Method and system for providing radiation treatment to a patient

• US 6,510,199 B1
• Filed: 07/02/2001
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Hughes, John, Falkenstein, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): BRUCE, DAVID VERNON
• Application Number:
  US09/897,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 378/64, 378/65
• US Class Current: 378/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/103 Treatment planning systems

Abstract

A method and system for providing a radiation treatment to a patient utilizing a radiation treatment unit is disclosed. The method and system comprises relevant identifying information about the patient to a server and determining the disease of the patient to be treated. The method and system further includes providing the radiation treatment protocol based upon the patient information and the disease from the server to the treatment unit. Accordingly, through the present invention a treatment plan is provided based upon information in a database within the server. In addition, the database can be updated on a regular basis through access to the Internet, intranet, or other types of input to insure that the particular treatment plan provided is the most up-to-date treatment plan for the disease to be treated. In so doing, a system is provided that can be used in settings where experts are not available.

Claims

1. A method for providing a radiation treatment to a patient utilizing a radiation treatment unit, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing relevant identifying information about the patient to a server;

(b) determining the disease of the patient to be treated; and

(c) providing the radiation treatment protocol based upon the patient information and the disease from the server to the treatment unit.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the radiation treatment protocol is provided via a wizard.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the radiation treatment providing step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c1) determining the protocol to be provided; and

(c2) providing a treatment plan based upon the protocol.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the treatment plan providing (306) step (c2) comprises:

(c21) determining if the treatment plan has been approved, and

(c22) performing quality checks if the treatment plan is approved.

5. The method of claim 4 which includes the step (d) of administering and radiation treatment based upon the radiation treatment protocol.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the administering step (d) comprises the step (d1) of treating the patient a predetermined number of times.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the server can access a network.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the network comprises a public network.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the network comprises a private network.

10. A system for providing a radiation treatment to a patient utilizing a

radiation treatment unit, the system comprising:

means for providing relevant identifying information about the patient to a server;

means for determining the disease of the patient to be treated; and

means for providing the radiation treatment protocol based upon the patient information and the disease from the server to the treatment unit.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the radiation treatment protocol is provided via a wizard.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the radiation treatment providing means comprises:

means for determining the protocol to be provided; and

means for providing a treatment plan based upon the protocol.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the treatment plan providing means comprises:

means for determining if the treatment plan has been approved, and

means for performing quality checks if the treatment plan is approved.

14. The system of claim 13 which includes means for administering radiation treatment based upon the radiation treatment protocol.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the administering means comprises the means for treating the patient a predetermined number of times.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the server can access a network.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the network comprises a public network.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the network comprises a private network.

19. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for providing a radiation treatment to a patient utilizing a radiation treatment unit, the program instructions for:

(a) providing relevant identifying information about the patient to a server;

(b) determining the disease of the patient to be treated; and

(c) providing the radiation treatment protocol based upon the patient information and the disease from the server to the treatment unit.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the radiation treatment protocol is provided via a wizard.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the radiation treatment providing step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c1) determining the protocol to be provided; and

(c2) providing a treatment plan based upon the protocol.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21 wherein the treatment plan providing step (c2) comprises:

(c21) determining if the treatment plan has been approved, and

(c22) performing quality checks if the treatment plan is approved.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22 which includes program instructions for (d) administering radiation treatment based upon the radiation treatment protocol.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23 wherein the administering step (d) comprises the step (d1) of treating the patient a predetermined number of times.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the server can access a network.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the network comprises a public network.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein the network comprises a private network.

28. A system for providing a radiation treatment to a patient, the system comprising:

a radiation treatment unit (2); and

a server coupled to the radiation treatment unit (2), the server for receiving relevant identifying information about the patient; and

providing a radiation treatment protocol based upon the patient information and the disease.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the radiation treatment protocol is provided via a wizard (202).

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the server (100) includes:

means for determining the protocol to be provided; and

means for providing a treatment plan based upon the protocol.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the treatment plan providing means comprises:

means for determining if the treatment plan has been approved, and

means for performing quality checks if the treatment plan is approved.

32. The system of claim 31 which includes means for administering radiation treatment based upon the radiation treatment protocol.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the administering means comprises the means for treating the patient a predetermined number of times.

34. The system of claim 28 wherein the server can access a network.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the network comprises a public network.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the network comprises a private network.

37. The system of claim 34 wherein the server includes a database, the database including information related to the treatment plan.