Magnetic resonance imaging guided brachytherapy with displaying the catheter placement position

A method of using a medical apparatus (200, 300, 400) for guiding a catheter (222, 506), wherein the medical apparatus comprises a magnetic resonance imaging system (202) for acquiring magnetic resonance data (244, 250) from an imaging zone (208), wherein the medical apparatus further comprises a display (270, 501) for displaying images (252, 500), wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• receiving a brachytherapy treatment plan (240) for treating a subject (210),
• acquiring (100) planning magnetic resonance data using the magnetic resonance imaging system,
• calculating (102) a catheter placement position (246, 900, 902) and a catheter control command for each of the multiple brachytherapy catheters using the brachytherapy treatment plan and the planning magnetic resonance data, wherein the catheter control command is descriptive of locations and dwell times for the locations for the multiple brachytherapy catheters,
• wherein the method further comprises repeatedly performing the steps of:
• acquiring (106) guidance magnetic resonance data (250);
• reconstructing (108) an image (252, 500) from the guidance magnetic resonance data;
• displaying (106) the image on the display;
• displaying (112) the catheter placement position on the image;
• receiving (114) a catheter inserted signal from a user interface;
• segmenting (116) the image to determine the catheter placement position after receiving the catheter inserted signal;
• recalculating (116) the catheter placement for each remaining catheter placement position after receiving the catheter inserted signal;
• and
• recalculating (116) the catheter control command for the multiple catheters after receiving the catheter inserted signal.

A computer program product comprising machine executable instructions (260, 262, 264, 266, 268) for execution by a processor (228) controlling a medical apparatus (200, 300, 400), wherein the medical apparatus comprises a magnetic resonance imaging system (202) for acquiring magnetic resonance data (244, 250) from an imaging zone (208), wherein the medical apparatus further comprises, a display (252, 501) for displaying images, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to receive a brachytherapy treatment plan (240) for treating a subject (210),

• wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to acquire (100) planning magnetic resonance data (244) using the magnetic resonance imaging system,
• wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to calculate (102) a catheter placement position (246, 900, 902) and a catheter control command (248) for each of the multiple brachytherapy catheters using the brachytherapy treatment plan and the planning magnetic resonance data, wherein the catheter control command is descriptive of locations and dwell times for the locations for at least one of the multiple brachytherapy catheters,
• wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor, for each catheter placement position, to repeatedly:
• acquire (106) guidance magnetic resonance data (250);
• reconstruct (108) an image (252, 500) from the guidance magnetic resonance data;
• display (110) the image on the display;
• display (112) the catheter placement position on the image;
• receive (114) a catheter inserted signal from a user interface;
• segment (116) the image to determine the catheter placement position after receiving the catheter inserted signal;
• recalculate (116) the catheter placement for each remaining catheter placement position after receiving the catheter inserted signal;
• and
• recalculate (116) the catheter control command for the multiple catheters after receiving the catheter inserted signal.