Apparatus and process for dose-guided radiotherapy
First Claim
1. A method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target, which radiotherapy is administered in a plurality of doses within a single session, comprising the steps of:
- providing a radiation detecting array of radiation-sensitive detectors for the remote measurement of real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array;
providing a radiation source for emitting radiation along a treatment path through the patient to the identified radiotherapy target;
placing the radiation detecting array (a) within the patient along the treatment path before or after the identified radiotherapy target or (b) exterior to the patient'"'"'s body on the treatment path;
generating a predicted dose pattern of radiation at the placed radiation detecting array;
emitting radiation along the treatment path through the patient'"'"'s body to the array to receive the real-time dose pattern;
comparing the predicted dose pattern of radiation to the real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array during said session to determine coincidence of radiation with the identified radiotherapy target in the patient, andgating the radiation source responsive to the comparing of the predicted dose pattern of radiation to the real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array.
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Abstract
A method and an apparatus for dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient (P) having an identified radiotherapy target utilizes a radiation detecting array (R) of radiation-sensitive dosimeters for the real-time remote measurement of radiotherapy at the radiation detecting array (R). The radiation detecting array is positioned within the patient'"'"'s (P) body along the treatment path before or after the identified radiotherapy target or the device may be positioned beyond the patient (P) to measure transit dose. A radiation source (A) for emitting radiation for radiotherapy along a treatment path through the patient (P) to the identified radiotherapy target is utilized. The method includes generating a predicted dose pattern of radiation at the placed radiation detecting array (R). The predicted dose pattern assumes an on-target radiation source (A) emitting the radiotherapy beam along the treatment path through the patient (P) to the identified radiotherapy target. Gating of the radiation source (A) can occur responsive to the comparing of the predicted dose pattern of radiation to the real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array (R). Radiation intensity can vary between low levels to a treatment level responsive to coincidence of the predicted dose pattern of radiation to the real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array (R).
25 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target, which radiotherapy is administered in a plurality of doses within a single session, comprising the steps of:
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providing a radiation detecting array of radiation-sensitive detectors for the remote measurement of real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array; providing a radiation source for emitting radiation along a treatment path through the patient to the identified radiotherapy target; placing the radiation detecting array (a) within the patient along the treatment path before or after the identified radiotherapy target or (b) exterior to the patient'"'"'s body on the treatment path; generating a predicted dose pattern of radiation at the placed radiation detecting array; emitting radiation along the treatment path through the patient'"'"'s body to the array to receive the real-time dose pattern; comparing the predicted dose pattern of radiation to the real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array during said session to determine coincidence of radiation with the identified radiotherapy target in the patient, and gating the radiation source responsive to the comparing of the predicted dose pattern of radiation to the real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. In the combination of,
a patient having an identified radiotherapy target; - and,
a radiation source for emitting radiation along a treatment path through the patient to an identified radiotherapy target;
the improvement comprising;a detecting array of radiation-sensitive dosimeters for the real-time dose measurement of radiation within the patient along the treatment path before or after the identified radiotherapy target or exterior to the patient'"'"'s body on the treatment path, a memory for retaining a predicted dose pattern of the radiation source at the detecting array; and
,means for detecting coincidence between the predicted dose pattern and the real-time dose pattern to enable alignment of the radiation source with respect to a patient. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target comprising the steps of:
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providing a radiation detecting array of radiation-sensitive detectors for the remote measurement of real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array; providing a radiation source for emitting radiation along a treatment path through the patient to the identified radiotherapy target; placing the radiation detecting array (a) within the patient along the treatment path before or after the identified radiotherapy target or (b) exterior to the patient'"'"'s body on the treatment path; generating a predicted dose pattern of radiation at the placed radiation detecting array; emitting radiation along the treatment path through the patient'"'"'s body to the array to receive the real-time dose pattern; comparing the predicted dose pattern of radiation to the real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array to determine coincidence of radiation with the identified radiotherapy target in the patient, and gating the radiation source responsive to the comparing of the predicted dose pattern of radiation to the real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target comprising the steps of:
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providing a radiation detecting array of radiation-sensitive detectors disposed within a tissue equivalent gel for the remote measurement of real-time dose at the radiation sensitive detectors; providing a radiation source for emitting radiation along a treatment path through the patient to the identified radiotherapy target; contacting the patient with the radiation detecting array; generating a predicted dose pattern of radiation at the radiation detecting array; emitting radiation along the treatment path through the patient'"'"'s body to the radiation detecting array to receive the real-time dose pattern; and comparing the predicted dose pattern of radiation to the real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array to determine coincidence of radiation with the identified radiotherapy target in the patient, and gating the radiation source responsive to the comparing of the predicted dose pattern of radiation to the real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array.
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Specification