# US 7,609,809 B2 · System and method of generating contour structures using a dose volume histogram > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,609,809 B2 - Document ID: US7609809B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/459,143 - Filed: 2006-07-21 - Published: 2007-08-23 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2005-07-22 - Assignees: Tomo Therapy Incorporated - Inventors: Jeffrey M. Kapatoes; Gustavo H. Olivera; Eric Schnarr; Weiguo Lu; Kenneth J. Ruchala; Paul J. Reckwerdt; John H. Hughes; Thomas R. Mackie - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7609809B2 ## CPC - A61N 5/103: {Treatment planning systems} - A61N 5/1048: {Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods} - A61N 5/1042: {with spatial modulation of the radiation beam within the treatment head} - A61N 5/1049: {for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam} - A61N 5/1065: {Beam adjustment} - A61N 5/1069: {Target adjustment, e.g. moving the patient support} - A61N 2005/1074: {Details of the control system, e.g. user interfaces} - 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 system and method of defining a new region of interest for an existing region of interest using a dose volume histogram. The method includes the acts of generating a dose volume histogram of radiation dose for a pre-existing region of interest, selecting a subset of the dose volume histogram, and defining a new region of interest that corresponds to the selected subset of the dose volume histogram. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of defining a new region of interest for an existing region of interest using a dose volume histogram, the method comprising using a computer to carry out the steps of: generating a dose volume histogram of radiation dose for a pre-existing region of interest; selecting a subset of the dose volume histogram; and defining a new region of interest that corresponds to the selected subset of the dose volume histogram. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising displaying a region on an image that corresponds to the selected subset of the dose volume histogram. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the radiation dose is a dose delivered in one or more previous treatments. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the radiation dose is a planned dose to be delivered to the patient. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising generating a treatment plan for the patient and wherein the new region of interest is used to modify the treatment plan. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the new region of interest is an updated version of the existing region of interest. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the radiation dose is a combination of a planned radiation dose to be delivered to the patient and a radiation dose previously delivered to the patient. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the image is a dose map of a portion of the patient. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising adapting a treatment plan for the patient based on the new region of interest. ### Claim 10 A method of defining a new region of interest for an existing region of interest using a dose volume histogram, the method comprising using a computer to carry out the steps of: generating a dose volume histogram of radiation dose for a pre-existing region of interest; selecting a subset of the dose volume histogram; and defining a new region of interest that corresponds to the selected subset of the dose volume histogram, wherein the dose volume histogram is a dose volume histogram of a comparison between at least two dose volumes. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein one of the dose volumes is a planned radiation dose to be delivered to the patient. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein one of the dose volumes is a radiation dose previously delivered to the patient. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein one of the dose volumes is a combination of a planned radiation dose to be delivered to the patient and a radiation dose previously delivered to the patient. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein one of the dose volumes is one of a sum of or difference between previously delivered doses. ### Claim 15 A method comprising using a computer to carry out the steps of: generating a first dose volume representing a first radiation dose for a patient; generating a second dose volume representing a second radiation dose for the patient; comparing the first dose volume and the second dose volume; generating a dose volume histogram based on the comparison; selecting a subset on the dose volume histogram; and generating a region of interest based on the selected subset. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the comparison is a difference between the first radiation dose and the second radiation dose. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the first radiation dose is a planned dose and the second radiation dose is a delivered dose. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the region of interest is automatically generated. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method as set forth in claim 15 wherein the delivered radiation dose is a sum of a plurality of delivered doses. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the delivered doses are summed using deformation. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The method as set forth in claim 15 and further comprising generating a treatment plan for the patient and adapting the treatment plan based on the region of interest. ### Claim 22 A system for generating contours using a dose volume histogram, the system comprising: a radiation therapy treatment device including a computer processor, the radiation therapy treatment device operable to deliver a treatment plan to a patient; and a software program stored in a computer readable medium accessible by the computer processor, the software being operable to generate a dose volume histogram of radiation dose for a pre-existing region of interest, select a subset of the dose volume histogram, and define a new region of interest that corresponds to the selected subset of the dose volume histogram. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The system as set forth in claim 22 wherein the software program includes an analysis module operable to generate the dose volume histogram of the patient radiation therapy dose. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The system as set forth in claim 22 wherein the software program includes a contour module operable to generate a contour on the image that corresponds to the dose volume histogram. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The system as set forth in claim 22 wherein the software program is further operable to generate a treatment plan and modify the treatment plan based on the new region of interest. ### Claim 26 A method of defining a new region of interest using a dose volume histogram, the method comprising using a computer to carry out the steps of: generating a first dose volume; generating a second dose volume; comparing the first dose volume and the second dose volume; generating a histogram based on the comparison; selecting a subset on the histogram; and generating a region of interest based on the selected subset. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the comparison is a difference between the first dose volume and the second dose volume. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the region of interest is automatically generated. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The method as set forth in claim 26 and further comprising generating a treatment plan for the patient and adapting the treatment plan based on the region of interest. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the comparison is based on a gamma index. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the comparison is based on a xi function. ### Claim 32 A method of defining a new region of interest using a histogram, the method comprising using a computer to carry out the steps of: generating a histogram of radiation dose for a pre-existing region of interest; selecting a subset of the histogram; and defining a new region of interest that corresponds to the selected subset of the histogram. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) A method as set forth in claim 32 wherein the histogram is a dose volume histogram. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) A method as set forth in claim 32 and further comprising displaying a region on an image that corresponds to the selected subset of the histogram. ### Claim 35 (depends on 32) A method as set forth in claim 32 wherein the radiation dose is a dose delivered in one or more previous treatments. ### Claim 36 (depends on 32) A method as set forth in claim 32 wherein the radiation dose is a planned dose to be delivered to the patient. ### Claim 37 (depends on 32) A method as set forth in claim 32 and further comprising generating a treatment plan for the patient and wherein the new region of interest is used to modify the treatment plan. ### Claim 38 (depends on 32) A method as set forth in claim 32 wherein the new region of interest is an updated version of the existing region of interest. ### Claim 39 (depends on 32) A method as set forth in claim 32 wherein the radiation dose is a combination of a planned radiation dose to be delivered to the patient and a radiation dose previously delivered to the patient. ### Claim 40 (depends on 32) A method as set forth in claim 32 and further comprising adapting a treatment plan for the patient based on the new region of interest. ### Claim 41 (depends on 32) A method as set forth in claim 32 wherein the image is a dose map of a portion of the patient. ### Claim 42 A method of defining a new region of interest using a histogram, the method comprising using a computer to carry out the steps of: generating a histogram of radiation dose for a pre-existing region of interest; selecting a subset of the histogram; and defining a new region of interest that corresponds to the selected subset of the histogram, wherein the histogram is a dose volume histogram of a comparison between at least two dose volumes. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) A method as set forth in claim 42 wherein one of the dose volumes is a planned radiation dose to be delivered to the patient. ### Claim 44 (depends on 42) A method as set forth in claim 42 wherein one of the dose volumes is a radiation dose previously delivered to the patient. ### Claim 45 (depends on 42) A method as set forth in claim 42 wherein one of the dose volumes is a combination of a planned radiation dose to be delivered to the patient and a radiation dose previously delivered to the patient. ### Claim 46 (depends on 42) A method as set forth in claim 42 wherein one of the dose volumes is one of a sum of or difference between previously delivered doses.