Apparatus and process for dose-guided radiotherapy

• US 20070058778A1
• Filed: 03/04/2004
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alan Huston, Brian Justus, C Coleman, Holly Ning, Paul Falkenstein, Robert Miller, Rosemary Altemus
• Original Assignee: Alan Huston, Brian Justus, C Coleman, Holly Ning, Paul Falkenstein, Robert Miller, Rosemary Altemus
• Inventors: Miller, Robert, Ning, Holly, Altemus, Rosemary, Justus, Brian, Falkenstein, Paul, Coleman, C., Huston, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 7,554,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 378/65
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1072 taking into account movement of the target
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1048 Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1064 for adjusting radiation treatment in response to monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1071 for verifying the dose delivered by the treatment plan

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 radiationa 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).

Claims

1. A method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target 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 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;

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; 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.

2. The method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target according to claim 1 and wherein:

placing the radiation detecting array adjacent to the identified radiotherapy target within the patient.

3. The method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target according to claim 1 and wherein:

placing the radiation detecting array exterior of the patient.

4. The method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target according to claim 1 and wherein:

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.

5. The method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having and identified radiotherapy target according to claim 4 and wherein:

gating the radiation source 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.

6. The method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target according to claim 4 and wherein:

gating the radiation source to a low level per unit of time responsive to non-coincidence of the predicted dose pattern of radiation to the real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array.

7. The method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target according to claim 1 and wherein:

moving the provided radiation source and patient relative to one another responsive to the comparing of the predicted dose pattern of radiation to the real-time dose pattern at the radiation detecting array to produce coincidence of the predicted dose pattern to the real-time dose pattern at the detecting array.

8. The method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target according to claim 6 and wherein:

utilizing the real-time dose pattern produced by the radiation source at the low level per unit of time to move the patient and accelerator into a position of coincidence between the predicted dose pattern and the real-time dose pattern measured at the array.

9. The method that of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target according to claim 1 and wherein the step of placing the radiation detecting array exterior to the patient'"'"'s body on the treatment path includes:

filling a pad with tissue equivalent gel;

placing the array with in the tissue equivalent gel; and

,

contacting pad with the patient to enable the pad with tissue equivalent gel to constitute a continuum of the patient'"'"'s body.

15. The method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target according to claim 1 and wherein:

the detector array is positioned in the patient'"'"'s rectum adjacent to the prostate gland.

16. The method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target according to claim 15 and wherein:

the detector array is disposed in an inflatable rectal probe that stabilizes the position of the prostate gland and prevents the prostate gland from moving during the radiotherapy procedure.

17. The method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target according to claim 15 and wherein:

the rectal probe contains an ultrasound probe to position the detector array with respect to the prostate gland.

18. The method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target according to claim 15 and wherein:

the rectal probe includes a drug delivery compartment to supply radiation mitigating drugs.

19. The method of dose-guided radiotherapy for a patient having an identified radiotherapy target according to claim 15 and wherein:

the rectal probe includes a drug delivery sampling port to monitor drug density during the radiotherapy procedure.

10. 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.

11. The combination of claim 10 and wherein:

the detecting array is placed outside of the patient.

12. The combination of claim 10 and wherein:

the detecting array is placed inside of the patient.

13. The combination of claim 10 and further including:

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.

14. The combination of claim 11 and wherein:

the detecting array is placed with in a gel; and

,

the gel is confined with in a pad for direct contact with the patient.