Patient positioning device and patient positioning method

• US 20060203958A1
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hiroshi Akiyama, Shinichiro Fujitaka, Takurou Honda, Yoshihiko Nagamine
• Original Assignee: Hiroshi Akiyama, Shinichiro Fujitaka, Takurou Honda, Yoshihiko Nagamine
• Inventors: Akiyama, Hiroshi, Honda, Takurou, Nagamine, Yoshihiko, Fujitaka, Shinichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,212,609 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/20
• 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 6/469 for selecting a region of interest [ROI]
• 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 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

The invention is intended to always ensure a sufficient level of patient positioning accuracy regardless of the skills of individual operators. In a patient positioning device for positioning a patient couch 59 and irradiating an ion beam toward a tumor in the body of a patient 8 from a particle beam irradiation section 4, the patient positioning device comprises an X-ray emission device 26 for emitting an X-ray along a beam line m from the particle beam irradiation section 4, an X-ray image capturing device 29 for receiving the X-ray and processing an X-ray image, a display unit 39B for displaying a current image of the tumor in accordance with a processed image signal, a display unit 39A for displaying a reference X-ray image of the tumor which is prepared in advance, and a positioning data generator 37 for executing pattern matching between a comparison area A being a part of the reference X-ray image and including an isocenter and a comparison area B or a final comparison area B in the current image, thereby producing data used for positioning of the patient couch 59 during irradiation.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A patient positioning device for positioning a couch supporting a patient to which a charged particle beam is irradiated from a particle beam irradiation system, said patient positioning device comprising:

an X-ray emission device for emitting an X-ray;

an X-ray entry device for receiving the X-ray emitted from said X-ray emission device and outputting an output signal depending on the received X-ray;

an image information generator for generating second image information regarding a portion of the patient lying across the path of said particle beam by using the output signal outputted from said X-ray entry device; and

a processing unit for setting, with respect to a first image information which serves as a reference image prepared beforehand based on image data of a tumor in the body of the patient and including an isocenter, a first set area smaller than an area of said first image information and including said isocenter, setting a second set area smaller than an area of said second image information and including a position corresponding to the path of said charged particle beam with respect to said second image information, and executing pattern matching between said first image information in said first set area and said second image information in said second set area by moving said second set area within said area of said second image information, thereby producing information used for positioning of said couch based on a positional offset between said second set area before movement by said pattern matching and said second set area after movement by said pattern matching.

20. A patient positioning device according to claim 19, further comprising a couch controller for controlling movement of said couch in accordance with said positioning information.

21. A patient positioning device according to claim 19, wherein said processing unit executes the pattern matching by using information of a plurality of pixels contained in the first image information in said first set area and information of a plurality of pixels contained in the second image information in said second set area.

22. A patient positioning device according to claim 21, wherein said processing unit produces said positioning information based on the least square method such that a deviation between the information of a plurality of pixels contained in the first image information in said first set area and the information of a plurality of pixels contained in the second image information in said second set area is minimized.

37. A patient positioning device according to claim 19, wherein said X-ray emission device is mounted to said particle beam irradiation system and movable between a first position located in a path of said charged particle beam and a second position located away from the path of said charged particle beam to be out of interference with advance of said charged particle beam, and configured to emit an X-ray in said first position.

23. A patient positioning device for positioning a couch supporting a patient to which a charged particle beam is irradiated from a particle beam irradiation system, said patient positioning device comprising:

an X-ray emission device;

an image information generator for generating second image information regarding a portion of the patient lying across the path of said charged particle beam by using a signal depending on the X-ray emitted from said X-ray emission device;

a display unit for displaying first image information which serves as a reference image prepared beforehand based on image data of a tumor in the body of the patient and including an isocenter, and the second image information; and

a processing unit for setting a first set area smaller than an area of said first image information and including the isocenter with respect to the first image information, setting a second set area smaller than an area of said second image information and including a position corresponding to the path of said charged particle beam with respect to the second image information, displaying a frame showing said first set area and a frame showing said second set area on said display unit, and executing pattern matching between the first image information in said first set area and the second image information in said second set area by moving said second set area within an area of said second image information, thereby producing information used for positioning of said couch based on a positional offset between said second set area before movement by said pattern matching and said second set area after movement by said pattern matching.

24. A patient positioning device according to claim 23, wherein said display unit comprises a first display unit for displaying the first image information and a second display unit for displaying the second image information, said second display unit being separate from said first display unit.

25. A patient positioning device according to claim 23, wherein said image information generator comprises an X-ray transducer for converting the incident X-ray into light, and a camera for capturing the light and producing the second image information.

26. A patient positioning device according to claim 23, wherein said image information generator comprises a plurality of semiconductor radiation detectors for converting the incident X-ray into electrical signals, a plurality of signal processors disposed in a one-to-one relation to said semiconductor radiation detectors and processing said electrical signals, and an image information producing unit for receiving outputs from said signal processors and producing the second image information.

27. A patient positioning device according to claim 23, wherein said processing unit executes the pattern matching by using information of a plurality of pixels contained in the first image information in said first set area and information of a plurality of pixels contained in the second image information in said second set area.

28. A patient positioning device according to claim 27, wherein said processing unit produces said positioning information based on the least square method such that a deviation between the information of a plurality of pixels contained in the first image information in said first set area and the information of a plurality of pixels contained in the second image information in said second set area is minimized.

29. A patient positioning device for positioning a couch supporting a patient to which a charged particle beam is irradiated from a particle beam irradiation system, said patient positioning device comprising:

an X-ray emission device;

an image information generator for generating second image information regarding a portion of the patient lying across the path of said charged particle beam by using a signal depending on the X-ray emitted from said X-ray emission device; and

a processing unit for setting, with respect to a first image information which serves as a reference image prepared beforehand based on image data of a tumor in the body of the patient and including an isocenter, a first set area smaller than an area of said first image information and including said isocenter, setting, with respect to the second image information, a second set area smaller than an area of said second image information and having substantially the same size as said first set area and including a position corresponding to the path of said charged particle beam, executing primary pattern matching between the first image information in said first set area and the second image information in said second set area by moving said second set area within said area of said second image information, and executing secondary pattern matching between the first image information in said first set area and the second image information in said second set area after said primary pattern matching by moving the second image information in said second set area relative to the first image information in said first set area, thereby producing information used for positioning of said couch based on a positional offset between said second set area before movement by said primary pattern matching and said second set area after movement by said primary pattern matching and a positional offset between said second set area before movement by said secondary pattern matching and said second set area after movement by said secondary pattern matching.

30. A patient positioning device according to claim 29, further comprising a couch controller for controlling movement of said couch in accordance with said positioning information.

31. A patient positioning device according to claim 29, wherein said processing unit executes the pattern matching by using information of a plurality of pixels contained in the first image information in said first set area and information of a plurality of pixels contained in the second image information in said second set area.

32. A patient positioning device according to claim 31, wherein said processing unit produces said positioning information based on the least square method such that a deviation between the information of a plurality of pixels contained in the first image information in said first set area and the information of a plurality of pixels contained in the second image information in said second set area is minimized.

33. A patient positioning device according to claim 29, further comprising a display unit for displaying the first image information and the second image information,

wherein said processing unit displays said frame showing said first set area and said frame showing said second set area on said display unit.

34. A patient positioning device according to claim 29, wherein said display unit comprises a first display unit for displaying the first image information and a second display unit for displaying the second image information, said second display unit being separate from said first display unit.

35. A patient positioning method for positioning a couch supporting a patient to which a charged particle beam is irradiated from a particle beam irradiation system, said patient positioning method comprising the steps of:

generating, based on the X-ray having penetrated a portion of the patient lying across the path of said charged particle beam, second image information regarding the portion of the patient;

taking, into a processing unit, first image information which serves as a reference image prepared beforehand based on image data of the tumor in the body of the patient and including an isocenter;

taking second image information into said processing unit; and

setting, by utilizing said processing unit, a first set area smaller than an area of said first image information and including said isocenter with respect to said first image information, setting a second set area smaller than an area of said second image information and including a position corresponding to the path of said charged particle beam with respect to said second image information, and executing, by utilizing said processing unit, pattern matching between said first image information in said first set area and said second image information in said second set area by moving said second set area within said area of said second image information, thereby producing information used for positioning of said couch based on a positional offset between said second set area before movement by said pattern matching and said second set arm after movement by said pattern matching.

36. A patient positioning method for positioning a couch supporting a patient to which a charged particle beam is irradiated from a particle beam irradiation system, said patient positioning method comprising the steps of:

generating, based on the X-ray having penetrated a portion of the patient lying across the path of said charged particle beam, second image information regarding the portion of the patient;

setting, with respect to a first image information which serves as a reference image prepared beforehand based on image data of the tumor in the body of the patient and including an isocenter, a first set area smaller than an area of said first image information and including said isocenter;

setting, with respect to the second image information, a second set area smaller than an area of said second image information and having substantially the same size as said first set area and including a position corresponding to the path of said charged particle beam;

executing primary pattern matching between the first image information in said first set area and the second image information in said second set area by moving said second set area within said area of said second image information; and

executing secondary pattern matching between the first image information in said first set area and the second image information in said second set area after said primary pattern matching by moving the second image information in said second set area relative to the first image information in said first set area, thereby producing information used for positioning of said couch based on a positional offset between said second set area before movement by said primary pattern matching and said second set area after movement by said primary pattern matching and a positioning offset between said second set area before movement by said secondary pattern matching and said second set area after movement by said secondary pattern matching.

38. A particle beam treatment system comprising:

a particle beam generator;

a particle beam irradiation system for irradiating a charged particle beam supplied by said particle beam generator to a tumor of a patient;

a couch for supporting said patient;

a patient positioning device comprising an x-ray emission device for emitting an X-ray, an X-ray entry device for receiving the X-ray emitted from said X-ray emission device and outputting an output signal depending on the received X-ray, an image information generator for generating second image information regarding a portion of the patient lying across the path of said particle beam by using the output signal outputted from said X-ray entry device, and a processing unit for setting, with respect to a first image information which serves as a reference image prepared beforehand based on image data of a tumor in the body of the patient and including an isocenter, a first set area smaller than an area of said first image information and including said isocenter, setting a second set area smaller than an area of said second image information and including a position corresponding to the path of said charged particle beam with respect to said second image information, and executing pattern matching between said first image information in said first set area and said second image information in said second set area by moving said second set area within said area of said second image information, thereby producing information used for positioning of said couch based on a positional offset between said second set area before movement by said pattern matching and said second set area after movement by said pattern matching;

a couch controller for controlling movement of said couch in accordance with said positioning information; and

a couch driver for moving said couch based on said couch controller.

39. A patient positioning method for positioning a couch supporting a patient to which a charged particle beam is irradiated from a particle beam irradiation system, said patient positioning method comprising the steps of:

generating, based on the X-ray having penetrated a portion of the patient lying across the path of said charged particle beam, second image information regarding the portion of the patient;

taking, into a processing unit, first image information which serves as a reference image prepared beforehand based on image data of the tumor in the body of the patient and including an isocenter;

taking second image information into said processing unit; and

setting, by utilizing said processing unit, a first set area smaller than an area of said first image information and including said isocenter with respect to said first image information, setting a second set area smaller than an area of said second image information and including a position corresponding to the path of said charged particle beam with respect to said second image information, displaying a frame showing said first set area and a frame showing said second set area on said display unit, and executing, by utilizing said processing unit, pattern matching between said first image information in said first set area and said second image information in said second set area by moving said second set area within said area of said second image information, thereby producing information used for positioning of said couch based on a positional offset between said second set area before movement by said pattern matching and said second set area after movement by said pattern matching.