US 7,438,685 B2 · Apparatus and method for registration, guidance and targeting of external beam radiation therapy

Abstract

An improved system and method for optimizing the planning, registration, targeting, and delivery of conformal, external beam radiation therapy of prostate cancer and other soft-tissue diseases. Real-time ultrasound imaging during planning and treatment is used forlocalization of soft tissue treatment targets and fused with radiographic or CT data for conformal treatment optimization. The fusion technique provides accurate localization of the prostate volume in real time. For treatment of prostate cancer, visualization of the prostate gland is achieved using transrectal ultrasonography and the fusion of that image in the precise location of the prostate within the pelvic region, accurately determining the location of the prostate target by transformation of the ultrasound image data on both the ultrasound and X-ray/CT images. The radiation field may be optimized to significantly reduce the volume of irradiated normal tissue, minimizing the exposure of the surrounding healthy tissues and increasing dosage delivered to the prostate treatment target.

Claims59

Dependent claims

A system for creating fused images for use in targeting external beam radiation therapy comprising:

an ultrasound probe configured to produce ultrasound images of a proposed treatment region;
a probe locator system configured to locate the position of the ultrasound probe, wherein the probe locator system comprises a frameless spatial registration system, and wherein the frameless spatial registration system comprises an emitter and sensor system;
a computer system connected to the probe locator system and ultrasound probe, said computer system having a software program configured to spatially register the ultrasound images according to the located probe position and fuse the spatially registered ultrasound images with either radiographic images of the proposed treatment region or a treatment planning image;
a ring collar within which the ultrasound probe is disposed, and wherein the emitter and sensor system comprises a plurality of LEDs attached to the ring collar and at least one camera for detecting the three-dimensional position of the LEDs relative to the treatment region;
wherein said computer system further comprises treatment planning software for defining a treatment beam based at least in part upon a position of a desired target volume in the treatment region, the position being determinable within a fused image generated during a treatment planning session;
wherein the fused image generated during the treatment planning session is a volumetric representation of the treatment region;
and
wherein the treatment planning software is further configured to (1) display the volumetric image and (2) contour the target volume in response to user input.

5 more elements

A method of creating a spatially registered fused image of a target volume within a treatment region inside a patient for planning an external beam radiation therapy treatment session, the method comprising:

generating a plurality of ultrasound images of the target volume using a transrectal ultrasound probe that has been inserted into the patient's rectum;
spatially registering the ultrasound images relative to a known coordinate system;
generating a three-dimensional representation of the target volume from the spatially registered ultrasound images;
generating at least one simulation image of the treatment region while the transrectal ultrasound probe is still inserted in the patient's rectum, the simulation image having a known position and orientation relative to the coordinate system;
fusing the three-dimensional target volume representation with the at least one simulation image such that the three-dimensional target volume representation and the at least one simulation image are both spatially registered relative to a common point of reference;
and
graphically displaying the fused image of the three-dimensional target volume representation and the at least one simulation image.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and method for registration, guidance and targeting of external beam radiation therapy

Life of this patent

Apparatus and method for registration, guidance and targeting of external beam radiation therapy

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims59