SYSTEM AND METHOD OF REMOTELY DIRECTING RADIATION THERAPY TREATMENT

• US 20070041498A1
• 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, Lu, Weiguo, Schnarr, Eric, Mackie, Thomas, Schloesser, Eric, Cravens, Robert, Reckwerdt, Paul, Ruchala, Kenneth, Kapatoes, Jeffrey, Olivera, Gustavo, Murray, David
• Application Number:
  US11/459,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20070041498A1
• 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 treatment system. Remote access to the radiation therapy treatment system can assist in providing quality assurance processes, service and maintenance procedures, patient monitoring, and statistical analysis.

Claims

1. A method of remotely directing radiation therapy treatment of a patient, the radiation therapy treatment being delivered by a radiation therapy system, the method comprising:

remotely accessing patient information using a remote computer distinct from the radiation therapy system;

processing at least a portion of the patient information;

providing at least a portion of the processed information to an on-site person at the radiation therapy system;

wherein at least a portion of the treatment has been delivered to the patient; and

wherein the patient information is derived from the delivered portion.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising notifying a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system when a decision point has been reach during the treatment.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the method further comprises determining the occurrence of the decision point at a fixed point in the treatment.

4. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the decision point occurs based on predefined actions.

5. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the notifying a person is via the remote computer.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the remote computer comprises a hand-held device.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the patient information is accessed at a second remote computer distinct from the radiation therapy system.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the patient information is accessed at the radiation therapy system.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising approving or altering a course of treatment based at least in part on the processed information.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the approving or altering the course of treatment includes approving or altering a radiation therapy treatment plan.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 and further comprising performing the radiation therapy treatment plan in response to the approving or altering the radiation therapy treatment plan.

12. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising generating a radiation therapy treatment plan for the patient based at least in part on the processed information.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the providing act includes providing the radiation therapy treatment plan to the on-site person.

14. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the generating a radiation therapy treatment plan occurs at the radiation therapy system.

15. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the providing act includes delivering at least a portion of the processed information to the on-site person.

16. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the providing act includes making available at least a portion of the processed information to the on-site person.

17. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the provided information includes original, remotely-accessed patient information.

18. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processing act includes generating a radiation therapy treatment plan, and wherein the providing act includes providing the radiation therapy treatment plan to the on-site person.

19. A method as set forth in claim 18 and further comprising providing the radiation therapy treatment plan to a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system to have the person approve the radiation therapy treatment plan.

20. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processing act includes making a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system regarding approval, modification, or creation of a treatment plan, and wherein the providing act includes providing the decision.

21. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processing act includes making a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system regarding approval, modification, or creation of a patient setup, and wherein the providing act includes providing the decision.

22. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processing act includes making a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system regarding approval, modification, or creation of a patient registration, and wherein the providing act includes providing the decision.

23. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processing act includes making a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system regarding approval, modification, or creation of patient contours, and wherein the providing act includes providing the decision.

24. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processing act includes making a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system regarding approval, modification, or creation of a patient quality assurance plan, and wherein the providing act includes providing the decision.

25. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the processing act includes making a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system regarding approval, modification, or creation of an adaptive therapy plan, and wherein the providing act includes providing the decision.

26. A method of remotely directing radiation therapy treatment of a patient, the radiation therapy treatment being delivered by a radiation therapy system, the method comprising:

remotely accessing patient information using a remote computer distinct from the radiation therapy system;

processing at least a portion of the patient information;

generating radiation therapy information based at least in part on the processed information; and

providing the radiation therapy information to an on-site person at the radiation therapy system;

wherein at least a portion of the treatment has been delivered to the patient; and

wherein the patient information is derived from the delivered portion.

27. A method as set forth in claim 26 and further comprising notifying a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system when a decision point has been reach during treatment.

28. A method as set forth in claim 27 wherein the method further comprises determining the occurrence of the decision point at a fixed point in the treatment.

29. A method as set forth in claim 27 wherein the decision point occurs based on predefined actions.

30. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the notifying a person is via the remote computer.

31. A method as set forth in claim 30 wherein the remote computer comprises a hand-held device.

32. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the patient information is accessed at a second remote computer distinct from the radiation therapy system.

33. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the patient information is accessed at the radiation therapy system.

34. A method as set forth in claim 26 and further comprising, prior to the providing the radiation therapy information, approving or altering a radiation therapy treatment plan.

35. A method as set forth in claim 34 and further comprising performing the radiation therapy treatment plan in response to the approving or altering the radiation therapy treatment plan.

36. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the providing act includes delivering at least a portion of the radiation therapy information to the on-site person.

37. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the providing act includes making available at least a portion of the radiation therapy information to the on-site person.

38. A method as set forth in claim 26 and further comprising providing the radiation therapy information to a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system to have the person approve a radiation therapy treatment plan.

39. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the radiation therapy information includes a radiation therapy treatment plan and further comprising making a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system regarding approval or modification of the radiation therapy treatment plan, and providing the decision to the on-site person.

40. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the processing act includes making a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system regarding approval, modification, or creation of a patient setup.

41. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the processing act includes making a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system regarding approval, modification, or creation of a patient registration.

42. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the processing act includes making a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system regarding approval, modification, or creation of patient contours.

43. A method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the processing act includes making a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system regarding approval, modification, or creation of an adaptive therapy plan.

44. A system for remotely directing radiation therapy treatment of a patient, the radiation therapy treatment being delivered by a radiation therapy system, the system comprising:

a computer processor distinct from the radiation therapy system; and

a software program stored in a computer readable medium distinct from the radiation therapy system and accessible by the computer processor, the software program being executable by the computer processor to access patient information, process at least a portion of the patient information, and provide at least a portion of the processed information to an on-site person at the radiation therapy system.

45. A system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the software program is further executable by the computer processor to notify a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system when a decision point has been reached.

46. A system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the accessed patient information is from a second computer processor distinct from the radiation therapy system.

47. A system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the accessed patient information is from the radiation therapy system.

48. A system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the software program is further executable by the computer processor to generate a radiation therapy treatment plan for the patient based at least in part on the processed information.

49. A system as set forth in claim 48 wherein the providing act includes providing the radiation therapy treatment plan to the on-site person.

50. A system as set forth in claim 48 wherein the generating a radiation therapy treatment plan occurs at the radiation therapy system.

51. A system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the software program is further executable by the computer processor to provide the radiation therapy treatment plan to a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system to have the person approve the radiation therapy treatment plan.

52. A system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the providing at least a portion of the processed information includes delivering at least a portion of the processed information to the on-site person.

53. A system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the providing at least a portion of the processed information includes making available at least a portion of the processed information to the on-site person.

54. A system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the processing at least a portion of the patient information includes requesting a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system to approve, modify, or create a treatment plan.

55. A system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the processing at least a portion of the patient information includes requesting a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system to approve, modify, or create a patient setup.

56. A system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the processing at least a portion of the patient information includes requesting a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system to approve, modify, or create a patient registration.

57. A system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the processing at least a portion of the patient information includes requesting a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system to approve, modify, or create patient contours.

58. A system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the processing at least a portion of the patient information includes requesting a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system to approve, modify, or create a patient quality assurance plan.

59. A system as set forth in claim 44 wherein the processing at least a portion of the patient information includes requesting a decision by a person at a location distinct from the radiation therapy system to approve, modify, or create an adaptive therapy plan.