Real-time applicator position monitoring system
AssigneeUniversity of Iowa Research Foundation
InventorsJunyi Xia, Yusung Kim, Timothy J. Waldron
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A real-time applicator position monitoring system (RAPS) measures brachytherapy applicator displacement in real-time by computing the relative displacement between two infrared reflective targets, one attached to the applicator and the other to the patient's skin. In an aspect, RAPS can be used with any brachytherapy application. RAPS measures the applicator motion during HDR brachytherapy treatment, as well as during the transfer of the patient from the imaging room (e.g., where the CT and MR scanners are located) to the HDR BT operating/treatment room.
Claims9
A real-time applicator monitoring system for use in HDR brachytherapy, comprising:
- a. at least two markers, comprising a first marker and a second marker, wherein the first marker is configured to be attached to a brachytherapy applicator and the second marker is configured to be attached to a patient;
- b. at least one camera configured to capture images of the at least two markers in relation to one another;
- and
- c. a computer in communication with the at least one camera, the computer comprising memory and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to continuously monitor displacement of the brachytherapy applicator in relation to the patient during the HDR brachytherapy by processing the images of the at least two markers to determine the displacement of the brachytherapy applicator wherein the processor is further configured to:
- i. perform edge preserved smoothing to images captured by the camera;
- ii. detect edges of the at least two markers;
- iii. reconstruct the at least two markers through morphological analysis;
- iv. determine pixel size to determine a physical distance between the at least two markers;
- and
- v. measure relative distance change between the at least two markers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.