Method and device for delivering radiotherapy

• US 7,331,713 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LOMA Linda University Medical Center (Mission Healthcare Services LLC)
• Original Assignee: LOMA Linda University Medical Center (Mission Healthcare Services LLC)
• Inventors: Moyers, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMAS, COURTNEY D
• Application Number:
  US11/314,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20060215819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 378/20, 378/64, 378/65, 378/68, 378/205, 378/208, 378/209, 560/1
• US Class Current: 378/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0407 Supports, e.g. tables or beds, for the body or parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0421 with immobilising means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0487 Motor-assisted positioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1087 Ions; Protons
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1069 Target adjustment, e.g. moving the patient support

Abstract

A device 10 for aligning a patient for delivering a plurality of radiation beams comprising a patient support surface 12, a coarse alignment subsystem 14 connected to the patient support surface, and a fine alignment subsystem connected to the patient support surface 16. A method of aligning a patient for delivering a plurality of radiation beams from a plurality of device positions comprising compensating for flexion of a radiation beam delivery device within a gantry during movement of the radiation beam delivery device from a first device position to a second device position by using a set of predetermined data describing the flexion behavior of the radiation beam delivery device so that the target tissue within the patient is placed at the beamline center for the radiation beam delivery device at the second device position.

Claims

1. A method of aligning a patient for delivery of radiation therapy to a treatment area of the patient, the patient being positioned on a patient positioner configured to move the patient with respect to a radiation delivery device, the method comprising:

(a) at a first location,

determining a relationship between the treatment area and a reference point of the patient positioner;

calculating location coordinates for the patient positioner based on the relationship between the treatment area and the reference point;

(b) at a second location,

immobilizing the patient on the patient positioner;

adjusting a position of the patient positioner according to the calculated location coordinates so that the treatment area is approximately aligned with a beamline center of the radiation delivery device, wherein the time required for alignment of the patient at the second location is minimized due to the calculation of location coordinates at the first location; and

(c) activating the radiation delivery device in order to deliver radiation to the treatment area of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location is a treatment planning room.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second location is a treatment room.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the radiation delivery device delivers proton radiation.

2. A method of aligning a patient for delivery of radiation therapy to a treatment area of the patient, the patient being positioned on a patient positioner configured to move the patient with respect to a radiation delivery device, the method comprising:

(a) at a first location,

determining a relationship between the treatment area and a reference point of the patient positioner;

calculating location coordinates for the patient positioner based on the relationship between the treatment area and the reference point; and

(b) at a second location,

immobilizing the patient on the patient positioner;

adjusting a position of the patient positioner according to the calculated location coordinates so that the treatment area is approximately aligned with a beamline center of the radiation delivery device, wherein the time required for alignment of the patient at the second location is minimized due to the calculation of location coordinates at the first location.

(c) determining a precise target area within the treatment area using localized x-ray images;

(d) calculating a difference between the beamline center of the radiation delivery device and the precise target area based on the localized x-ray images; and

(e) adjusting a position of the patient positioner according to the calculated difference so that the precise target area is aligned with the beamline center of the radiation delivery device.

6. A system for positioning a patient for delivery of a plurality of radiation beams in a treatment room, the system comprising:

a patient support surface for supporting the patient within the treatment room;

a patient positioner database storing position data indicating a relationship between a previous position of the patient outside of the treatment room and a stationary location outside of the treatment room;

a first subsystem configured to access the position data and to induce course movements of the patient support surface based at least partly upon the received position data; and

a second subsystem configured to induce fine movements of the patient support surface.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the position data comprises coordinates for aligning the patient positioner so that a radiation beam delivery device beamline is center at a target location within the patient.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the position data is determined in a treatment planning room with the patient positioned on the patient support surface and, after determination of the treatment data, the patient support surface is moved to a treatment room housing the first and second subsystems.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the fine movements comprise submillimeter translations.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the fine movements comprise subdegree rotations.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the fine movements comprise translations in three perpendicular axes.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the course movements comprise translation motions of as large as approximately two meters.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the course movements comprise rotations of as large as approximately sixty degrees.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the second subsystem further comprises a linear actuator coupled to the patient support surface.

15. The system of claim 6, wherein the linear actuator is configured to induce roll movement of the patient support surface.