Multi-mode cone beam CT radiotherapy simulator and treatment machine with a flat panel imager

• US 20040120452A1
• Filed: 12/18/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Seppi, Edward J., Johnsen, Stanley W., Pavkovich, John M., Colbeth, Richard E., Munro, Peter, Shapiro, Edward G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/035 Mechanical aspects of CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/04 Positioning of patients; Tiltable beds or the like operating tables A61G13/00; operating chairs A61G15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0407 Supports, e.g. tables or beds, for the body or parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0487 Motor-assisted positioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4085 Cone-beams
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/42 Arrangements for detecting radiation specially adapted for radiation diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4208 characterised by using a particular type of detector
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4233 using matrix detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4241 using energy resolving detectors, e.g. photon counting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/44 Constructional features of apparatus for radiation diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4429 related to the mounting of source units and detector units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4435 the source unit and the detector unit being coupled by a rigid structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4447 Tiltable gantries
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/487 involving fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1054 using a portal imaging system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1061 using an x-ray imaging system having a separate imaging source
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/10 X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy A61N5/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/103 Treatment planning systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1031 : using a specific method of dose optimization
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1039 : using functional images, e.g. PET or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1042 : with spatial modulation of the radiation beam within the treatment head
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1045 : using a multi-leaf collimator, e.g. for intensity modulated radiation therapy or IMRT
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1047 : with movement of the radiation head during application of radiation, e.g. for intensity modulated arc therapy or IMAT
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1064 : for adjusting radiation treatment in response to monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/202 : the detector being a crystal

Abstract

A multi-mode cone beam computed tomography radiotherapy simulator and treatment machine is disclosed. The radiotherapy simulator and treatment machine both include a rotatable gantry on which is positioned a cone-beam radiation source and a flat panel imager. The flat panel imager captures x-ray image data to generate cone-beam CT volumetric images used to generate a therapy patient position setup and a treatment plan.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a rotatable gantry;

a cone-beam radiation source coupled to the rotatable gantry; and

a flat-panel imager coupled to the rotatable gantry, wherein the flat-panel imager captures image projection data to generate cone-beam computed tomography (CT) volumetric image data to generate a treatment plan for a target volume.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flat-panel imager includes an amorphous silicon sensor array.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the flat-panel imager includes a high-sensitivity thin cesium iodide scintillator for kilovoltage imaging.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the scintillator includes thick cesium iodide crystals coated with a reflective power and epoxy mixture in a large matrix for megavoltage imaging.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flat-panel imager is capable of high frame rate fluoroscopic imaging.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flat-panel imager is capable of generating image projection data at 15 to 30 frames per seconds.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a computing unit, coupled to the rotatable gantry via a communications network, to store the image projection data captured by the flat-panel imager.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the computing unit generates the treatment plan based on the image projection data.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the computing unit generates a three-dimensional image of the target volume based on the captured image projection data.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cone-beam CT radiation source is a kilovoltage radiation source.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a translatable treatment couch coupled to the rotatable gantry via a communications network.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the translatable treatment couch is capable of movement in three planes plus angulation.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotatable gantry is capable of 360 degree rotation.

14. A method to perform a clinical treatment, comprising:

using a clinical simulator machine to capture image projection data from a flat-panel imager for generating cone-beam computed tomography (CT) volumetric image data; and

generating a treatment plan for a clinical treatment machine based on the cone-beam volumetric image data.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transferring the treatment plan to the clinical treatment machine, wherein the clinical treatment machine implements the treatment plan.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the image projection data is generated from the flat-panel imager capturing radiation from a cone-beam computed tomography radiation source passing through a target volume.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein capturing comprises capturing the image projection data at a frame rate in the range of 15-30 frames per second.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the image projection data is fluoroscopic image projection data.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the radiation source is a kilovoltage radiation source.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising using the treatment plan to instruct the clinical treatment machine to at least adjust a therapeutic radiation source into position to align the treatment volume with the therapeutic radiation.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a rotatable gantry;

means for applying a cone-beam computed tomography (CT) radiation beam coupled to the rotatable gantry; and

means for capturing image projection data with a flat-panel imager, coupled to the rotatable gantry, to generate cone-beam computed tomography (CT) volumetric image data for generating a treatment plan for a target volume.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for capturing includes an amorphous silicon sensor array.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the means for capturing includes a high-sensitivity cesium iodide scintillator.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the scintillator includes thick cesium iodide crystals coated with a reflective power and epoxy mixture in a large matrix.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for capturing is capable of high frame rate fluoroscopic imaging.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for capturing captures the image data at 15 to 30 frames per seconds.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for storing the captured image projection data is coupled to the rotatable gantry via a communications network.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for generating the treatment plan based on the image projection data coupled to the means for capturing via a communications network.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the means for generating generates a three-dimensional image of the target volume based on the captured image projection data.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the means for capturing includes a kilovoltage radiation source.

31. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a translatable treatment couch coupled to the rotatable gantry via a communications network.

32. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the translatable treatment couch is capable of movement in three planes plus angulation.

33. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the rotatable gantry is capable of 360-degree rotation.

34. A machine-readable medium having instructions to cause a machine to perform a method to perform a clinical treatment, the method comprising:

instructing a clinical simulator machine to capture image projection data from a flat-panel imager for generating cone-beam computed tomography (CT) volumetric image data; and

generating a treatment plan for a clinical treatment machine based on the cone-beam volumetric image data.

35. The machine-readable medium of claim 34, further comprising:

transferring the treatment plan to the clinical treatment machine, wherein the clinical treatment machine implements the treatment plan.

36. The machine-readable medium of claim 34, wherein capturing comprises capturing the image projection data at a frame rate in the range of 15-30 frames per second.

37. The machine-readable medium of claim 34, further comprising using the treatment plan to instruct the clinical treatment machine to at least adjust a therapeutic radiation source into position to align the treatment volume with the therapeutic radiation.