Fiducial marker / cancer imaging and treatment apparatus and method of use thereof
First Claim
1. A method for determining a position of a tumor in a patient for treatment using positively charged particles, comprising the steps of:
- providing at least a first fiducial indicator mechanically coupled to a nozzle system, the positively charged particles passing through said nozzle system during use;
providing at least a second fiducial indicator mechanically coupled to a first movable object in a treatment room;
a controller determining, using said first fiducial indicator and said second fiducial indicator, a first position of said first movable object relative to said nozzle system;
targeting the tumor with the positively charged particles using knowledge of said nozzle system and the first position of said first movable object; and
said controller prognosticating a conflict between the first movable object and a treatment beam path of the positively charged particles using;
(1) a known geometry of the first movable object and (2) at least two positions, at separate times, of the first movable object determined using said second fiducial indicator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention comprises a fiducial marker—fiducial detector based treatment room position determination/positioning system apparatus and method of use thereof. A set of fiducial markers and fiducial detectors are used to mark/determine relative position of static and/or moveable objects in a treatment room using photons passing from the markers to the detectors. Further, position and orientation of at least one of the objects is calibrated to a reference line, such as a zero-offset beam treatment line passing through an exit nozzle, which yields a relative position of each fiducially marked object in the treatment room. Treatment calculations are subsequently determined using the reference line and/or points thereon. The treatment calculations are optionally and preferably performed without use of an isocenter point, such as a central point about which a treatment room gantry rotates, which eliminates mechanical errors associated with the isocenter point being an isocenter volume in practice.
427 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for determining a position of a tumor in a patient for treatment using positively charged particles, comprising the steps of:
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providing at least a first fiducial indicator mechanically coupled to a nozzle system, the positively charged particles passing through said nozzle system during use; providing at least a second fiducial indicator mechanically coupled to a first movable object in a treatment room; a controller determining, using said first fiducial indicator and said second fiducial indicator, a first position of said first movable object relative to said nozzle system; targeting the tumor with the positively charged particles using knowledge of said nozzle system and the first position of said first movable object; and said controller prognosticating a conflict between the first movable object and a treatment beam path of the positively charged particles using;
(1) a known geometry of the first movable object and (2) at least two positions, at separate times, of the first movable object determined using said second fiducial indicator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18)
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11. A method for determining a position of a tumor in a patient for treatment using positively charged particles, comprising the steps of:
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providing at least a first fiducial indicator, mechanically coupled to a nozzle system, the positively charged particles passing through said nozzle system during use; providing at least a second fiducial indicator mechanically coupled to a first movable object in a treatment room; a controller determining, using said first fiducial indicator and said second fiducial indicator, a first position of said first movable object relative to said nozzle system; targeting the tumor with the positively charged particles using knowledge of said nozzle system and the first position of said first movable object; providing a set of fiducial indicators, said set of fiducial indicators comprising; said first fiducial indicator; said second fiducial indicator; a set of fiducial markers; and a set of fiducial detectors; providing a set of movable objects, said set of movable objects comprising said first movable object; placing at least one member of said set of fiducial indicators on each member of said set of movable objects in a treatment room, said set of objects comprising;
(1) a nozzle system, said nozzle system connected to a synchrotron via a first beam transport line;
(2) an imaging system; and
(3) a patient positioning system;using said set of fiducial detectors to detect photons from said set of fiducial markers; determining, using said controller, a relative position of said nozzle system and the tumor using output from said set of fiducial detectors; and targeting the tumor, with the positively charged particles, using the relative position of said nozzle system and the tumor; linking said controller to said set of fiducial indicators; and using input from said set of fiducial indicators, said controller controlling the positively charged particles; and said controller, upon observing a loss of an expected signal from said set of fiducial indicators, preventing the positively charged particles from striking the patient.
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16. A method for determining a position of a tumor in a patient for treatment using positively charged particles, comprising the steps of:
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providing at least a first fiducial indicator, mechanically coupled to a nozzle system, the positively charged particles passing through said nozzle system during use; providing at least a second fiducial indicator mechanically coupled to a first movable object in a treatment room; a controller determining, using said first fiducial indicator and said second fiducial indicator, a first position of said first movable object relative to said nozzle system; targeting the tumor with the positively charged particles using knowledge of said nozzle system and the first position of said first movable object; attaching a third fiducial indicator to an operator in the treatment room; and using output from said third fiducial indicator, said controller preventing the positively charged particles from striking the operator.
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Specification