PATH PLANNING AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE FOR MOVEMENT OF INSTRUMENTS IN A RADIATION THERAPY ENVIRONMENT

• US 20160151644A1
• Filed: 01/25/2016
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vision RT Limited
• Original Assignee: Vision RT Limited
• Inventors: Cheng, Chieh C., Lesyna, David A., Moyers, Michael F.
• Granted Patent: US 10,010,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0442 made of non-metallic materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4092 for producing synchrotron radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/105 using a laser alignment system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1059 using cameras imaging the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1061 using an x-ray imaging system having a separate imaging source
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1062 using virtual X-ray images, e.g. digitally reconstructed radiographs [DRR]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1097 Means for immobilizing the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1037 taking into account the movement of the target, e.g. 4D-image based planning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1067 in real time, i.e. during treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1069 Target adjustment, e.g. moving the patient support
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/107 in real time, i.e. during treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1078 Fixed beam systems
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1666 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45117 Medical, radio surgery manipulator

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for therapy delivery are disclosed. In one embodiment, a therapy delivery system includes a plurality of movable components including a radiation therapy nozzle and a patient pod for holding a patient, a patient registration module for determining a desired position of at least one of the plurality of movable components, and a motion control module for coordinating the movement of the least one of the plurality of movable components from a current position to the desired position. The motion control module includes a path planning module for simulating at least one projected trajectory of movement of the least one of the plurality of moveable components from the current position to the desired position

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A monitoring system for a radiation therapy system having movable components, the radiation therapy system operable to selectively deliver a radiation therapy beam along a beam axis, the monitoring system comprising:

a plurality of external measurement devices arranged to obtain position measurements of components of the radiation therapy system and a patient substantially fixed in position with respect to a movable patient support so as to provide location information;

a controller operable to receive position information from the plurality of external measurement devices and provide movement commands to the movable patient support to automatically align the patient in a desired pose, and

a control system operable to determine whether the actual orientation of at least one moveable component of the radiation therapy system meets pre-determined criteria for correspondence with a desired orientation of the at least one component relative to a positioned patient.

3. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the controller is operable to receive position information from the plurality of external measurement devices, provide movement commands to the movable patient support, determine and evaluate a corresponding movement envelope, and inhibit movement of the patient support if a collision is indicated else initiate the movement.

4. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein aligning the patient in the desired pose comprises aligning the patient support with respect to a beam delivery aiming point through which the radiation therapy system directs a radiation beam.

5. The monitoring system of claim 2, further comprising a patient imager system which is movable into and out of the beam axis so as to obtain an image of the patient and a target iso-center, wherein the path planning and collision avoidance system determines movement commands and trajectories for both the patient imager and the patient support and inhibits movement if a collision is indicated.

6. The monitoring system of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of markers fixed to selected points of the moveable components of the radiation system and wherein the external measurement devices obtain position measurements of the markers.

7. The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein multiple external measurement devices obtain position measurements of a single marker so as to provide a more accurate measurement of the single marker'"'"'s location than provided by a single external measurement device.

8. The monitoring system of claim 2, further comprising internal monitoring systems that also monitor the movement of the movable components and provide signals indicative thereof and wherein the system monitors signals from the plurality of external measurement devices and internal monitoring systems and inhibits movement of the plurality of movable components if the signals indicate that a collision of components is likely to occur.

9. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of external measurement devices comprise a plurality of cameras which obtain optical images of the movable components, and wherein the plurality of external measurement devices image distinctive monuments of the movable components to monitor their physical location.

10. The monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the monuments comprise markers attached to selected regions of the movable components.

11. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the internal monitoring system comprises resolvers in operable communication with the moving components so as to provide information relating to the measured position of the movable components.

12. The monitoring system of claim 2, further comprising a patient imager which obtains at least one image of a patient supported by the patient positioner and wherein the system evaluates the at least one patient image and provides control signals to induce at least one of the patient positioner and a nozzle to move with respect to each other to achieve a desired treatment pose.

13. A method of monitoring a radiation therapy system having movable components said radiation therapy system selectively delivering a radiation therapy beam along a beam axis, the method comprising:

obtaining position measurements of components of the radiation therapy system and a patient substantially fixed in position with respect to a movable patient support so as to provide location information;

receiving position information from the plurality of external measurement devices;

providing movement commands to the movable patient support to automatically align the patient in a desired pose, and

determining whether the actual orientation of at least one moveable component of the radiation therapy system meets pre-determined criteria for correspondence with a desired orientation of the at least one component relative to a positioned patient.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising repositioning the moveable patient support such that the actual orientation of a patient substantially fixed in position with respect to the patient support more closely corresponds to the desired orientation if the actual orientation does not meet the pre-determined criteria.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

providing movement commands to the movable patient support, determining and evaluating a corresponding movement envelope, and

inhibiting movement of the patient support if a collision is indicated else initiating the movement.