US 9,849,306 B2Granted

Systems and methods for generating beam-specific planning target volume design outputs

AssigneeVarian Medical Systems International AG

InventorsAnssi Kesti-Helia, Sampsa Lappalainen, Timo K. Koponen, Perttu Niemela

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Abstract

System includes a beam generator to generate beam(s) for patient treatment and a computing device that obtains three-dimensional image(s) of a target structure that repositions with respect to surrounding tissue of the patient. The computing device creates plan(s) including a first three-dimensional probability distribution of patient's position and a second three-dimensional probability distribution of the repositioned structure's internal position. The computing device combines the first distribution with the second distribution to generate a joint distribution and selects a probability level from the joint distribution. The probability level defines an enclosed surface. A distance defined between the surface and a point of origin in at least one direction is equal to a threshold value of a parameter of the repositioned target in the direction. The computing device projects the surface to a plane positioned relative to a direction of the beam for the generation of beam-specific planning target volume design output(s).

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a beam generator configured to generate at least one beam to treat a patient;
at least one computing device coupled to the beam generator, wherein said at least one computing device is configured to:
obtain at least one three-dimensional image of a target structure and surrounding tissue of the patient, wherein the target structure is configured to move and be repositioned with respect to the surrounding tissue;
create a treatment plan that includes at least one first three-dimensional probability distribution of a position of the patient and at least one second three-dimensional probability distribution of an internal position of the repositioned target structure;
combine the at least one first three-dimensional probability distribution with the at least one second three-dimensional probability distribution to generate a joint distribution of the position of the patient and the internal position of the repositioned target structure;
select a probability level from the joint distribution such that the probability level defines an enclosed surface, wherein a distance defined between a portion of the enclosed surface and a point of origin in at least one direction is at least equal to a predefined threshold value of a parameter of the repositioned target structure in the at least one direction;
and
project the enclosed surface to a plane that is positioned relative to a direction of the at least one beam to facilitate the generation of at least one beam-specific planning target volume design output.

5 more elements

A method of generating at least one beam-specific planning target volume design output, said method comprising:

coupling at least one computing device to a beam generator that is configured to generate at least one beam to treat a patient;
obtaining at least one three-dimensional image of a target structure and surrounding tissue of the patient, wherein the target structure is configured to move and be repositioned with respect to the surrounding tissue;
creating a treatment plan that includes at least one first three-dimensional probability distribution of a position of the patient and at least one second three-dimensional probability distribution of an internal position of the repositioned target structure;
combining the at least one first three-dimensional probability distribution with the at least one second three-dimensional probability distribution to generate a joint distribution of the position of the patient and the internal position of the repositioned target structure;
selecting a probability level from the joint distribution such that the probability level defines an enclosed surface, wherein a distance defined between a portion of the enclosed surface and a point of origin in at least one direction is at least equal to a predefined threshold value of the parameter of the repositioned target structure in the at least one direction;
and
projecting the enclosed surface to a plane that is positioned relative to a direction of the at least one beam to facilitate the generation of at least one beam-specific planning target volume design output.

4 more elements

At least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein, when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:

obtain at least one three-dimensional image of a target structure and surrounding tissue of a patient, wherein the target structure is configured to move and be repositioned with respect to the surrounding tissue;
create a treatment plan that includes at least one first three-dimensional probability distribution of a position of the patient and at least one second three-dimensional probability distribution of an internal position of the repositioned target structure;
combine the at least one first three-dimensional probability distribution with the at least one second three-dimensional probability distribution to generate a joint distribution of the position of the patient and the internal position of the repositioned target structure;
select a probability level from the joint distribution such that the probability level defines an enclosed surface, wherein a distance defined between a portion of the enclosed surface and a point of origin in at least one direction is at least equal to a predefined threshold value of a parameter of the repositioned target structure in the at least one direction;
and
project the enclosed surface to a plane that is positioned relative to a direction of at least one beam to facilitate the generation of at least one beam-specific planning target volume design output.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.