative costs associated with respective particle histories in the first set and second cumulative costs associated with respective particle histories in the second set. The method may further comprise selecting the first set or second set based on the first cumulative costs and second cumulative costs and determining the treatment plan based on the selected first set or second set.

Abstract: A radiation system includes a radiation source providing therapeutic radiation, a first gantry supporting a second gantry carrying the radiation source. The first gantry is rotatable about a first axis passing through an isocenter, thereby allowing the radiation source to aim therapeutic radiation at a target volume from a plurality of locations in a first plane. The second gantry carrying the radiation source is rotatable about a second axis passing through the isocenter non-parallel with the first axis, thereby allowing the radiation source to aim therapeutic radiation at the target volume from a plurality of locations in a second plane non-coplanar with the first plane.

Abstract: A radiation-delivery treatment plan includes a first value for a limit as pertains to motion compensation-based adjustment of a radiation-delivery parameter during a first portion of a radiation treatment session as well as a second value for that same limit during a second, different portion of the treatment session. By one approach, the radiation-delivery treatment plan selects between this first and second value as a function of a preselected parameter. Examples of such parameters include, but are not limited to, radiation-beam orientation parameters (such as a gantry-based parameter) and/or any of a variety of external surrogates.

Abstract: A method for generating a radiotherapy treatment plan for a patient is provided. The treatment plan is optimized using an optimization objective which is at least partly based on an initially planned dose to the patient.

Abstract: A contouring processor transmits contour data to a radiotherapy device, and uses a key generated by a key generator, which identifies a target volume to be irradiated. The contouring processor is designed to access a contour database in order to acquire reference contour data in reference images relating to the target volume for determining the contour data. The contouring processor has a calculation processor designed to calculate volume percentiles from the acquired reference contour data and to emit them on a user interface to determine the contour data.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of reducing the x-ray dose of a patient in an x-ray system, comprising defining a region of interest of the patient, obtaining at least two tracking images of a tracking element taken with at least one camera having a known positional relationship relative to an x-ray source and/or sensor, determining any movement of the tracking element between the acquisition of at least two tracking images, adjusting the collimator of the x-ray source to compensate for any movement of the tracking element between the acquisition of the at least two tracking images, providing that the field of exposure of the x-ray source is confined to the region of interest and obtaining at least one x-ray image of the region of interest after the adjustment of the collimator.

Abstract: Prior to the radiotherapy, an MR guided radiotherapy device acquires MR data and tracks structures relevant to the radiotherapy treatment. These MR data are displayed to a user. Furthermore, these data are used to calculate a quality factor for the treatment.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage devices for manufacturing patient-specific bolus for use in targeted radiotherapy treatment. Based on dose calculations without a bolus and based on three-dimensional scan data of a patient, the example system generates a model of a bolus for targeting radiotherapy treatment to a planning target volume or target region within the patient. The system can perform several iterations to generate a resulting model for the bolus. Then, the system can generate instructions for controlling a three-dimensional printer to generate the bolus that conforms to the patient's skin surface while also specifically targeting the planning target volume for the radiotherapy treatment. In this way, the amount of radiotherapy treatment administered to other tissue is reduced, while the costs, time, and human involvement in creating the bolus are significantly reduced.

Abstract: Multiple tumors are grouped into multiple treatment groups. Tumors in different treatment groups are treated by a radiosurgery in different treatment sessions than the tumors in the same treatment groups. The tumors can be grouped so as to decrease the biologically effective dose received by normal tissue in the treatment area. The radiosurgical planning system can divide the tumors into groups based on their location relative to each other and the radiation the tumors will be treated with and create a plan for treating the tumors according to the treatment groups.

Abstract: Interference of dose application in scanned ion beam therapy and organ motion, also called interplay effect, may lead to dose deviations at target volumes. Current repainting methods are susceptible to artifacts due to a predominant scanning direction, ranging from fringed field edges to under and overdosed regions (hot and cold spots). To overcome the difficulties inherent in the repainting techniques of conventional proton therapy systems, new random repainting techniques are described herein for mitigating the under-dose and/or over-dose pattern inherent in existing repainting techniques using a random repainting approach that randomly selects spot locations within the target area.

Abstract: A radiation therapy apparatus determines a set of angles that have a tracking quality metric value that satisfies a tracking quality metric criterion. During an alignment phase or a treatment phase for a treatment stage of a target by the radiation therapy apparatus, the radiation therapy apparatus performs selects at least a first angle and a second angle from the set of angles for a first rotation of the gantry. The radiation therapy apparatus generates, using an imaging device mounted to the gantry, a first tracking image of the target from the first angle during the first rotation of the gantry. The radiation therapy apparatus generates, using the imaging device, a second tracking image of the target from the second angle during the first rotation of the gantry. The radiation therapy apparatus performs the target tracking based on the first tracking image and the second tracking image.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a particle beam treatment system includes a storage, an estimator, a target value generator, and a particle beam treatment device. The storage stores therein a respiratory movement model obtained by synchronizing amount of displacement of an affected area of a subject with a signal related to respiration of the subject and performing modeling. The estimator estimates, based on the measured signal related to respiration and the respiratory movement model, amount of displacement of the affected area corresponding to the measured signal. The target value generator generates a target value, which is used for performing movement control on a platform on which the subject is lying down, corresponding to the estimated amount of displacement of the affected area. The particle beam treatment device irradiates, with particle beams, the affected area of the subject on the platform subjected to movement control according to the target value.

Abstract: In accordance with at least some embodiments of the present disclosure, a process to estimate scattered radiation contained in x-ray projections for computed tomography (CT) reconstruction is provided. The process may construct an object model based on a plurality of projection images generated by CT scanning of an object using an x-ray radiation source and a detector panel. The process may construct a virtual radiation source based on the x-ray radiation source, and a virtual detector panel based on the detector panel. The process may perform a simulated CT scanning of the object model by simulating macroscopic behavior of particles being emitted from the virtual radiation source, passing through the object model, and being detected by the virtual detector panel. And the process may generate a simulated scatter image based on a first subset of particles scattered during the simulated CT scanning of the object model.

Abstract: An optimization method for ion based radiotherapy includes inverse planning based on optimization variables related to the particle energy, a range modulator or ridge filter, a block and/or a range compensator. This enables automatic optimization of complex cases.

Abstract: A control circuit provides a user with an opportunity to designate one or more patient structures for a particular patient that are to be protected from radiation. When optimizing a radiation-treatment plan for that patient, then, the control circuit uses the designated patient structure(s) as an area to be masked from radiation during administration of the radiation-treatment plan. By one approach the aforementioned opportunity to designate patient structures as being designated patient structures comprises providing the user with an opportunity to so designate patient structures via a display. The aforementioned masking can be accomplished as desired including by appropriate use of a multi-leaf collimator.

Abstract: A method of reducing the illumination power requirements for an object tracking system, the method including the steps of: (a) determining a current location of the object within a scene; (b) for a future frame: determining a band around the object of interest; determining a start and stop time for when the rolling shutter detector will be sampling the band; and illuminating the object only while the rolling shutter detector is sampling the band; (c) for a future frame predicting the location of the object relative to the tracking system; determining the ambient light levels; and illuminating the object with the minimum optical power required for the object to be imaged suitably for tracking.

Abstract: A method of selecting a radiation therapy treatment plan for a patient. The treatment plan is implemented through a radiation delivery system including a gantry capable of rotating around a couch, in which the couch is movable in a linear direction relative to the gantry. The movement of the couch and the gantry creates a helical delivery path having a pitch. A radiation module delivers a radiation beam, where the beam has a beam weight corresponding to a radiation fluence. The method includes receiving, by a controller, an objective including a desired dose, a desired dose distribution, or a dose constraint, optimizing the pitch to obtain an optimized pitch, optimizing, the beam weight to obtain optimized beam weight, determining, based on the optimized pitch and the optimized beam weight a treatment plan or a treatment dose, and outputting the treatment plan or the treatment dose.

Abstract: A framework for defective pixel identification is described herein. In accordance with one aspect, the framework performs a machine learning technique to train a classifier using a training image dataset. The trained classifier is applied to a current image to identify one or more defective pixels, which may then be corrected.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for associating medical images with a patient. One method includes: receiving two or more medical images of patient anatomy in an electronic storage medium; generating an anatomical model for each of the received medical images; comparing the generated anatomical models; determining a score assessing the likelihood that the two or more medical images belong to the same patient, using the comparison of the generated anatomical models; and outputting the score to an electronic storage medium or display.

Abstract: An adaptive therapy delivery system can receive imaging information including a volumetric image comprising a target such as a tumor or one or more other structures, and can receive imaging information corresponding to one or more imaging slices comprising different portions of the target, such as imaging slices acquired at different times after acquisition of the volumetric image. The system can spatially register information from an earlier-acquired image with a portion of the target included in a later-acquired one of the imaging slices. The system can then determine an updated location of the target indicated by the spatially-registered information. Using the updated location, the system can generate an updated therapy protocol to control delivery of a therapy beam.

Abstract: A radiation dose received by a patient from a radiation therapy system can be verified by acquiring a cine stream of image frames from an electronic portal imaging device (EPID) that is arranged to detect radiation exiting the patient during irradiation. The cine stream of EPID image frames can be processed in real-time to form exit images providing absolute dose measurements at the EPID (dose-to-water values), which is representative of the characteristics of the radiation received by the patient. Compliance with predetermined characteristics for the field can be determined during treatment by periodically comparing the absolute dose measurements with the predetermined characteristics, which can include a predicted total dose in the field after full treatment and/or a complete irradiation area outline (CIAO). The system operator can be alerted or the irradiation automatically stopped when non-compliance is detected.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and a mechanism for manipulating images generated by radiotherapy machines used in radiation diagnostic and treatment applications. In one embodiment, a method is provided for intelligent automatic propagation of manual or automatic contouring across linked (e.g., registered) images and image data sets by acquiring one or more images of one or more image data sets; determining the correlation between the images with respect to identified structures; and generating a deformation map that establishes a correspondence for each point in the source image with a point in the target image. Subsequently, the intelligent propagation mechanism applies this deformation map individually to each structure of the source image and propagates the deformed structure to the target image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for estimating the dose administered by an external radiotherapy system. The portal image supplied by the EPID detector is converted into a dose at a depth of reference in water, by means of a simple conversion formula. Conversely, the corresponding portal image can be determined from a distribution of a nominal dose, under the same irradiation conditions. The invention can especially be applied to the verification of a treatment plan.

Abstract: A method for real-time collimation and ROI-filter positioning in X-ray imaging in interventional procedures includes acquiring an image of a region-of-interest (ROI) at a beginning of a medical intervention procedure on a subject, classifying the image based on low-level features in the image to determine a type of procedure being performed, determining a list of landmarks in the image from the type of procedure being performed, and loading a pre-trained landmark model for each landmark in the list of landmarks, where landmarks include anatomical structures of the subject and medical devices being used in the medical intervention procedure, and computing collimator settings of an X-ray imaging device from ROI filter margins and bounding boxes of the landmarks calculated using the landmark models.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for pre-treatment verification of radiation dose delivery in arc-based radiation therapy devices using a time-dependent gamma evaluation method.

Abstract: A system and method for perfusion imaging includes an imaging device (122) configured to collect perfusion information from a target area. A processing module (110) is configured to determine perfusion levels of the target area based on the perfusion information. A planning module (114) is configured to provide a treatment plan for the target area by correlating the perfusion levels with treatment activities for the target area, wherein the treatment activities are adjusted based upon characteristics of the perfusion levels in the target area.

Abstract: A method for reviewing a treatment plan (24) for delivering radiation therapy to a patient. The treatment plan (24) includes geometric analysis data, dose distribution analysis data, dose volume histogram data, parametric analysis data or deliverability analysis data of a patient. First, for the treatment plan (24), a plurality of clinical and delivery goals are identified (20, 22). Next, goal data points are extracted (26) from the treatment plan (24). Then, data points are correlated (28) to identify deficiencies in the treatment plan (24). A report is generated (30) to display on a display (10) the correlated data points using visual markings (84) to highlight identified deficiencies. Text and audio notations can be attached to the report to explain the correlations and warn a user of plan deficiencies.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a marker-flange for use with a brachytherapy applicator, having a flange body with a first face, a second face, and a hollow chamber positioned between the first and second faces. A cavity extending through the flange body is dimensioned to receive a tandem in a brachytherapy applicator in a press-fit connection, so as to affix the flange-marker to an outside surface of the tandem. The hollow chamber includes an MR imaging responsive marker agent that provides strong signal intensities and a high geometric accuracy in MR imaging.

Abstract: Systems and methods of estimating radiation dose include obtaining at least one radiation exposure value from a location marked on a patient model. A radiation exposure of the patient is estimated using a dose model which includes the patient model. At least one correction factor is calculated based upon the radiation exposure value and the estimation of radiation exposure using the dose model. The at least one correction factor is applied to the dose model and a refined estimation of radiation exposure is produced based upon the at least one correction factor and the dose model.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing magnetic resonance tomography images (B) of at least one phase of a cyclic movement, comprising the method steps: production of raw data sets (r1, . . . , rx) of the cyclic movement during a recording period (T) having radial or almost radial k-space part trajectories (k1, . . . , kx); reconstruction of a series of intermediate images (z1, . . . , zy), each from at least one raw data set (r1, . . . , rx) with high time resolution at least for each region (region of interest, ROI) of the raw data sets (r1, . . . , rx); calculation of a distance matrix (D) from the series of intermediate images (z1, . . . , zy), wherein each matrix element (D) corresponds to the distance of a first intermediate image (z1, . . . , zy) of the series to the first or a further intermediate image (z1, . . . , zy) of the series; fitting of functions (vi, . . .

Abstract: A radiation therapy treatment method includes providing a patient model, dosimetric constraints, delivery motion constraints, and delivery coordinate space of a radiation delivery device, where the delivery coordinate space is represented as a mesh with vertices connected by edges, where the vertices correspond to directions of a beam eye view (BEV) of the radiation delivery device, where each BEV has corresponding area elements resulting from beam collimation. BEV region connectivity manifolds are constructed from the patient model, the dosimetric constraints, the delivery coordinate space, and existing beam trajectories, wherein each of the BEV region connectivity manifolds represents connections between contiguous 2D target regions, where each of the 2D target regions is defined at each of the vertices of the delivery coordinate space.

Abstract: A method for measuring eye tracking in a patient and capturing ocular biometric identifying information from the patient may involve: displaying a video to the patient on a stimulus screen of an eye tracking and biometric identification system; tracking movement of the patient's eyes during display of the video via an eye tracking camera of the eye tracking and biometric identification system; capturing ocular biometric identifying information from the patient with an ocular biometric capture device of the eye tracking and biometric identification system; generating, with a computer processor of the eye tracking and biometric identification system, a score representing an ability of the patient's eyes to track the video; and confirming, with the computer processor, an identity of the patient, based on the captured ocular biometric identifying information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treating a lung of a patient. One embodiment of a method comprises positioning a leadless marker in the lung of the patient relative to the target, and collecting position data of the marker. This method further comprises determining the location of the marker in an external reference frame outside of the patient based on the collected position data, and providing an objective output in the external reference frame that is responsive to movement of the marker. The objective output is provided at a frequency (i.e., periodicity) that results in a clinically acceptable tracking error. In addition, the objective output can also be provided at least substantially contemporaneously with collecting the position data used to determine the location of the marker.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a radiation therapy method can include loading a planning image of a target in a human. In addition, the position of the target can be monitored. A computation can be made of an occurrence of substantial alignment between the position of the target and the target of the planning image. Furthermore, after the computing, a beam of radiation is triggered to deliver a dosage to the target in a short period of time (e.g., less than a second).

Abstract: A patient-specific finite element model of the cornea is generated for the purposes of modeling a cornea for simulating tissue cuts in the cornea. A first group of tissue fibers, with main fibers that extend parallel to the surface of the cornea, is distributed in the finite element model in accordance with a first distribution function. Moreover, a second group of tissue fibers, with inclined cross-linked fibers that do not extend parallel to the surface of the cornea, is distributed in the finite element model in accordance with a second distribution function. Here, the second distribution function distributes the cross-linked fibers with a non-uniform weighting function over the depth of the cornea, from the outer surface of the cornea to the inner surface of the cornea.

Abstract: Irradiation device for irradiating an irradiation object with heavy charged particles, comprising a support for the irradiation object, and an irradiation nozzle irradiating a charged particle beam towards the irradiation object, wherein the beam is deflected within the irradiation nozzle. The support for the irradiation object is moveable at least horizontally, and the irradiation nozzle is moveable at least vertically and rotatable around a nozzle swivel axis along which the particle beam enters into the irradiation nozzle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a protection system (10) and a method for protecting a staff member (6) against X-ray scatter radiation, an X-ray system and a computer readable medium having stored a computer program element for controlling such system. The protection system (10) comprises a location unit (20), and a determination unit (30). The location unit (20) is configured to detect the position of a shielding device (3) and the position of the staff member (6) to be protected. The determination unit (30) is configured to determine an origin (5) of potential X-ray scatter radiation and to determine if the shielding device (3) is positioned to protect the staff member (6) to be protected based on the origin (5) of potential X-ray scatter radiation, the position of the shielding device (3) and the position of the staff member (6).

Abstract: Method for irradiation planning of a target volume with a scanned particle beam, comprising the following steps: defining a target volume located in a body, subdividing the target volume into a plurality of individually approachable target points, defining a number of temporally consecutive irradiation sub-plans, dividing the target points of the target volume among the irradiation sub-plans in subsets, wherein the subsets are distributed over the entire target volume, and wherein mutually adjacent target points of the target volume are each assigned to different irradiation sub-plans.

Abstract: A radiotherapy technique for providing a radiation source having a radiation path that intersects a treatment area, activating the radiation source, and moving the radiation source in three dimensions about the treatment area, wherein the radiation source is continually directed substantially toward an isocentric point within the treatment area.