US 2016/0236009 A1 · ESTIMATING POSITION OF AN ORGAN WITH A BIOMECHANICAL MODEL

Abstract

There is presented a method 100 and apparatus 200 to measure the surface of the patient (thorax and abdominal regions), e.g., during therapy delivery and (if necessary) while imaging. Together with biomechanical considerations the position of internal structures of the patient, such as an organ, and optionally a tumor in an organ, is inferred from the measured patient surface. In case the patient breaths and thus the organ and/or tumor moves, the position may be determined, which may be advantageous during, e.g., radiation therapy, since it enables that whenever the tumor is at the right position according to the radiation therapy plan, the radiation is switched on. In a specific embodiment, a finite element model is employed.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for estimating organ coordinates of at least a part of an organ which may move and/or change shape due to breathing in an associated patient, the method comprising:

obtaining a biomechanical model of said associated patient, said biomechanical model being based on three-dimensional data indicative of only internal structures of the thorax of said associated patient at a first point in time,
obtaining surface coordinates indicative of a position and shape at a second point in time of
at least a part of the surface of the thorax of said associated patient, and
at least a part of the surface of the abdomen of said associated patient so as to enable estimating an external abdominal volume,
obtaining the organ coordinates, by
inputting said surface coordinates in said biomechanical model, and
outputting from said biomechanical model the organ coordinates, wherein said biomechanical model models
at least a part of an internal abdominal volume, and
tissue of the chest wall of said patient,
as incompressible.

7 more elements

An apparatus for estimating coordinates of at least a part of an organ which may move due to breathing in an associated patient, the apparatus comprising:

a computer-readable medium suitable for comprising a biomechanical model of said associated patient, said biomechanical model being based on three-dimensional data indicative of only internal structures of the thorax of said associated patient at a first point in time,
a surface determining unit for obtaining surface coordinates indicative of a position and shape at a second point in time of
at least a part of the surface of the thorax of said associated patient, and
at least a part of the surface of the abdomen of said associated patient so as to enable estimating an external abdominal volume,
a processor operatively connected to the computer readable medium and the surface determining unit for obtaining surface coordinates indicative of a position and shape of the surface of said associated patient at the second point in time, the processor being arranged for obtaining the organ coordinates, by
receiving said surface coordinates,
inputting said surface coordinates in said biomechanical model, and
outputting from said biomechanical model the organ coordinates, wherein said biomechanical model models
at least a part of an internal abdominal volume, and
tissue of the chest wall,
as incompressible.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Estimating position of an organ with a biomechanical model

Life of this patent

Estimating position of an organ with a biomechanical model

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15