Method and system for radiation application

• US 8,788,020 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2003
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Mostafavi, Hassan, Hampton, Lisa Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): Roy, Baisakhi
• Application Number:
  US10/678,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20040116804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,945 Days
• Field of Search: 600/428, 600/407, 600/410, 600/413, 600/443, 378/8, 324/309
• US Class Current: 600/428
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/371 with simultaneous use of two cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0064 Body surface scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02028 Determining haemodynamic parameters not otherwise provided for, e.g. cardiac contractility or left ventricular ejection fraction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7289 Retrospective gating, i.e. associating measured signals or images with a physiological event after the actual measurement or image acquisition, e.g. by simultaneously recording an additional physiological signal during the measurement or image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/741 using synthesised speech
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4085 Cone-beams
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/461 Displaying means of special interest
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/465 adapted to display user selection data, e.g. graphical user interface, icons or menus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5288 involving retrospective matching to a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 : Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1059 : using cameras imaging the patient
• 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: A61N 5/1067 : in real time, i.e. during treatment

Abstract

A method for generating one or more images includes collecting data samples representative of a motion of an object, acquiring image data of at least a part of the object over a time interval, synchronizing the data samples and the image data to a common time base, and generating one or more images based on the synchronized image data. A method for generating one or more images includes acquiring image data of at least a part of an object over a time interval, associating the image data with one or more phases of a motion cycle, and constructing one or more images using the image data that are associated with the respective one or more phases.

Claims

1. A method for processing image data, comprising:

acquiring image data of at least a part of an object;

calculating an image phase value;

assigning the image phase value for the image data using a processor, wherein the act of assigning results in binning of the image data; and

storing the binned image data;

wherein the image data corresponds with a phase value of a breathing cycle, and the image phase value is calculated using the phase value of the breathing cycle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring comprises performing a computed tomography procedure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring comprises performing an MRI procedure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring comprises performing a PET procedure.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an image using at least a portion of the binned image data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the generated image comprises a volumetric image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the image data is binned so that the image data correspond with a phase of a breathing motion, and wherein the method further comprises generating an image using the binned image data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of calculating the image phase value comprises obtaining a breathing signal having a value, and using the value in a mathematical process to determine the image phase value.

9. A method for processing image data, comprising:

acquiring image data of at least a part of an object;

calculating an image phase value;

assigning the image phase value for the image data using a processor to thereby bin the image data;

storing the binned image data;

acquiring additional image data, wherein the image data and the additional image data are acquired at different times;

calculating an additional image phase value; and

assigning the additional image phase value for the additional image data;

wherein the image phase value is equal to the additional image phase value, thereby resulting in the image data and the additional image data being binned together in a same group.

10. A method for processing image data, comprising:

acquiring image data of at least a part of an object;

calculating an image phase value;

assigning the image phase value for the image data using a processor to thereby bin the image data;

storing the binned image data;

acquiring additional image data, wherein the image data and the additional image data are acquired at different times;

calculating an additional image phase value; and

assigning the additional image phase value for the additional image data;

wherein the image phase value is different from the additional image phase value, thereby resulting in the image data and the additional image data being binned in different respective first and second groups.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

using the image data binned in the first group to generate a first volumetric image; and

using the additional image data binned in the second group to generate a second volumetric image.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying the first and second volumetric images in a sequence to form a video.

13. A system for processing image data, comprising:

a processor configured for

acquiring image data of at least a part of an object,

calculating an image phase value, and

assigning the image phase value for the image data using a processor, wherein the act of assigning results in binning of the image data;

wherein the image data corresponds with a phase value of a breathing cycle, and the processor is configured to calculate the image phase value using the phase value of the breathing cycle.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to obtain a breathing signal having a value, and wherein the processor is configured to calculate the image phase value by performing a mathematical process using the value.

15. A system for processing image data, comprising:

a processor configured for

acquiring image data of at least a part of an object,

calculating an image phase value,

assigning the image phase value for the image data to thereby bin the image data,

acquiring additional image data, wherein the image data and the additional image data are acquired at different times,

calculating an additional image phase value, and

assigning the additional image phase value for the additional image data;

wherein the image phase value is equal to the additional image phase value, thereby resulting the image data and the additional image data being binned together in a same group.

16. A system for processing image data, comprising:

a processor configured for

acquiring image data of at least a part of an object,

calculating an image phase value,

assigning the image phase value for the image data to thereby bin the image data,

acquiring additional image data, wherein the image data and the additional image data are acquired at different times,

calculating an additional image phase value, and

assigning the additional image phase value for the additional image data,

wherein the image phase value is different from the additional image phase value, thereby resulting the image data and the additional image data being binned in different respective first and second groups.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured for

generating a first volumetric image using the image data binned in the first group;

and

generating a second volumetric image using the additional image data binned in the second group.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the first and second volumetric images to be displayed in a screen in a sequence to form a video.