System, tracker, and program product to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery, and related methods

A system to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery so that a treatment plan can be more accurately applied to a patient, the system comprising:

• a radiation delivery apparatus to provide radiation delivery to the patient, the radiation delivery apparatus including a radiation emitter adapted to emit a radiation beam having a theoretical point source and central beam axis and a rotating assembly carrying the radiation emitter to define an emitter carrier rotating assembly, the emitter carrier rotating assembly adapted to direct the radiation beam through a target of the patient and having a rotational path in a distinct plane and an axis of rotation to direct the radiation beam at a three-dimensional coordinate position defining an isocenter of an isocenter coordinate system of the radiation delivery apparatus, the theoretical point source being a predetermined distance from the isocenter to define a source-to-axis distance;
• a trackable body having a preselected coordinate system assigned thereto, a trackable body reference point positioned with respect to the preselected coordinate system, and a plurality of separate and spaced-apart indicators each connected at a separate preselected position thereon to thereby indicate a position of the trackable body reference point;
• a trackable body detector having a detector body adapted to be positioned separate and spaced apart from the trackable body at a three-dimensional trackable body detector reference location and positioned to detect a three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of indicators to thereby produce a plurality of position signals representing such three-dimensional indicator positions, the trackable body detector having a field of view;
• a trackable body position determiner in communication with the trackable body detector and responsive to the plurality of position signals produced by the trackable body detector to determine a three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point when a preselected number of the plurality of indicators are simultaneously positioned within the field of view of the trackable body detector, the trackable body position determiner having memory associated therewith and position determiner program product stored therein;
• a target alignment analyzing computer in communication with the trackable body position determiner to determine proper target alignment for the radiation delivery apparatus, the target alignment analyzing computer having a processor and memory coupled to the processor to store operating instructions, the three-dimensional coordinate position of the isocenter, and the source-to-axis distance of the radiation delivery apparatus, therein, and a display coupled to the processor to display target alignment data;
• and
• target alignment analyzing program product stored in the memory of the target alignment analyzing computer to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery, the target alignment analyzing program product comprising an optical distance indicator simulator, the optical distance indicator simulator including a source-to-surface distance determiner configured to receive the three-dimensional coordinate position of isocenter, the source-to-axis distance, and a three-dimensional coordinate position of a first surface point position on a first surface of the patient located outside a plane of rotation of the emitter carrier rotating assembly to determine an on-axis distance between the surface point position and the isocenter within the plane of rotation of the emitter carrier rotating assembly, and to determine a component of a distance within the plane of rotation of the emitter carrier rotating assembly between the theoretical point source and the first surface of the patient to define a source-to-surface distance responsive to the source to axis distance and the determined on-axis distance between the surface point position and the isocenter, to thereby provide the source-to-surface distance to a user of the system.

A system to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery so that a treatment plan can be more accurately applied to a patient, the system comprising:

• a radiation delivery apparatus to provide radiation delivery to the patient, the radiation delivery apparatus including a radiation emitter adapted to emit a radiation beam having a theoretical point source and central beam axis and a rotating assembly carrying the radiation emitter to define an emitter carrier rotating assembly, the emitter carrier rotating assembly adapted to direct the radiation beam through a target of the patient and having a rotational path in a distinct plane and an axis of rotation to direct the radiation beam at a three-dimensional coordinate position defining an isocenter of an isocenter coordinate system of the radiation delivery apparatus, the theoretical point source being a predetermined distance from the isocenter to define a source-to-axis distance;
• a trackable body having a preselected coordinate system assigned thereto, a trackable body reference point positioned with respect to the preselected coordinate system, and a plurality of separate and spaced-apart indicators each connected at a separate preselected position thereon to thereby indicate a position of the trackable body reference point;
• a trackable body detector having a detector body adapted to be positioned separate and spaced apart from the trackable body at a three-dimensional trackable body detector reference location and positioned to detect a three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of indicators to thereby produce a plurality of position signals representing such three-dimensional indicator positions, the trackable body detector having a field of view;
• a trackable body position determiner in communication with the trackable body detector and responsive to the plurality of position signals produced by the trackable body detector to determine a three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point when a preselected number of the plurality of indicators are simultaneously positioned within the field of view of the trackable body detector, the trackable body position determiner having memory associated therewith and position determiner program product stored therein;
• a target alignment analyzing computer in communication with the trackable body position determiner to determine proper target alignment for the radiation delivery apparatus, the target alignment analyzing computer having a processor and memory coupled to the processor to store operating instructions, the three-dimensional coordinate position of the isocenter, and the source-to-axis distance of the radiation delivery apparatus, therein, and a display coupled to the processor to display target alignment data;
• and
• target alignment analyzing program product stored in the memory of the target alignment analyzing computer to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery, the target alignment analyzing program product comprising:
• a source-to-surface distance determiner configured to receive a three-dimensional coordinate position of a first surface point position on a first surface of the patient, to determine a component of a distance within the plane of rotation of the emitter carrier rotating assembly between the theoretical point source and the first surface of the patient to define a source-to-surface distance, to thereby provide the source-to-surface distance to a user of the system,
• an emitter carrier angle determiner configured to receive the three-dimensional coordinate position of isocenter and the surface point position, to determine an angle of rotation of the emitter carrier rotating assembly that positions a path of the emitter central axis simultaneously through the first surface point position and the isocenter to define an emitter carrier rotating assembly angle of rotation, and
• a central axis thickness determiner configured to receive the first surface point position and the emitter carrier rotating assembly angle of rotation, and responsive to a three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point of the trackable body determined by the trackable body position determiner, to provide visual feedback to a user of the system to aid the user in positioning the trackable body reference point adjacent a second surface of the patient opposite the first surface along the emitter central axis path defining the emitter carrier rotating assembly angle of rotation, and to determine a second surface point position located on the second surface, to thereby determine and display to the user of the system a patient thickness along the emitter central axis between the first and the second surface point positions.

A system to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery so that a treatment plan can be more accurately applied to a patient, the system comprising:

• a radiation delivery apparatus to provide radiation delivery to the patient, the radiation delivery apparatus including a radiation emitter adapted to emit a radiation beam having a theoretical point source and central beam axis and a rotating assembly carrying the radiation emitter to define an emitter carrier rotating assembly, the emitter carrier rotating assembly adapted to direct the radiation beam through a target of the patient and having a rotational path in a distinct plane and an axis of rotation to direct the radiation beam at a three-dimensional coordinate position defining an isocenter of an isocenter coordinate system of the radiation delivery apparatus, the theoretical point source being a predetermined distance from the isocenter to define a source-to-axis distance;
• a trackable body having a preselected coordinate system assigned thereto, a trackable body reference point positioned with respect to the preselected coordinate system, and a plurality of separate and spaced-apart indicators each connected at a separate preselected position thereon to thereby indicate a position of the trackable body reference point;
• a trackable body detector having a detector body adapted to be positioned separate and spaced apart from the trackable body at a three-dimensional trackable body detector reference location and positioned to detect a three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of indicators to thereby produce a plurality of position signals representing such three-dimensional indicator positions, the trackable body detector having a field of view;
• a trackable body position determiner in communication with the trackable body detector and responsive to the plurality of position signals produced by the trackable body detector to determine a three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point when a preselected number of the plurality of indicators are simultaneously positioned within the field of view of the trackable body detector, the trackable body position determiner having memory associated therewith and position determiner program product stored therein;
• a target alignment analyzing computer in communication with the trackable body position determiner to determine proper target alignment for the radiation delivery apparatus, the target alignment analyzing computer having a processor and memory coupled to the processor to store operating instructions, the three-dimensional coordinate position of the isocenter, and the source-to-axis distance of the radiation delivery apparatus, therein, and a display coupled to the processor to display target alignment data;
• and
• target alignment analyzing program product stored in the memory of the target alignment analyzing computer to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery, the target alignment analyzing program product comprising:
• a source-to-surface distance determiner configured to receive a three-dimensional coordinate position of a first surface point position on a first surface of the patient, to determine a component of a distance within the plane of rotation of the emitter carrier rotating assembly between the theoretical point source and the first surface of the patient to define a source-to-surface distance, to thereby provide the source-to-surface distance to a user of the system, and
• a preselected angle thickness determiner configured to receive the determined first surface point position on the first surface and responsive to a plurality of three-dimensional coordinate positions of the trackable body reference point, to provide on a graphical user interface relative visual feedback to a user of the system to aid the user in manually positioning the trackable body reference point in contact with a second surface point position located on a second surface of the patient opposite the first surface point position along the preselected angle, to determine the location of the second surface point position on the second surface along the preselected angle, and to determine a patient thickness between the first and the second surface point positions along the preselected angle.

A system to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery so that a treatment plan can be more accurately applied to a patient, the system comprising:

• a radiation delivery apparatus to provide radiation delivery to the patient, the radiation delivery apparatus including a radiation emitter adapted to emit a radiation beam having a theoretical point source and central beam axis and a rotating assembly carrying the radiation emitter to define an emitter carrier rotating assembly, the emitter carrier rotating assembly adapted to direct the radiation beam along an emitter central axis path through a target of the patient between a first surface point position on a first surface of the patient and a second surface point position on a second opposite surface and having a rotational path in a distinct plane and an axis of rotation to direct the radiation beam at a three-dimensional coordinate position defining an isocenter of an isocenter coordinate system of the radiation delivery apparatus, the theoretical point source being a predetermined distance from the isocenter to define a source-to-axis distance the radiation beam being divergent from the emitter central axis path when directed between the first surface point position on the first surface and the second surface point position on the second opposite surface to result in the radiation beam exiting at a third surface point position on the second opposite surface;
• a trackable body having a preselected coordinate system assigned thereto, a trackable body reference point positioned with respect to the preselected coordinate system, and a plurality of separate and spaced-apart indicators each connected at a separate preselected position thereon to thereby indicate a position of the trackable body reference point;
• a trackable body detector having a detector body adapted to be positioned separate and spaced apart from the trackable body at a three-dimensional trackable body detector reference location and positioned to detect a three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of indicators to thereby produce a plurality of position signals representing such three-dimensional indicator positions, the trackable body detector having a field of view;
• a trackable body position determiner in communication with the trackable body detector and responsive to the plurality of position signals produced by the trackable body detector to determine a three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point when a preselected number of the plurality of indicators are simultaneously positioned within the field of view of the trackable body detector, the trackable body position determiner having memory associated therewith and position determiner program product stored therein;
• a target alignment analyzing computer in communication with the trackable body position determiner to determine proper target alignment for the radiation delivery apparatus, the target alignment analyzing computer having a processor and memory coupled to the processor to store operating instructions, the three-dimensional coordinate position of the isocenter, and the source-to-axis distance of the radiation delivery apparatus, therein, and a display coupled to the processor to display target alignment data;
• and
• target alignment analyzing program product stored in the memory of the target alignment analyzing computer to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery, the target alignment analyzing program product comprising:
• a source-to-surface distance determiner configured to receive a three-dimensional coordinate position of a first surface point position on a first surface of the patient, to determine a component of a distance within the plane of rotation of the emitter carrier rotating assembly between the theoretical point source and the first surface of the patient to define a source-to-surface distance, to thereby provide the source-to-surface distance to a user of the system, and
• an off-axis thickness determiner configured to receive the determined first surface point position on the first surface and responsive to a plurality of three-dimensional coordinate positions of the trackable body reference point, to provide on a graphical user interface relative visual feedback to the user to aid the user in manually positioning the trackable body reference point in contact with a second surface point position located on a second opposite surface of the patient located along an arc approximating beam field divergence of a projected radiation beam projected through the first surface point position at a certain angle, to determine the location of the second surface point position on the second surface located along the arc, and to determine a patient thickness along the arc between the first and the third surface point positions.

A system to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery so that a treatment plan can be more accurately applied to a patient, the system comprising:

• a radiation delivery apparatus to provide radiation delivery to the patient, the radiation delivery apparatus including a radiation emitter adapted to emit a radiation beam having a theoretical point source and central beam axis and a rotating assembly carrying the radiation emitter to define an emitter carrier rotating assembly adapted to direct the radiation beam through a target of the patient and having a rotational path in a distinct plane and an axis of rotation to direct the radiation beam at a three-dimensional coordinate position defining an isocenter of an isocenter coordinate system of the radiation delivery apparatus, the theoretical point source being a predetermined distance from the isocenter to define a source-to-axis distance;
• a trackable body having a preselected coordinate system assigned thereto, a trackable body reference point positioned with respect to the preselected coordinate system, and a plurality of separate and spaced-apart indicators each connected at a separate preselected position thereon to thereby indicate a position of the trackable body reference point;
• a trackable body detector having a detector body adapted to be positioned separate and spaced apart from the trackable body at a three-dimensional trackable body detector reference location and positioned to detect a three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of indicators to thereby produce a plurality of position signals representing such three-dimensional indicator positions, the trackable body detector having a field of view;
• a trackable body position determiner in communication with the trackable body detector and responsive to the plurality of position signals produced by the trackable body detector to determine a three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point when a preselected number of the plurality of indicators are simultaneously positioned within the field of view of the trackable body detector, the trackable body position determiner having memory associated therewith and position determiner program product stored therein;
• a target alignment analyzing computer in communication with the trackable body position determiner to determine proper target alignment for the radiation delivery apparatus, the target alignment analyzing computer having a processor and memory coupled to the processor to store operating instructions, the three-dimensional coordinate position of the isocenter, and the source-to-axis distance of the radiation delivery apparatus, therein, and a display coupled to the processor to display target alignment data;
• and
• target alignment analyzing program product stored in the memory of the target alignment analyzing computer to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery, the target alignment analyzing program product including a point-to-point distance determiner configured to determine and display a coordinate position of a first surface point position on graphical user interface responsive to a three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point of the trackable body determined by the trackable body position determiner, to store the coordinate position of the first surface point responsive to a user engaging one of the following:
• an input field displayed on the graphical user interface and a switch operably coupled to the trackable body, to determine a coordinate position of a second surface point position responsive to a three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point of the trackable body, to display the coordinate position of the second surface point position on the graphical user interface, and to determine and display a linear distance between the first surface point position and the second surface point position to thereby provide patient surface relative positioning data.

A system to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery so that a treatment plan can be more accurately applied to a patient, the system comprising:

• a radiation delivery apparatus to provide radiation delivery to the patient, the radiation delivery apparatus including a radiation emitter adapted to emit a radiation beam having a theoretical point source and central beam axis and a rotating assembly carrying the radiation emitter to define an emitter carrier rotating assembly adapted to direct the radiation beam through a target of the patient and having a rotational path in a distinct plane and an axis of rotation to direct the radiation beam at a three-dimensional coordinate position defining an isocenter of an isocenter coordinate system of the radiation delivery apparatus, the theoretical point source being a predetermined distance from the isocenter to define a source-to-axis distance;
• a trackable body having a preselected coordinate system assigned thereto, a trackable body reference point positioned with respect to the preselected coordinate system, and a plurality of separate and spaced-apart indicators each connected at a separate preselected position thereon to thereby indicate a position of the trackable body reference point;
• a trackable body detector having a detector body adapted to be positioned separate and spaced apart from the trackable body at a three-dimensional trackable body detector reference location and positioned to detect a three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of indicators to thereby produce a plurality of position signals representing such three-dimensional indicator positions, the trackable body detector having a field of view;
• a trackable body position determiner in communication with the trackable body detector and responsive to the plurality of position signals produced by the trackable body detector to determine a three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point when a preselected number of the plurality of indicators are simultaneously positioned within the field of view of the trackable body detector, the trackable body position determiner having memory associated therewith and position determiner program product stored therein;
• a target alignment analyzing computer in communication with the trackable body position determiner to determine proper target alignment for the radiation delivery apparatus, the target alignment analyzing computer having a processor and memory coupled to the processor to store operating instructions, the three-dimensional coordinate position of the isocenter, and the source-to-axis distance of the radiation delivery apparatus, therein, and a display coupled to the processor to display target alignment data;
• and
• a target alignment analyzing program product stored in the memory of the target alignment analyzing computer to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery, the target alignment analyzing program product including a point collection table former configured to receive a list of a plurality of pre-defined surface points, to display the list of the plurality of pre-defined surface points on a graphical user interface, and configured, responsive to a user sequentially positioning the trackable body reference point of the trackable body in contact with each separate one of a plurality of surface point locations corresponding to the respective separate one of the plurality of pre-defined surface points and engaging one of the following:
• an input field displayed on the graphical user interface and a switch operably coupled to the trackable body, to determine, store, and display for each of the plurality of pre-defined surface points one or both of a surface point three-dimensional coordinate position and a source-to-surface distance defining surface point data, the displayed list of the plurality of pre-defined surface points and corresponding displayed surface point data collectively forming a surface point locations table viewable by a user to ensure proper patient three-dimensional positioning across the plurality of surface points.

A system to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery so that a radiation treatment can be more accurately applied to a patient, the system comprising:

• a radiation delivery apparatus to provide radiation delivery to the patient, the radiation delivery apparatus including a radiation emitter adapted to emit a radiation beam having a theoretical point source and central beam axis and a rotating assembly carrying the radiation emitter to an emitter carrier rotating assembly positionable to direct the radiation beam through a target of the patient and having a rotational path in a distinct plane and an axis of rotation to direct the radiation beam at a three-dimensional coordinate position defining an isocenter of an isocenter coordinate system of the radiation delivery apparatus, the theoretical point source having a predetermined distance from the isocenter to define a source-to-axis distance;
• a trackable body having a preselected coordinate system assigned thereto, a trackable body reference point positioned with respect to the preselected coordinate system, and a plurality of separate and spaced-apart indicators each connected at a separate preselected position thereon to thereby indicate a position of the trackable body reference point;
• a trackable body detector having a detector body adapted to be positioned separate and spaced apart from the trackable body at a three-dimensional trackable body detector reference location and positioned to detect a three-dimensional position of each of the plurality of indicators to thereby produce a plurality of position signals representing such three-dimensional indicator positions, the trackable body detector having a field of view;
• a trackable body position determiner in communication with the trackable body detector and responsive to the plurality of position signals produced by the trackable body detector to determine a three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point when a preselected number of the plurality of indicators are simultaneously positioned within the field of view and when positioned adjacent a surface of the patient to define a surface point position;
• a target alignment analyzing computer in communication with the trackable body position determiner to determine proper target alignment for the radiation delivery apparatus and having a processor and memory coupled to the processor to store operating instructions, the three-dimensional coordinate position of the isocenter, and the source-to-axis distance of the radiation delivery apparatus, therein, and a display coupled to the processor to display target alignment data;
• and
• a target alignment analyzing program product stored in the memory of the target alignment analyzing computer to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery, the target alignment analyzing program product including a contour determiner configured to receive a plurality of surface point positions provided by the trackable body position determiner and responsive to a user of the system positioning the trackable body reference point of the trackable body along a contour of a contoured human body part, to determine the contour of the contoured human body part, and responsive to the contour of the contoured body part, to determine an optimum initial emitter angle of rotation and beam width for the radiation delivery apparatus at isocenter to include an optimum emitter angle for medial and lateral radiation beams to deliver radiation to the contoured body part.

A tracker comprising an optically trackable body having:

• an elongate main body including a proximal body end portion, a distal body end portion, and a medial body portion extending therebetween;
• an extension member including a proximal end portion connected to the distal body end portion of the main body, a distal end portion, and a medial portion extending therebetween, the distal end portion including an annular recess and having a trackable body reference point associated therewith;
• a plurality of separate and spaced-apart optical indicators each connected at a separate preselected position of the medial body portion of the main body of the optically trackable body and having a preselected segment length between each pair combination of the plurality of indicators, and adapted to be optically tracked to thereby indicate a position of the trackable body reference point;
• and
• a spherical body rotatably positioned within the annular recess to contact a surface of the patient and to roll when manipulated along the surface of the patient to enhance movement of the optically trackable body when in contact with the surface of the patient, the trackable body reference point located and maintained at a distal-most portion of the extension member to continually reference a current surface position of the surface of the patient when the spherical body is being rotated in contact with the surface of the patient.

A tracker comprising:

• an optically trackable body having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a medial body portion extending therebetween, the distal end portion having a trackable body reference point associated therewith;
• a plurality of separate and spaced-apart optical indicators each connected at a separate preselected position of the medial body portion of the optically trackable body and having a preselected segment length between each pair combination of the plurality of indicators, and adapted to be optically tracked to thereby indicate a position of the trackable body reference point;
• and
• a switch adapted to be manipulated by the user to mask at least one of the plurality of optical indicators to thereby disable provision of position data for the trackable body reference point, and adapted to be manipulated by the user to unmask the at least one of the plurality of indicators to thereby enable provision of position data for the trackable body reference point.

A tracker comprising an optically trackable body having:

• an elongate main body defining a handle including a proximal body end portion, a distal body end portion, and a medial body portion extending therebetween and having a longitudinal axis;
• a flat-shaped extension member including a proximal end portion connected to the distal body end portion of the main body, a distal end portion having a trackable body reference point located adjacent a distal-most portion of the extension member, and a medial portion extending therebetween, the medial portion of the extension member having a width substantially greater than depth and having an obtuse angular bend with respect to the longitudinal axis of the main body portion to allow pivoting of the trackable body when positioned on a flat surface to thereby allow a user to manipulate the trackable body reference point into contact with a lower patient surface of a patient positioned facing a substantially flat upper surface of a treatment table, between the lower patient surface of the patient and the substantially flat upper surface of the treatment table without substantial movement of the patient;
• and
• a plurality of separate and spaced-apart optical indicators each connected at a separate preselected position of the optically trackable body and having a preselected segment length between each pair combination of the plurality of indicators, and adapted to be optically tracked to thereby indicate a position of the trackable body reference point.

A computer readable medium that is readable by a computer to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery so that a treatment plan can be more accurately applied to a patient, the computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations:

• tracking a position of a subset of a plurality of separate and spaced-apart optical indicators positioned on an optically trackable body, to determine a three-dimensional coordinate position of a trackable body reference point associated with the optically trackable body;
• determining, responsive to the tracking, the three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point when in contact with an outer surface of the patient located outside a plane of rotation of a radiation emitter carrier rotating assembly of a radiation delivery apparatus defining a surface point position located on the outer surface of the patient;
• and
• determining, responsive to the surface point position, a component of a distance within the plane of rotation of the emitter carrier rotating assembly along a central axis of a radiation emitter carried by a radiation delivery apparatus and between a theoretical point source of the radiation emitter and the surface point position located on the outer surface of the patient defining a source-to-surface distance.

A computer readable medium that is readable by a computer to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery so that a treatment plan can be more accurately applied to a patient, the computer readable media comprising a set of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations:

• tracking a position of a subset of a plurality of separate and spaced-apart optical indicators positioned on an optically trackable body, to determine a three-dimensional coordinate position of a trackable body reference point associated with the optically trackable body;
• determining, responsive to the tracking, the three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point when in contact with a first patient surface defining a first surface point position;
• determining, responsive to the first surface point position, a component of a distance along a central axis of a radiation emitter carried by an emitter carrying rotating assembly of a radiation delivery apparatus between a theoretical point source of the radiation emitter and the first surface point position located on the first patient surface of the patient defining a first source-to-surface distance for the first surface point position;
• determining, responsive to the determining of the first surface point position, an angle of rotation of the emitter carrier rotating assembly that positions the central axis of the emitter simultaneously through the first surface point position and an isocenter of the apparatus to define a first emitter rotating assembly angle of rotation;
• forming, responsive to tracking the position of the trackable body reference point, a representation of a location of the trackable body reference point relative to a second surface point position on a second opposite patient surface of the patient located along the emitter rotating assembly angle of rotation, to thereby aid the user in positioning the trackable reference body reference point in contact with the second surface point position;
• determining, responsive to the user positioning of the trackable reference body reference point in contact with the second patient surface of the patient, a three-dimensional coordinate position of the second surface point position;
• determining, responsive to the determining of the second surface point position, a component of a distance between the theoretical point source and the second surface point position to define a second source-to-surface distance;
• and
• determining, responsive to the determining of the first and the second source-to-surface distances, or responsive to the determining of the first and the second surface point positions, a patient thickness of the patient along the emitter central axis between the first and the second surface point positions to define a central axis thickness, to thereby facilitate and verify proper target alignment.

A computer readable medium that is readable by a computer to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery so that a treatment plan can be more accurately applied to a patient, the computer readable medium further comprises a set of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations:

• tracking a position of a subset of a plurality of separate and spaced-apart optical indicators positioned on an optically trackable body, to determine a three-dimensional coordinate position of a trackable body reference point associated with the optically trackable body;
• determining, responsive to the tracking, the three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point when in contact with a first patient surface defining a first surface point position;
• determining, responsive to the first surface point position, a component of a distance along a central axis of a radiation emitter carried by an emitter carrying rotating assembly of a radiation delivery apparatus between a theoretical point source of the radiation emitter and the first surface point position located on the first patient surface of the patient defining a first source-to-surface distance for the first surface point position;
• receiving a preselected emitter rotating assembly angle of rotation;
• forming, responsive to tracking the position of the trackable body reference point, a representation of a location of the trackable body reference point relative to a second surface point position on a second opposite patient surface of the patient along the preselected emitter rotating assembly angle of rotation, to thereby aid the user in positioning the trackable reference body reference point adjacent the second surface point position;
• determining, responsive to the user positioning of the trackable reference body reference point in contact with the second patient surface of the patient, a three-dimensional coordinate position of the second surface point position;
• determining, responsive to the determining of the second surface point position, a component of a distance within a plane of rotation of the emitter carrier rotating assembly between the theoretical point source of the radiation emitter and the second surface point position along the preselected emitter rotating assembly angle of rotation to define a second source-to-surface distance;
• and
• determining, responsive to one or more of the following:
• the determining of the first and the second source-to-surface distances and the determining of the first and the second surface point positions, a patient thickness of the patient along an axis between the first and the second surface point positions along the preselected emitter rotating assembly angle of rotation, to thereby facilitate and verify proper target alignment.

A computer readable medium that is readable by a computer to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery so that a treatment plan can be more accurately applied to a patient, the computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations:

• receive a list of a plurality of pre-defined surface points;
• tracking a position of a subset of a plurality of separate and spaced-apart optical indicators positioned on an optically trackable body when being moved, to determine a plurality of positions of a preselected trackable body reference point associated with the optically trackable body;
• responsive to the tracking and responsive to sequential engagement of one of the following:
• an input field displayed on a graphical user interface in communication with the computer and a switch operably coupled to the trackable body, and for each of the plurality of the pre-defined surface points, determining the position of the preselected trackable body reference point when in contact with a corresponding separate and spaced apart patient surface point located at a respective pre-selected surface point position of a plurality of surface point positions defining a respective plurality of sample locations;
• forming, responsive to the plurality of surface point positions, a point collection table including a three-dimensional coordinate point location for each of the plurality of surface point positions;
• and
• providing to a display, data to display the point collection table to provide to a user a graphical reference to isocenter for each of the plurality of sample locations to thereby allow the user to simultaneously verify proper patient three-dimensional positioning across at-each-of the plurality of sample locations, the displayed point collection table including each member of the list of the plurality of pre-defined surface points and corresponding three-dimensional coordinate point location.

A computer readable medium that is readable by a computer to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery so that a treatment plan can be more accurately applied to a patient, the computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations:

• tracking a position of a subset of a plurality of separate and spaced-apart optical indicators positioned on an optically trackable body, to determine a plurality of positions of a preselected trackable body reference point associated with the optically trackable body when being moved;
• determining, responsive to the tracking and user positioning of the optically trackable body and responsive to a user engaging one of the following:
• an input field displayed on a graphical user interface operably coupled to the computer and a switch operably coupled to the trackable body, a user-selected three-dimensional coordinate position of the trackable body reference point on a patient surface when in contact with the patient surface defining a user-selected surface point position;
• determining, responsive to the tracking and the determining of the user-selected surface point position, a relative point-to-point distance between the user-selected surface point position and a current position of the preselected trackable body reference point defining a floating user-preselected point position;
• and
• providing to a display, data to display the relative point-to-point distance to the user to provide the user a graphical point-to-point linear distance reference to the surface point position thereby facilitate and verify proper target alignment.

A computer readable medium that is readable by a computer to facilitate and verify proper target alignment for radiation delivery so that a treatment can be more accurately applied to a patient, the computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations:

• tracking a position of a subset of a plurality of separate and spaced-apart optical indicators positioned on an optically trackable body, to determine a plurality of three-dimensional coordinate positions of a preselected trackable body reference point associated with the optically trackable body when the optically trackable body is translated along a contoured surface of a contoured body part of the patient;
• determining, responsive to the tracking, the plurality of three-dimensional coordinate positions of the preselected trackable body reference point when translated in contact with the contoured surface of the contoured body part of the patient to define a respective plurality of surface point positions;
• forming, responsive to determining the plurality of surface point positions, a representation of a surface contour of the contoured surface of the contoured body part of the patient;
• responsive to the surface contour of the contoured body part, determining an optimum emitter angle and beam width of a radiation delivery apparatus to deliver radiation to the contoured body part to include an optimum emitter angle for medial and lateral radiation beams to enhance delivery of deliver radiation to the contoured body part.