Abstract: A structural element for use in a radiotherapy system or a magnetic resonance imaging system or a combination of a radiotherapy system and a magnetic resonance imaging system includes a plurality of fibers and a matrix, whereby the plurality of fibers are embedded in the matrix.

Abstract: Radiation treatment is delivered to a patient by positioning the patient such that a radiation beam is delivered to a lesion within the patient along a beam-delivery path while securing a diagnostic imaging device about the patient such that the diagnostic imaging device does not intersect the beam-delivery path. Radiation therapy is simultaneously delivered along the beam-delivery path while diagnostic images are obtained using the imaging device.

Abstract: A method of presenting a suggested path for an ultrasound probe along a patient's surface includes obtaining a three-dimensional, non-ultrasound image of the patient and an ultrasound image of the patient. A treatment area is defined within the within the three-dimensional, non-ultrasound image, and using the images, defining a scanning site contour of an anatomical structure of interest within the patient and an external contour of the patient's surface. A preferred path of the ultrasound scan is projected onto the external contour such that an operator can reproduce the ultrasound scan without knowledge of the anatomical structure of interest.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing motions of an anatomical region of interest of a patient during image-guided radiotherapy are disclosed. An exemplary system may include an image acquisition device, a radiotherapy device, and a processor device. The processor device may be configured to determine a primary plane of motion of the anatomical region of interest and determine a plurality of 2D slices parallel to the primary plane. The plurality of 2D slices may define a 3D volume substantially enclosing the anatomical region of interest. The processor device may also be configured to control the image acquisition device to acquire a plurality of 2D images based on the plurality of 2D slices and determine a motion of the anatomical region of interest based on at least a subset of the acquired plurality of 2D images. The processor device may be further configured to control radiation delivery based on the determined motion.

Abstract: Various implementations of the invention provide techniques and supporting systems that facilitate real-time or near-real-time ultrasound tracking for the purpose of calculating changes in anatomical features during a medical procedure. More specifically, anatomical features within a patient undergoing a medical procedure are tracked by obtaining temporally-distinct three dimensional ultrasound images that include the feature of interest and obtaining a targeted subset of ultrasound images focused on the feature. Based on the targeted subset of ultrasound images, a displacement of the feature is determined and image parameters used to obtain the targeted subset of ultrasound images are adjusted based on the displacement. This results in a time-based sequence of three dimensional images and targeted ultrasound images of the feature that identify changes in the position, size, location, and/or shape of the feature.

Abstract: In the field of radiotherapy, methods for dose or treatment planning for a radiotherapy system including a radiotherapy unit are described. A spatial dose delivered can be changed by adjusting beam shape settings, wherein delivered radiation is determined using an optimization problem that steers the delivered radiation according to objectives reflecting criteria for regions of interest including at least one of: targets to be treated during treatment of the patient, organs at risk and/or healthy tissue. The method includes determining an inner set of voxels and providing a first frame description for the inner set of voxels, where the first frame description reflects criteria for the inner set of voxels. Determining an outer set of voxels encompassing the target volume and the inner set of voxels and a frame description for the outer set of voxels is provided where each reflecting criteria for the outer set of voxels.

Abstract: In the field of radiotherapy, methods for dose or treatment planning for a radiotherapy system are disclosed, wherein a spatial dose delivered can be adjusted and delivered radiation is determined using an optimization problem that steers the delivered radiation according to a frame description reflecting criteria for regions of interest that include at least one of targets to be treated during treatment of the patient, organs at risk and/or healthy tissue. The method includes estimating a voxel set receiving a higher dose than a predetermined threshold dose level, which voxel set includes voxels from at least one target volume. Further, a low dose voxel set is determined and a frame description for the voxels in the low dose voxel set is provided where voxels receiving a dose exceeding a predetermined threshold value is penalized such that the dose delivered to the low dose voxel set is suppressed. The frame description is then used in the optimization problem that steers the delivered radiation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for target tracking using a quality indicator during radiation therapy treatment. An exemplary method may include determining a localization result indicating a location of a target in a plurality of images representative of images acquired in a radiation therapy treatment session. The method may also include determining a quality indicator for each localization result. The method may further include extracting one or more features from each localization result. In addition, the method may include training the classifier using the localization result and one or more of the extracted features.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, a system or a non-transitory computer-readable medium of doing the same, for monitoring movement of anatomical features throughout a radiation treatment session. The method may include monitoring the movement of the anatomical features with a first modality. The method may further include obtaining positional information of the anatomical features with a second modality over a finite acquisition time. The method may also include providing an indication of a clinically relevant movement associated with the anatomical features during the finite acquisition time based on the monitored movement from the first modality.

Abstract: An image-guided therapy delivery system includes a therapy generator configured to generate a therapy beam directed to a time-varying therapy locus within a therapy recipient, an imaging input configured to receive imaging information about a time-varying target locus within the therapy recipient, and a therapy controller. The therapy generator includes a therapy output configured to direct the therapy beam according to a therapy protocol. The therapy controller is configured to automatically generate a predicted target locus using information indicative of an earlier target locus extracted from the imaging information, a cyclic motion model, and a specified latency, and automatically generate an updated therapy protocol to align the time-varying therapy locus with the predicted target locus.

Abstract: A system and method for simulating energy transport between particles and an object in radiotherapy is provided. A three-dimensional representation, having a plurality of voxels, is generated for a portion of a patient to be treated. A material index for each of the plurality of voxels is determined. The material index has an identifier for a first boundary material corresponding to a voxel and a percentage of the voxel associated with a second boundary material. The method further comprises simulating energy transport between a particle and the object by calculating an amount of energy deposited by a particle within the patient based on the material indices of the voxels and a list of boundary materials.

Abstract: A medical system includes a medical device and a controller. The medical device is controlled according to a control protocol. The controller is configured to receive a measured data set containing a current value at a current time and past values at past times of a physiologic signal measured on a recipient, calculate a difference signal at the current time based on the measured data set, and predict a difference value using the difference signal and a prediction algorithm. The difference value is a difference between a predicted future value of the physiologic signal at a future time and the current value. The controller is further configured to calculate the predicted future value based on the difference value and the current value and update the control protocol according to the predicted future value.

Abstract: A system for moving a patient into and from a medical apparatus includes a patient support arranged outside a treatment space of a medical apparatus, a treatment table arranged inside the treatment space in the medical apparatus and a patient bed movable in a longitudinal direction from the patient support to the treatment table and back by activation of a transferring mechanism. The system may further include a coil arrangement including an anterior coil and a support stand, the support stand resting on the patient bed adjacent to longitudinal edges of the patient bed and being slidable along the patient bed in a longitudinal direction when a patient is placed on the bed.

Abstract: A structural element for use in a radiotherapy system or a magnetic resonance imaging system or a combination of a radiotherapy system and a magnetic resonance imaging system includes a plurality of fibers and a matrix, whereby the plurality of fibers are embedded in the matrix.

Abstract: A system for moving a patient into and from a medical apparatus includes a patient support arranged outside a treatment space of a medical apparatus, a treatment table arranged inside the treatment space in the medical apparatus and a patient bed movable in a longitudinal direction from the patient support to the treatment table and back by means of activation of a transferring mechanism. The patient bed is provided with at least a first communication channel for transferring communication signals.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of radiation therapy. In particular, the present invention relates to methods for treatment planning for a radiation therapy system. The method includes setting a number of objectives reflecting clinical criteria are set for the regions of interest and generating radiation dose profiles to be delivered to these regions of interest. A convex optimization function for optimizing the delivered radiation based on the objectives is provided and dose profiles for specific treatment configurations including beam shape settings for the radiation dose profiles are calculated using the convex optimization function. Treatment plans including determining the radiation dose profiles to be delivered during treatment based on the treatment configurations are created and an optimal treatment plan that satisfies the clinical criteria is selected.

Abstract: A system for moving a patient into and from a medical apparatus includes a patient support arranged outside a treatment space of a medical apparatus, a treatment table arranged inside the treatment space in the medical apparatus and a patient bed movable in a longitudinal direction from the patient support to the treatment table and back by activation of a transferring mechanism. The system may further include a coil arrangement including an anterior coil and a support stand, the support stand resting on the patient bed adjacent to longitudinal edges of the patient bed and being slidable along the patient bed in a longitudinal direction when a patient is placed on the bed.