Path planning and collision avoidance for movement of instruments in a radiation therapy environment

• US 8,750,453 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2003
• 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: Cheng, Chieh C., Lesyna, David A., Moyers, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): SONG, HOON K
• Application Number:
  US13/447,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20120224667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 378/65, 378/205, 378/207, 378195-196, 378208-209, 378/68
• US Class Current: 378/65
• 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. A therapy delivery system using a proton beam, in which a proton beam for treatment is delivered to an irradiation target, said therapy system comprising:

a rotatable gantry having a gantry rotation axis;

a beam generator for generating said proton beam;

a patient positioner configured to position a patient within the rotatable gantry and generally along the gantry rotation axis;

a therapy delivery unit interconnected to the rotatable gantry, allowing the gantry to rotate about the gantry rotation axis as the gantry rotates, the therapy delivery unit capable of receiving a proton beam and directing it along a therapy delivery path, thereby delivering a radiation therapy dose to a patient on the patient positioner;

an x-ray source configured to generate x-rays and mounted to said rotatable gantry, said x-ray source configured to;

deliver x-rays along an x-ray source axis;

revolve about the gantry rotation axis; and

emit x-rays at a plurality of rotation angles of said rotatable gantry; and

one or more x-ray imagers also mounted to said rotatable gantry, wherein the imagers are retractable toward the gantry and away from the gantry rotation axis, wherein the system prevents collisions between the imagers and other system components during rotation or other movement of the gantry by retracting the imagers toward the gantry, and wherein the imagers are configured to;

detect the x-rays from the x-ray source;

revolve about the gantry rotation axis; and

use the detected x-rays to produce images of the patient.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient positioner includes a patient pod configured to secure the patient to be substantially immobile with respect to the patient pod.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the therapy delivery unit includes an aperture capable of shaping the radiation therapy dose.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the aperture is configured for a patient'"'"'s particular prescription of therapeutic radiation therapy.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the x-ray source is configured to move so that the x-ray source axis can be approximately coincident with the axis of the therapy delivery path.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least two x-ray delivery units and at least two x-ray imagers such that the first x-ray delivery unit is paired with the first x-ray imager, the second x-ray delivery unit is paired with the second x-ray imager, and the first and second x-ray delivery unit and imager pairs are substantially orthogonal to each other.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the patient positioner is capable of positioning movement in three orthogonal translational axes as well as three orthogonal rotational axes so as to provide a full six degrees freedom of motion for placement of the patient pod.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising an immobilization device selected from the group of:

expandable foam;

a bite block; and

a fitted facemask, the immobilization device configured to be secured to the patient pod.

9. A proton beam delivery method comprising the steps of:

providing a treatment plan for proton therapy comprising an image of a target region of a patient;

providing a patient placed in a patient positioner;

providing a rotatable gantry with a beam delivery unit capable of delivering a proton beam along a delivery path for treatment to the target region of a patient and an x-ray source capable of delivering x-ray radiation to the patient;

rotating the gantry such that the x-ray source revolves generally around the patient;

emitting x-ray radiation from said x-ray source;

detecting the x-ray radiation—

after it passes through the patient—

with one or more x-ray receivers interconnected to the rotatable gantry;

creating one or more images of the target region of the patient from the information received by the one or more x-ray receivers;

retracting one or more of the x-ray receivers to avoid collisions between the x-ray receivers and other components during rotation of the rotatable gantry;

positioning the patient positioner based on the one or more images created, position information of the x-ray source, and position information of the one or more x-ray receivers, and the image from the treatment plan; and

delivering said proton beam from said beam delivery unit to said target region of the patient while the patient is in the patient positioner.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

only emitting x-ray radiation from the x-ray source while the gantry and the x-ray source are not presently rotating.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a first x-ray receiver that can be configured to be nominally coincident with the proton beam delivery path.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising emitting x-ray radiation along the proton beam delivery path to thereby create an image of the target region.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing a second x-ray receiver that is configured to be generally orthogonal to the first x-ray receiver.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising detecting x-ray radiation with each of the first and second x-ray receivers and using that detected radiation together to create one or more x-ray images of the target region.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising comparing the one or more x-ray images of the target region with the image from the treatment plan, iteratively repeating the method (including further positioning the patient positioner) until the images have the proper relationship according to the treatment plan, and only delivering the proton beam when the proper relationship is confirmed.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

creating one or more two-dimensional images—

from which three-dimensional information can be inferred—

of the target region of the patient from the information received by the one or more x-ray receivers.

17. A therapy delivery system using a proton beam, in which a proton beam for treatment is delivered to an irradiation target, said therapy system comprising:

a rotating gantry;

a nozzle which is attached and supported by the gantry such that the gantry and nozzle may revolve relatively precisely about a gantry isocenter;

a proton radiation source delivering a proton radiation beam along a radiation beam axis;

an aperture positioned such that the proton radiation beam passes through and is shaped by the aperture thus forming a therapeutic beam delivered along a delivery axis;

an imager that is retractable toward the gantry, wherein the system prevents collisions between the imager and other system components during rotation or other movement of the gantry by retracting the imager toward the gantry;

an x-ray source which emits x-ray radiation along one or more x-ray source axes so as to pass through interposed patient tissue to generate a radiographic image of the interposed materials via the imager;

a patient pod configured to hold a patient securely in place in the patient pod; and

a patient positioner configured to position the patent pod in multiple translational and rotational axes.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the x-ray source is positionable such that the x-ray source axis can be positioned to be nominally coincident with the delivery axis.