# US 12,667,737 B2 · Method for providing an irradiation plan, device for determining and device for applying the irradiation plan

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- Number: US 12,667,737 B2
- Document ID: US12667737B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/303,742
- Filed: 2023-04-20
- Published: 2023-10-26
- Granted: 2026-06-30
- Earliest claimed: 2022-04-21
- Assignees: Siemens Healthineers AG
- Applicants: Siemens Healthineers AG
- Inventors: Christian Hofmann; Patrick Wohlfahrt
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12667737B2

## CPC

- A61B 6/5288: {involving retrospective matching to a physiological signal}
- A61N 5/1039: {using functional images, e.g. PET or MRI}
- A61B 5/0036: {including treatment, e.g., using an implantable medical device, ablating, ventilating}
- A61B 5/087: Measuring breath flow
- A61B 5/1135: {by monitoring thoracic expansion}
- A61B 5/4848: {Monitoring or testing the effects of treatment, e.g. of medication}
- A61B 5/7267: {involving training the classification device}
- A61N 5/1037: {taking into account the movement of the target, e.g. 4D-image based planning}
- A61N 5/1049: {for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam}
- A61N 5/1067: {in real time, i.e. during treatment}
- A61N 5/1068: {Gating the beam as a function of a physiological signal}
- G01T 1/2985: {In depth localisation, e.g. using positron emitters; Tomographic imaging (longitudinal and transverse section imaging; apparatus for radiation diagnosis sequentially in different planes, steroscopic radiation diagnosis); (using external radiation sources A61B6/02)}
- A61B 5/0073: {by tomography, i.e. reconstruction of 3D images from 2D projections (A61B5/0066 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/055: involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
- A61B 6/032: {Transmission computed tomography [CT]}
- A61B 6/037: {Emission tomography}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)
- G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00)

## Abstract

A method for providing an irradiation plan for irradiation of a target volume, comprises: acquiring a time-resolved 3D image dataset, wherein the 3D image dataset is time-resolved over at least one respiratory cycle of the patient, wherein the 3D image dataset is based on a time-resolved scan of an examination region of the patient and on an imaging respiration profile, wherein the examination region includes the target volume, and wherein the imaging respiration profile is based on a first respiration-correlated surrogate variable determined during the time-resolved scan; acquiring a respiration-correlated second surrogate variable of the patient, wherein the second surrogate variable describes a respiration of the patient during the irradiation; determining an irradiation respiration profile based on the second surrogate variable; determining the irradiation plan based on the 3D image dataset and the irradiation respiration profile; and providing the irradiation plan for an irradiation of the target volume.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for providing an irradiation plan for irradiation of a target volume, the method comprising:
acquiring a time-resolved 3D image dataset, wherein the time-resolved 3D image dataset is time-resolved over at least one respiratory cycle of a patient, wherein the time-resolved 3D image dataset is based on time-resolved computed tomography (CT) scans of an examination region of the patient and based on an imaging respiration profile, wherein the examination region includes the target volume, and wherein the imaging respiration profile is based on a respiration-correlated first surrogate variable determined during the time-resolved CT scans;
measuring a respiration-correlated second surrogate variable of the patient during execution of the irradiation plan, wherein the respiration-correlated second surrogate variable describes a respiration of the patient during irradiation;
determining an irradiation respiration profile based on the respiration-correlated second surrogate variable;
adjusting the irradiation plan based on the time-resolved 3D image dataset and the irradiation respiration profile; and
providing the irradiation plan for irradiation of the target volume.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
determining, prior to the acquiring of the time-resolved 3D image dataset, the time-resolved 3D image dataset, wherein the determining of the time-resolved 3D image dataset includes
acquiring slice images of the examination region via an imaging apparatus and providing the slice images,
acquiring the respiration-correlated first surrogate variable, wherein the respiration-correlated first surrogate variable describes a respiration of the patient during the acquiring of the slice images,
determining the imaging respiration profile based on the respiration-correlated first surrogate variable, and
determining the time-resolved 3D image dataset based on the slice images and the imaging respiration profile.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the respiration-correlated second surrogate variable corresponds to the respiration-correlated first surrogate variable.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the imaging respiration profile includes respiratory phases,
wherein the respiratory phases include at least one of a normal respiratory phase or a deep respiratory phase, and at least one of a shallow respiratory phase or a deviation respiratory phase,
wherein the time-resolved 3D image dataset is determined based on at least one of the normal respiratory phase or the deep respiratory phase, while at least one of the shallow respiratory phase or the deviation respiratory phase are excluded during determination of the time-resolved 3D image dataset,
wherein the irradiation respiration profile is examined for at least one of the normal respiratory phase, the deep respiratory phase, the shallow respiratory phase or the deviation respiratory phase, and
wherein the irradiation plan is determined such that an irradiation of the target volume is at least one of different from irradiation for the normal respiratory phase or omitted for at least one of the deep respiratory phase, the shallow respiratory phase or the deviation respiratory phase.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of an organ movement or a movement of the target volume is determined based on at least one of the time-resolved 3D image dataset, the imaging respiration profile or the irradiation respiration profile, and wherein the adjusting the irradiation plan adjusts the irradiation plan based on at least one of the organ movement or the movement of the target volume.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the irradiation plan for the target volume includes a safety zone, wherein the safety zone is determined based on at least one of the time-resolved 3D image dataset, the imaging respiration profile or the irradiation respiration profile.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the irradiation plan includes irradiation parameters, wherein at least one of a beam diameter, a focus position of a beam intended for the irradiation, a dose rate of the beam, a pulsing of the beam, or a receiving point of the beam on the patient, are determined as the irradiation parameters during the adjusting of the irradiation plan based on the time-resolved 3D image dataset and the irradiation respiration profile.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the time-resolved 3D image dataset was or is determined based on an analysis of the imaging respiration profile via a first analysis algorithm, and wherein the adjusting the irradiation plan adjusts the irradiation plan based on an analysis of the irradiation respiration profile via the first analysis algorithm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of determination of the imaging respiration profile or determination of the time-resolved 3D image dataset was or is determined based on a first machine-learning algorithm, wherein a further machine-learning algorithm is applied to at least one of determine the irradiation respiration profile or determine the irradiation plan, wherein the further machine-learning algorithm is or was obtained based on a transfer learning of the first machine-learning algorithm.

### Claim 10

A device for determining an irradiation plan for irradiation of a target volume, the device comprising:
a first acquisition unit configured to acquire a time-resolved 3D image dataset, wherein the time-resolved 3D image dataset is time-resolved over at least one respiratory cycle of a patient, wherein the time-resolved 3D image dataset is based on time resolved computed tomography (CT) scans of an examination region of the patient and based on an imaging respiration profile, wherein the examination region includes the target volume, wherein the imaging respiration profile is based on a respiration-correlated first surrogate variable determined during the time-resolved CT scans;
a second acquisition unit configured to measure a respiration-correlated second surrogate variable of the patient during execution of the irradiation plan, wherein the respiration-correlated second surrogate variable describes a respiration of the patient during irradiation;
a first determination unit configured to determine an irradiation respiration profile based on the respiration-correlated second surrogate variable;
a second determination unit configured to adjust the irradiation plan based on the time-resolved 3D image dataset and the irradiation respiration profile; and
a provisioning unit configured to provide the irradiation plan for irradiation of the target volume.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:
an irradiation source configured to emit a beam of ionizing radiation to irradiate the target volume; and
an application unit configured to at least one of actuate or control the irradiation source to output the beam based on the irradiation plan.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:
a measurement unit configured to measure the respiration-correlated second surrogate variable during irradiation of the target volume.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A non-transitory computer program product including a computer program loadable into a computing device, the computer program having program sections that, when executed at the computing device, cause the computing device to perform the method as claimed in claim 1.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program sections that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the method as claimed in claim 1.

### Claim 15

A device for determining an irradiation plan for irradiation of a target volume, the device comprising:
a memory storing computer-readable instructions; and
at least one processor configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to cause the device to
acquire a time-resolved 3D image dataset, wherein the time-resolved 3D image dataset is time-resolved over at least one respiratory cycle of a patient, wherein the time-resolved 3D image dataset is based on time-resolved computed tomography (CT) scans of an examination region of the patient and based on an imaging respiration profile, wherein the examination region includes the target volume, and wherein the imaging respiration profile is based on a respiration-correlated first surrogate variable determined during the time-resolved CT scans,
measure a respiration-correlated second surrogate variable of the patient during execution of the irradiation plan, wherein the respiration-correlated second surrogate variable describes a respiration of the patient during irradiation,
determine an irradiation respiration profile based on the respiration-correlated second surrogate variable,
adjust the irradiation plan based on the time-resolved 3D image dataset and the irradiation respiration profile, and
provide the irradiation plan for irradiation of the target volume.

### Claim 16 (depends on 2)

The method as claimed in claim 2,
wherein the imaging respiration profile includes respiratory phases,
wherein the respiratory phases include at least one of a normal respiratory phase, a deep respiratory phase, a shallow respiratory phase or a deviation respiratory phase,
wherein the time-resolved 3D image dataset is determined based on at least one of the normal respiratory phase or the deep respiratory phase, while at least one of the shallow respiratory phase or the deviation respiratory phase are excluded during determination of the time-resolved 3D image dataset,
wherein the irradiation respiration profile is examined for at least one of the normal respiratory phase, the deep respiratory phase, the shallow respiratory phase or the deviation respiratory phase, and
wherein the adjusting the irradiation plan adjusts the irradiation plan such that an irradiation of the target volume is at least one of different from irradiation for the normal respiratory phase or omitted for at least one of the deep respiratory phase, the shallow respiratory phase or the deviation respiratory phase.

### Claim 17 (depends on 3)

The method as claimed in claim 3,
wherein the imaging respiration profile includes respiratory phases,
wherein the respiratory phases include at least one of a normal respiratory phase, a deep respiratory phase, a shallow respiratory phase or a deviation respiratory phase,
wherein the time-resolved 3D image dataset is determined based on at least one of the normal respiratory phase or the deep respiratory phase, while at least one of the shallow respiratory phase or the deviation respiratory phase are excluded during determination of the time-resolved 3D image dataset,
wherein the irradiation respiration profile is examined for at least one of the normal respiratory phase, the deep respiratory phase, the shallow respiratory phase or the deviation respiratory phase, and
wherein the adjusting the irradiation plan adjusts the irradiation plan such that an irradiation of the target volume is at least one of different from irradiation for the normal respiratory phase or omitted for at least one of the deep respiratory phase, the shallow respiratory phase or the deviation respiratory phase.

### Claim 18 (depends on 4)

The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of an organ movement or a movement of the target volume is determined based on at least one of the time-resolved 3D image dataset, the imaging respiration profile or the irradiation respiration profile, and wherein the adjusting the irradiation plan adjusts the irradiation plan based on at least one of the organ movement or the movement of the target volume.

### Claim 19 (depends on 2)

The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of determination of the imaging respiration profile or determination of the time-resolved 3D image dataset was or is determined based on a first machine-learning algorithm, wherein a further machine-learning algorithm is applied to at least one of determine the irradiation respiration profile or determine the irradiation plan, wherein the further machine-learning algorithm is or was obtained based on a transfer learning of the first machine-learning algorithm.

### Claim 20 (depends on 4)

The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of determination of the imaging respiration profile or determination of the time-resolved 3D image dataset was or is determined based on a first machine-learning algorithm, wherein a further machine-learning algorithm is applied to at least one of determine the irradiation respiration profile or determine the irradiation plan, wherein the further machine-learning algorithm is or was obtained based on a transfer learning of the first machine-learning algorithm.