Abstract: A radiation treatment system and method of commissioning the system, the system including a gantry, a radiation source operable to produce a beam of radiation, and a measurement device. The measurement device is physically connected to the gantry, and includes a multi-dimensional scanning arm, and a detector. The method includes generating radiation from the radiation source, passing the radiation through an attenuation block, and receiving radiation with the measurement device. The measurement device is positioned such that it is not in contact with water. Data is generated from the radiation received and the system is commissioned using the generated data to match system characteristics to a previously defined standard.

Abstract: A radiation therapy treatment system and method of optimizing a heterogeneous dose to be delivered to a patient. The system includes a computer processor and a software program stored in a computer readable medium accessible by the computer processor. The software program is operable to receive a prescribed heterogeneous radiation dose to be delivered to the patient, determine a homogeneous reference dose, calculate a complementary radiation dose by determining a difference between the homogeneous reference dose and the heterogeneous radiation dose, generate a treatment plan for the patient, the treatment plan including an optimized radiation dose to be delivered to the patient, combine the complementary radiation dose and the optimized radiation dose, evaluate the combined radiation dose with respect to the homogeneous reference dose, and display the combined radiation dose.

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.

Abstract: A two-dimensional contouring tool that allows a user to maintain a minimum distance away (in 3D) from other structures. The contouring tool allows the user to rapidly define a series of contours that conform to the shape of one or more existing contours (or targets) with user-specified margin limits between the new contour and the existing contours (or targets).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Abstract: A system and method of optimizing delivery of a radiation therapy treatment. The system optimizes treatment delivery in real-time to take into account a variety of factors, such as patient anatomical and physiological changes (e.g., respiration and other movement, etc.), and machine configuration changes (e.g., beam output factors, couch error, leaf error, etc.).

Abstract: A system and method of identifying anatomical structures in a patient. The method includes the acts of acquiring an image of the patient, the image including a set of image elements; segmenting the image to categorize each image elements according to its substance; computing the probability that the categorization of each image element is correct; resegmenting the image starting with image elements that have a high probability and progressing to image elements with lower probabilities; aligning at least one of the image elements with an anatomical atlas; and fitting the anatomical atlas to the segmented image.

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.

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.

Abstract: A system and method of optimizing delivery of a radiation therapy treatment. The system optimizes treatment delivery in real-time to take into account a variety of factors, such as patient anatomical and physiological changes (e.g., respiration and other movement, etc.), and machine configuration changes (e.g., beam output factors, couch error, leaf error, etc.).

Abstract: A system and method of adapting a radiation therapy treatment plan for a patient by varying the fraction size delivered to the patient on any individual day, based at least partially on the use of daily patient registration (i.e., taking images of the patient before each fraction is delivered to see the position and size of the tumor on that day). The fraction size can be dynamically altered based upon the biology of the tumor.

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.

Abstract: Compensation for patient rotation between planning and treatment in a radiation therapy machine is provided by angled translation of a table surface on which the patient is supported without actual patient rotation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method of using current but incomplete data to prepare an approximated complete image of a patient potentially undergoing radiation therapy. A limited patient image, such as that obtained from a CT scan is fused with a complete image of the same area using image registration techniques. The fused image is converted to sinogram data. This data is compared to sinogram data corresponding to the limited patient image to determine what data exists beyond the scope of the limited sinogram. Any additional data is added to the limited data sinogram to obtain a complete sinogram. This is reconstructed into an image that approximates the complete image that would have been taken at the time the limited image was obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of using current but incomplete data to prepare an approximated complete image of a patient potentially undergoing radiation therapy. A complete image of the patient is fused or aligned with a limited patient image using image registration techniques. The aligned image is converted to sinogram data. This sinogram data is compared to sinogram data corresponding to the limited patient image to determine what data exists beyond the scope of the limited sinogram. Any additional data is added to the limited data sinogram to obtain a complete sinogram. This complete sinogram is then reconstructed into an image that approximates the complete image that would have been taken at the time the limited image was obtained.

Abstract: A method of compensating for unexpected changes in the size, shape, and/or position of a patient in the delivery of radiation therapy. An image of a patient is used to prepare a treatment plan for the irradiation of a tumor or the like, shown in the image. A second image of a patient includes a visual representation of the tumor and sensitive structures wherein any combination of the size, shape, or position of the tumor or sensitive structures is different from any combination of the size, shape, or position of the visual representation of the tumor or sensitive structures in said first image. The radiation treatment is adjusted to more closely conform the treatment plan to the new size, shape, or position of the tumor as shown in said second image. This adjustment can occur before, during, or after the radiation delivery and can be used to define trade-offs that exist for the delivery.