SYSTEM AND METHOD OF REMOTELY ANALYZING OPERATION OF A RADIATION THERAPY SYSTEM

• US 20070041496A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TomoTherapy Incorporated (Accuray Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: TomoTherapy Incorporated (Accuray Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hughes, John, Murray, David, Schnarr, Eric, Mackie, Thomas, Schloesser, Eric, Cravens, Robert, Reckwerdt, Paul, Ruchala, Kenneth, Kapatoes, Jeffrey, Olivera, Gustavo
• Application Number:
  US11/459,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20070041496A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1074 Details of the control system, e.g. user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/103 Treatment planning systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1048 Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods

Abstract

Systems and methods for utilizing remote access to a radiation therapy system. Remote access to the radiation therapy system can assist in providing quality assurance processes, service and maintenance procedures, patient monitoring, and statistical analysis.

Claims

1. A method of remotely analyzing operation of a radiation therapy system, the method comprising:

accessing the radiation therapy system with a computer remote from the radiation therapy system;

instructing the radiation therapy system to perform an action;

obtaining results of the action; and

analyzing the results of the action at the remote computer.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the obtaining results occurs at the radiation therapy system.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising configuring the radiation therapy system based on the results of the action.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the configuring the radiation therapy system occurs from the remote computer.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising communicating configuration information from the remote computer to the radiation therapy system.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising receiving a request at the remote computer from the radiation therapy system to access the radiation therapy system.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the instructing the radiation therapy system originates from the remote computer.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising

generating a report of the analyzed results;

determining recommended changes to the radiation therapy system based on the report; and

transmitting the recommended changes to the radiation therapy system.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the instructing the radiation therapy system includes instructing the radiation therapy system to run.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the instructing the radiation therapy system includes instructing the system to upload data to the remote computer.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the data includes data acquired during a running of a previously ran treatment plan.

12. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the radiation therapy system includes a radiation module, wherein the obtaining the results includes obtaining data relating to an operation of the radiation module, and wherein the analyzing the results includes analyzing the data.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 and further comprising recommending changes to the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzing the data.

14. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the radiation therapy system includes a radiation module, wherein the obtaining the results includes obtaining data relating to an output energy of the radiation module, and wherein the analyzing the results includes analyzing the data relating to the output energy of the radiation module.

15. A method as set forth in claim 14 and further comprising recommending changes to the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzed data.

16. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the radiation therapy system includes a gantry, wherein the obtaining the results includes obtaining data relating to a gantry operation, and wherein analyzing the results includes analyzing the data relating to the gantry operation.

17. A method as set forth in claim 16 and further comprising recommending changes to the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzed data.

18. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the radiation therapy system includes a patient support, wherein the obtaining the results includes obtaining data relating to a patient-support operation, and wherein analyzing the results includes analyzing the data relating to the patient-support operation.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18 and further comprising recommending changes to the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzed data.

20. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising recommending updating the commissioning of the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzing the results.

21. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising recommending calibrating at least a component of the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzing the results.

22. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising recommending replacing a component of the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzing the results.

63. A method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising performing a dose calculation with the data, and wherein the analyzing the data includes analyzing the dose calculation.

64. A method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising performing deformation with the data, and wherein analyzing the data includes analyzing the deformation.

65. A method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising determining dose accumulation with the data, and wherein the analyzing the data includes analyzing the dose accumulation.

23. A method of remotely analyzing operation of a radiation therapy system, the method comprising:

accessing the radiation therapy system with a computer remote from the radiation therapy system;

instructing the radiation therapy system from the remote computer to perform an action;

obtaining results of the action; and

analyzing the results of the action.

24. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the obtaining results occurs at the radiation therapy system.

25. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the analyzing the results occurs at the radiation therapy system.

26. A method as set forth in claim 23 and further comprising configuring the radiation therapy system based on the results of the action.

27. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the configuring the radiation therapy system occurs from the remote computer.

28. A method as set forth in claim 23 and further comprising communicating configuration information from the remote computer to the radiation therapy system.

29. A method as set forth in claim 23 and further comprising receiving a request at the remote computer from the radiation therapy system to access the radiation therapy system.

30. A method as set forth in claim 23 and further comprising instructing the radiation therapy system from the remote computer to analyze the results.

31. A method as set forth in claim 23 and further comprising

generating a report of the analyzed results;

determining recommended changes to the radiation therapy system based on the report; and

transmitting the recommended changes to the radiation therapy system.

32. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the instructing the radiation therapy system includes instructing the radiation therapy system to run a plan.

33. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the instructing the radiation therapy system includes instructing the system to upload data to the remote computer.

34. A method as set forth in claim 33 wherein the data includes data acquired during a running of a previously ran treatment plan.

35. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the radiation therapy system includes a radiation module, wherein the obtaining the results includes obtaining data relating to an operation of the radiation module, and wherein the analyzing the results includes analyzing the data.

36. A method as set forth in claim 35 and further comprising recommending changes to the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzing the data.

37. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the radiation therapy system includes a radiation module, wherein the obtaining the results includes obtaining data relating to an output energy of the radiation module, and wherein the analyzing the results includes analyzing the data.

38. A method as set forth in claim 37 and further comprising recommending changes to the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzing the data.

39. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the radiation therapy system includes a gantry, wherein the obtaining the results includes obtaining data relating to a gantry operation, and wherein analyzing the results includes analyzing the data.

40. A method as set forth in claim 39 and further comprising recommending changes to the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzing the data.

41. A method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the radiation therapy system includes a patient support, wherein the obtaining the results includes obtaining data relating to a patient-support operation, and wherein analyzing the results includes analyzing the data.

42. A method as set forth in claim 41 and further comprising recommending changes to the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzing the data.

43. A method as set forth in claim 23 and further comprising recommending updating the commissioning of the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzing the results.

44. A method as set forth in claim 23 and further comprising recommending calibrating at least a component of the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzing the results.

45. A method as set forth in claim 23 and further comprising recommending replacing a component of the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzing the results.

46. A method of remotely monitoring a radiation therapy system, the method comprising:

accessing a radiation therapy system with a computer remote from the radiation therapy system;

monitoring a parameter related to the radiation therapy system;

obtaining data relating to the parameter;

analyzing the data at the remote computer; and

transmitting a communication to the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the analyzed data.

47. A method as set forth in claim 46 wherein the monitored parameter includes a parameter of the radiation therapy system.

48. A method as set forth in claim 47 wherein the parameter of the radiation therapy system includes at least one of a parameter representing water flow, internal temperature, internal pressure, and electrical parameters.

49. A method as set forth in claim 47 wherein the parameter of the radiation therapy system includes dosimetric parameters.

50. A method as set forth in claim 46 wherein the monitored parameter includes an environmental parameter related to the radiation therapy system.

51. A method as set forth in claim 50 wherein the environmental parameter includes at least one of a parameter representing ambient temperature, ambient humidity, and ambient air pressure.

52. A method as set forth in claim 46 wherein the monitored parameter includes a parameter of an external device associated with the radiation therapy system.

53. A method as set forth in claim 46 wherein the transmitting a communication includes notifying a person local to the radiation therapy system based at least in part on the data.

54. A method as set forth in claim 46 wherein the monitoring a parameter, the obtaining the data, and the analyzing the data occur at the radiation therapy system.

55. A method as set forth in claim 46 wherein the analyzing the data includes comparing the data to a predefined range, and wherein the transmitting a communication occurs in response to the comparison.

56. A method as set forth in claim 46 wherein the analyzing the data includes comparing the data to historical data, and wherein the transmitting a communication in response to the comparison.

57. A method as set forth in claim 46 and further comprising receiving a report at the computer of the analyzed data.

58. A method as set forth in claim 57 wherein the radiation therapy system generates the report of the analyzed data.

59. A method as set forth in claim 58 and further comprising reviewing the report at the computer.

60. A method as set forth in claim 46 and further comprising generating a report at the computer of the analyzed data.

61. A method as set forth in claim 60 wherein the radiation therapy system receives the report of the analyzed data.

62. A method as set forth in claim 61 and further comprising reviewing the report at the radiation therapy system.