Apparatus and method for electronic brachytherapy
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips N.V.
InventorCarolina Ribbing
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In brachytherapy where position information relating to a radiation source is to be generated, a guidance system is adapted to acquire and process position data or position and tissue data, so that high-precision interventional radiotherapy can be carried out, especially according to a dose plan and for intra-fraction monitoring for a therapy plan or adaptive re-planning. The data can be stored and used to refine future treatment plans and for future correlation with long-term treatment outcome, especially in context with low energy brachytherapy.
Claims15
An apparatus (30) for interventional brachytherapy for generating data to be used directly for therapy and/or for therapy planning, said apparatus (30) comprising:
- guiding means (32, 33, 34) for providing a channel-like arrangement to be navigated within a body in order to irradiate tissue;
- a radiation source (31) for irradiating tissue, said radiation source (31) being arranged on said guiding means (32, 33, 34);
- and
- first position sensing means (61) for generating position data related to the position of said radiation source (31), said first position sensing means (61) being arranged to provide the position data to a position control device (22) and/or power control device (21) of a brachytherapy system in order to position said radiation source (31) within the body,
- wherein said first position sensing means (61) comprises an optical fiber and at least one optical sensor for position detection.
A method of generating position information to be used in brachytherapy therapy, directly for therapy and/or for therapy planning, said method comprising:
- a. navigating an apparatus (30) with guiding means (32, 33, 34) within a body for providing a radiation source (31) generating radiation in order to treat tissue;
- b. generating position data by means of position sensing means (61, 62) having an optical fiber and at least one position sensor;
- c. providing the position data to a brachytherapy apparatus (20) in order to control power and/or position of said radiation source (31);
- d. optically tracking the position of said radiation source (31) relative to the tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.