# US 6,690,965 B1 · Method and system for physiological gating of radiation therapy > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,690,965 B1 - Document ID: US6690965B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/712,724 - Filed: 2000-11-14 - Granted: 2004-02-10 - Earliest claimed: 1998-10-23 - Assignees: Varian Medical Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Majid L. Riaziat; Stanley Mansfield; Hassan Mostafavi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6690965B1 ## CPC - A61B 6/541: {involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal} - A61B 6/463: {characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display} - A61N 5/1048: {Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods} - A61B 5/11: Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor or mobility of a limb {(A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721)} - A61N 5/1037: {taking into account the movement of the target, e.g. 4D-image based planning} - A61N 5/1064: {for adjusting radiation treatment in response to monitoring} - A61N 5/1068: {Gating the beam as a function of a physiological signal} - A61N 2005/1059: {using cameras imaging the patient} - 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) ## Abstract A method and system for physiological gating for radiation therapy is disclosed. According to an aspect, the invention comprises the use of an optical or video image system to measure regular physiological movement of a patient's body. The image data can be used to quantify voluntary or involuntary motion of the patient that may affect the delivery of radiation to a target tissue. A gating signal can be generated to suspend delivery of radiation upon certain threshold event detected in the physiological movement. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for determining one or more treatment intervals for radiation therapy comprising: an imaging system for generating image data representative of an internal region of a patient's body; an instrument for generating motion information relating to physiological movement of the patient's body; and a user interface configured to synchronously display in a single display the image data with a motion signal chart the motion signal chart presenting a representation of the motion information and representing physiological movement during a measurement time period; wherein the user interface is further configured for allowing a gating signal chart to be determined based on the image data and the motion signal chart, the gating signal chart representing one or more treatment intervals. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 in which the imaging system comprises a fluoroscopic imaging system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 in which the instrument comprises one or more cameras configured to detect the physiological movement. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 in which a simulated treatment interval is defined over the motion information, and in which the image data is displayed during the simulated treatment interval. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4 in which the simulated treatment interval is dynamically adjustable. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising a processor for generating digital analysis signals, the digital analysis signals comprising results of digital analysis to quantify motion of an internal structure shown in the image data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to generate the digital analysis signals by performing digital subtraction of image frames. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the single display comprises a monitor screen. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the monitor screen comprises a first region for displaying a representation of the image data, and a second region for displaying the motion signal chart. ### Claim 10 A system for determining one or more treatment intervals in a planning phase of a treatment, comprising: means for recording image data representative of internal tissue targeted for irradiation; means for generating motion data representative of physiological movement of a patient; means for synchronously displaying in a single display the image data with a motion signal chart, the motion signal chart presenting a representation the generated motion data and representing physiological movement during a measurement time period; and means for determining a gating signal chart based on the image data and the motion signal chart, the gating signal chart representing one or more treatment intervals. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising means for setting a desired boundary for the treatment interval. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the means for displaying is configured to display the image data only when the motion data is within the desired boundary of the treatment interval. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the means for setting comprises a user interface in which a user can set a border around a region of interest in an image. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the border has a shape of a box. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the border has a shape that resembles that of a tumor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising means for analyzing motion of a tissue during the physiological movement. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the means for analyzing is configured to perform digital subtraction of image frames. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising means for providing a preset movement margin threshold; and means for analyzing the motion data to determine an optimal gating threshold of the treatment interval to achieve the preset movement margin threshold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising means for performing verification to validate a gating threshold setting of the treatment interval. ### Claim 20 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the means for recording image data comprises means for recording video data. ### Claim 21 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the means for recording image data comprises means for obtaining a static image. ### Claim 22 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the means for recording image data comprises means for configuring a positional geometry of an imaging system to correspond to a projection geometry of a radiation beam source. ### Claim 23 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the means for synchrononsly displaying comprises a monitor screen. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The system of claim 23, wherein the monitor screen comprises a first region for displaying a representation of the image data, and a second region for displaying the motion signal chart. ### Claim 25 A method for determining one or more treatment intervals for radiation therapy comprising: recording image data representative of internal tissue targeted for irradiation; generating motion data representative of a physiological movement that occurs while image data is being recorded; synchronously displaying the image data with a motion signal chart, the motion signal chart presenting a representation of the generated motion data and representing physiological movement during a measurement time period; and determining a gating signal chart based on the image data and the motion signal chart, the gating signal chart representing one or more treatment intervals. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the determining comprises selecting a simulated treatment interval and displaying the image data only when the motion data is within the simulated treatment interval. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26 in which the image data is frozen when the motion data is outside the simulated treatment interval. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26 further comprising: adjusting the simulated treatment interval to view a different quantity of image data. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25 further comprising: analyzing the image data to quantify an amount of motion of the targeted tissue during the physiological movement. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25 further comprising: forming a display border around a region of the image data. ### Claim 31 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25 further comprising: verification of a gating threshold settings of the treatment interval by comparing gated radiation images with reference images created during a planning phase. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 wherein the verification can be performed prior to or at any point during a radiation treatment session. ### Claim 33 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the recording image data comprises recording video data. ### Claim 34 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the recording image data comprises obtaining a static image. ### Claim 35 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the recording image data comprises configuring a positional geometry of an imaging system to correspond to a projection geometry of a radiation beam source. ### Claim 36 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein the physiological movement comprises chest movement. ### Claim 37 A method for determining one or more treatment intervals a planning phase of a treatment, comprising: recording image data representative of internal tissue targeted for irradiation; generating motion data representative of physiological movement of a patient; synchronously displaying the image data with a motion signal chart, the motion signal chart presenting a representation of the generated motion data and representing physiological movement during a measurement time period; and determining a gating signal chart based on the image data and the motion signal chart, the gating signal chart representing one or more treatment intervals. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, further comprising setting a desired boundary for the treatment interval. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the image data is displayed only when the motion data is within the desired boundary of the treatment interval. ### Claim 40 (depends on 38) The method of claim 38, wherein the setting comprises forming a border around a region of interest in a display. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40, wherein the border has a shape of a box. ### Claim 42 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40, wherein the border has a shape that resembles that of a tumor. ### Claim 43 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein the determining is performed based on a portion of the motion data. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) The method of claim 43, wherein the physiological movement comprises chest movement. ### Claim 45 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, further comprising analyzing motion of a tissue during the physiological movement. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The method of claim 45, wherein the analyzing comprises performing digital subtraction of image frames. ### Claim 47 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, further comprising providing a preset movement margin threshold; and analyzing the motion data to determine an optimal boundary of the treatment interval to achieve the preset movement margin threshold. ### Claim 48 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, further comprising performing verification to validate a gating threshold setting of the treatment interval. ### Claim 49 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein the recording image data comprises recording video data. ### Claim 50 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein the recording image data comprises obtaining a static image. ### Claim 51 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein the recording image data comprises configuring a positional geometry of an imaging system to correspond to a projection geometry of a radiation beam source. ### Claim 52 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein the determining comprises selecting a simulated treatment interval, and displaying the image data only when the motion data is within the simulated treatment interval. ### Claim 53 (depends on 52) The method of claim 52, wherein the determining further comprises freezing the image data when the motion data is outside the simulated treatment interval.