Real time brachytherapy spatial registration and visualization system

• US 6,129,670 A
• Filed: 05/29/1998
• Issued: 10/10/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc. (Elekta AB)
• Original Assignee: Burdette Medical Systems, Inc. (Elekta AB)
• Inventors: Burdette, Everette C., Komandina, Bruce M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US09/087,453
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 600/427, 600/407, 600/411, 600/439, 348/7
• US Class Current: 600/427
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00274 Prostate operation, e.g. prostatectomy, turp, bhp treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3411 with a plurality of holes, e.g. holes in matrix arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00547 Prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/256 having a database of accessory information, e.g. including context sensitive help or scientific articles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/365 augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3782 transmitter or receiver in catheter or minimal invasive instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/42 Details of probe positioning or probe attachment to the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4209 by using holders, e.g. positioning frames
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5238 for combining image data of patient, e.g. merging several images from different acquisition modes into one image for image registration algorithms G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0069 Devices for implanting pellets, e.g. markers or solid medicaments for introducing of radioactive sources for interstitial radiation therapy, i.e. brachytherapy A61N5/1027
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1011 Apparatus for permanent insertion of sources
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1012 Templates or grids for guiding the introduction of sources
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1001 using radiation sources introduced into or applied onto the body; brachytherapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1002 : Intraluminal radiation therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1007 : Arrangements or means for the introduction of sources into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1027 : Interstitial radiation therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/103 : Treatment planning systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1048 : Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 : for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam

Abstract

A method and apparatus for three-dimensional imaging and treatment of a patient'"'"'s body. The method and apparatus utilize a system for developing a therapy plan for treatment of an organ of the patient, a device for generating ultrasound image data from a treatment region and a device for providing a translucent volume image of a portion of a patient'"'"'s body and a separate translucent image of the patient organ and a three dimensional viewing device to superimpose a translucent article image to enable viewing of the article image simultaneously with the patient organ and a portion of the patient'"'"'s body.

Claims

1. A system for three-dimensional imaging and treatment of the body of a patient, comprising:

means for developing a therapy plan for treatment of an organ of the patient;

means for holding radioactive seeds and inserting the seeds into position in the patient;

an optical sensor positioned to monitor loading of the seeds in accordance with the therapy plan;

means for providing image data from a treatment region of the patient'"'"'s body;

means for providing a translucent volume image of a portion of a patient'"'"'s body and a separate translucent image of the organ of the patient; and

means for illustrating via a translucent image of the means for holding the seeds for placement of the seeds in conjunction with the organ of the patient, thereby enabling three dimensional viewing of said seeds, means for holding the seeds and simultaneously the organ of the patient and the portion of the patient'"'"'s body.

2. An apparatus for preparing radiation therapy components for treatment of the body of a patient, comprising:

at least one insertion device for holding radioactive seeds, said insertion device for passage into the patient and positioning said seeds for radiation treatment; and

an optical sensor positioned to monitor loading of each of said radioactive seeds into said insertion device.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said insertion device further holds at least one spacer between said radioactive seeds.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 further including a microprocessor coupled to said optical sensor and programmed to monitor input of at least one spacer and said radioactive seeds.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 further including a bin for holding said radioactive seeds and a bin for holding a plurality of said spacers.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 further including at least two bins for holding radioactive seeds of different radioactivity levels.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 further including a device to determine whether said insertion device is engaged both to said bin for input of said seeds and to said bin for input of said spacers.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 further including a programmed microprocessor coupled to a device for automatically loading said seeds and said spacers into said insertion device.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 further including a monitor for displaying to an operator an identifier of each said insertion device and status of loading said seeds and said spacers in said insertion device.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said microprocessor comprises at least two independent microprocessors for checking operational status of another of said microprocessors.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 further including a system computer having dose plan information which can be downloaded into said programmed microprocessor for automatically loading said seeds and said spacers into said insertion device.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 further including a storage system for a plurality of said insertion device and said storage system coupled to said microprocessor for automated positioning of a plurality of said insertion device for loading with said seeds and said spacers in response to said dose plan information.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said radioactive seeds comprise a source of at least one selectable level of radioactivity.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said optical sensor comprises at least two optical sensing devices.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein at least two optical sensing devices are redundantly disposed along one entry passageway.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including a microprocessor coupled to said optical sensor and programmed to monitor input of said radioactive seeds.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including a radiation sensor disposed to monitor radioactivity level of said radioactive seeds being input into said insertion device.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including means for implanting said at least one insertion device in the body of the patient.

19. The apparatus as defined in claim 18 further including means for displaying at least a two-dimensional image of at least one said insertion device and said radioactive seeds when disposed in the patient.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein different transparent colors can be assigned to said insertion device, said radioactive seeds and portions of the patient'"'"'s body.

21. The apparatus as defined in claim 18 wherein said means for implanting includes a holder positioned adjacent the patient, said holder including a template having openings for receiving said insertion device.

22. The apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said template comprises a disposable material for a single use.

23. The apparatus as defined in claim 18 further including means for performing tissue ablation of the body of the patient.

24. The apparatus as defined in claim 18 further including an ultrasound imaging system for displaying said radioactive seeds, said imaging system coupled to a computer programmed to detect an image of said seeds using a threshold ultrasound signal analysis program.

25. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said insertion device is selected from the group of an insertion device and a catheter.

26. A method for radiation treatment of the body of a patient, comprising the steps of:

positioning a holder adjacent the body of a patient;

passing at least one insertion device through openings in said holder and into the body of the patient; and

inputting radioactive seeds and spacers into said insertion device responsive to a preplanned therapeutic radiation plan and in accordance with programmed computer controls, the step of inputting said seeds and spacers including selecting a particular number of radioactive seeds of selected radiation strength interspersed with said spacers to achieve a calculated radiation dose level at selected portions in the body of the patient.

27. The method as defined in claim 26 further including the planning step of providing a system to allow stepwise movement of an ultrasound probe for determining structure of the selected portion of the patient before implanting said insertion device in the patient.

28. The method as defined in claim 26 further including the step of generating three-dimensional images of said insertion device, said seeds and the selected portions of the body of the patient.

29. The method as defined in claim 28 wherein a different transparent color is assigned to said insertion device, said seeds and the selected portions.

30. The method as defined in claim 26 wherein said insertion device is inserted into the holder in a location in accordance with the radiation plan.

31. The method as defined in claim 26 wherein said holder includes a disposable material for a single use.