# US 8,569,720 B2 · Patient alignment system with external measurement and object coordination for radiation therapy system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,569,720 B2 - Document ID: US8569720B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/594,630 - Filed: 2012-08-24 - Published: 2012-12-20 - Granted: 2013-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2003-08-12 - Assignees: Loma Linda University Medical Center - Applicants: Nickolas S. Rigney; Daniel C. Anderson; David A. Lesyna; Daniel W. Miller; Michael F. Moyers; Chieh C. Cheng; Michael A. Baumann - Inventors: Nickolas S. Rigney; Daniel C. Anderson; David A. Lesyna; Daniel W. Miller; Michael F. Moyers; Chieh C. Cheng; Michael A. Baumann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8569720B2 ## CPC - A61N 5/107: {in real time, i.e. during treatment} - A61N 5/1037: {taking into account the movement of the target, e.g. 4D-image based planning} - A61N 5/1049: {for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam} - A61N 5/1067: {in real time, i.e. during treatment} - A61N 5/1069: {Target adjustment, e.g. moving the patient support} - A61N 5/1078: {Fixed beam systems} - B25J 9/1666: {Avoiding collision or forbidden zones} - G05B 15/02: electric - A61B 6/0442: {made of non-metallic materials} - A61B 6/4092: {for producing synchrotron radiation} - A61B 6/547: {involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device} - A61B 2090/3937: {Visible markers} - A61N 2005/105: {using a laser alignment system} - A61N 2005/1059: {using cameras imaging the patient} - A61N 2005/1061: {using an x-ray imaging system having a separate imaging source} - A61N 2005/1062: {using virtual X-ray images, e.g. digitally reconstructed radiographs [DRR]} - A61N 2005/1087: {Ions; Protons} - A61N 2005/1097: {Means for immobilizing the patient} - G05B 2219/45117: Medical, radio surgery manipulator - 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) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A patient alignment system for a radiation therapy system. The alignment system includes multiple external measurement devices which obtain position measurements of components of the radiation therapy system which are movable and/or are subject to flex or other positional variations. The alignment system employs the external measurements to provide corrective positioning feedback to more precisely register the patient and align them with a radiation beam. The alignment system can be provided as an integral part of a radiation therapy system or can be added as an upgrade to existing radiation therapy systems. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A radiation therapy delivery system comprising a plurality of measurement devices configured to measure a direction to and a distance from a plurality of fixed landmarks and at least one of a moveable radiation nozzle and a moveable patient positioner, the system configured to calculate a current spatial position and angular orientation of at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner with reference to the plurality of fixed landmarks, the system further configured to determine movement commands to induce at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner to move from the current spatial position and angular orientation to a desired spatial position and angular orientation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of measurement devices are configured to measure a direction to and a distance from a plurality of markers on at least one of the moveable radiation nozzle and the moveable patient positioner. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein each measurement device is configured to independently determine a current spatial position and angular orientation of the measurement device with reference to the plurality of fixed landmarks, and wherein the system is further configured to calibrate the plurality of measurement devices by correlating the current spatial position and angular orientation of each measurement device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of measurement devices are configured to independently measure a direction to and a distance from at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner from multiple perspectives, wherein the system is configured to determine a direction vector from each measurement device to at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner, and wherein the system is configured to calculate the point in space where the vectors from each measurement device intersect to calculate a current spatial position and angular orientation of at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner with reference to the plurality of fixed landmarks. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more moveable imagers arranged to obtain image data of at least a portion of the patient positioner, wherein the plurality of measurement devices are further configured to determine a current three-dimensional spatial position and an angular orientation of the one or more imagers with reference to the plurality of fixed landmarks. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the system is further configured to determine a movement envelope for the one or more imagers using the current spatial position and angular orientation of the one or more imagers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of measurement devices include cameras, laser measurement devices, or radio-location devices. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more feedback devices in communication with at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner, the one or more feedback devices configured to independently determine the current position of at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner, and wherein the system is configured to determine movement commands based on current position information received from the plurality of measurement devices and the one or more feedback devices. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system receives position signals from one or more movable imagers indicative of a spatial position of a target iso-center of a patient affixed to the patient positioner, and wherein the system is configured to determine movement commands to induce at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner to align the target iso-center at a desired translation and rotation position. ### Claim 10 A radiation therapy delivery system comprising: means for measuring a direction to and a distance from a plurality of fixed landmarks and at least one of a moveable radiation nozzle and a moveable patient positioner; means for calculating a current spatial position and angular orientation of at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner with reference to the plurality of fixed landmarks; and means for determining movement commands to induce at least one of the patient positioner and the radiation nozzle to move from the current spatial position and angular orientation to a desired spatial position and angular orientation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the means for measuring includes at least one of a camera, a laser measurement device, and a radio-location device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the means for calculating includes a 6-D module configured to receive location measurements from the measuring means and to determine a 6-dimensional spatial position and angular orientation of at least the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner with respect to the fixed reference objects. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the means for determining movement commands includes a command and control module in communication with the means for calculating and at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner. ### Claim 14 A method of controlling movement of a patient positioner in a radiation therapy delivery system, the method comprising: measuring a direction to and a distance from a plurality of fixed landmarks and at least one of a moveable radiation nozzle and a moveable patient positioner; calculating a current spatial position and angular orientation of at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner with reference to the plurality of fixed landmarks; and determining movement commands to induce at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner to move from the current spatial position and angular orientation to a desired spatial position and angular orientation. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: measuring the position of a plurality of markers on at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner from multiple perspectives; and calibrating the measured position of the plurality of markers with respect to each other and the plurality of fixed landmarks. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising moving at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner based on the movement commands. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: recalculating the spatial position and angular orientation of at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner with reference to the plurality of fixed landmarks; and determining whether the desired spatial position and angular orientation of at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner has been achieved. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: determining a current three-dimensional spatial position and an angular orientation of at least one of a movable radiographic imager and a moveable x-ray source; and determining a movement envelope for at least one of the imager and the x-ray source using the current spatial position and angular orientation information. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising independently performing second local position measurements of at least the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein movement commands are determined based on the current spatial position and angular orientation of at least one of the radiation nozzle and the patient positioner and the second local position measurements.