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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for verifying the position
of a lesion to be treated by a radiation therapy device operating in
accordance with a radiation therapy plan.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modern day radiation therapy of cancerous tumors, or lesions, has two
goals: eradication of the tumor and avoidance of damage to healthy tissue
and organs present near the tumor. It is believed that a vast majority of
tumors can be eradicated completely if a sufficient radiation dose is
delivered to the tumor volume; however, complications may result from use
of the necessary effective radiation dose, due to damage to healthy tissue
which surrounds the tumor, or to other healthy body organs located close
to the tumor. The goal of conformal radiation therapy is to confine the
delivered radiation dose to only the tumor volume defined by the outer
surface of the tumor, while minimizing the dose of radiation to
surrounding healthy tissue or adjacent healthy organs.
Conformal radiation therapy treatment typically uses a linear accelerator
as a source of the radiation being used to treat the tumor. The linear
accelerator typically has a radiation beam source which is rotated about
the patient and directs the radiation beam toward the tumor, or lesion, to
be treated. Various types of devices have been proposed to conform the
shape of the radiation treatment beam to follow the spatial contour of the
tumor as seen by the radiation treatment beam as it passes through the
patient's body into the tumor, during rotation of the radiation beam
source, which is mounted on a rotatable gantry of the linear accelerator.
Multileaf collimators, which have multiple leaf, or finger, projections
which can be moved individually into and out of the path of the radiation
beam, can be so programmed, and are examples of such devices. Various
types of radiation treatment planning systems can create a radiation
treatment plan, which when implemented will deliver a specified dose of
radiation shaped to conform to the lesion, or tumor, volume, while
limiting the radiation dose delivered to sensitive surrounding healthy
tissue or adjacent healthy organs.
A basic problem in radiation therapy is knowing where the target, or lesion
or tumor, is located at the time the radiation therapy treatment is
occurring. It is assumed that the patient's position and the target
organ's position within the patient will be grossly the same at the time
of radiation treatment, as it was at the time the radiation treatment plan
was created. If the position of the target organ, or lesion or tumor, is
not the same as it was at the time the treatment plan was determined, the
conformal dose of radiation may not be delivered to the correct location
within the patient's body. Since patients are not always positioned
properly on the treatment table of the radiation therapy device, which is
typically a linear accelerator, and since organs of a patient may move
within the patient from day to day, the target organ, or lesion or tumor,
may not be positioned at the exact location where the radiation therapy
plan has assumed it would be located. Thus, present day radiation therapy
plans typically regard the target organ to occupy a space in the patient's
body which is larger than it really occupies, in order to insure that the
target organ, or tumor or lesion, regardless of its location within the
patient's body, falls within the volume of tissue which receives the
desired radiation treatment dose. A disadvantage of such conventional
radiation therapy plans is that there is a major concern associated with
increasing the volume of tissue which is treated, to insure that the
actual target organ receives the desired dose of radiation. Because some
healthy tissue surrounds the target organ, or healthy organs lie adjacent
to the target organ, delivering the maximum desired radiation dose to this
larger volume of tissue may occur and increase risk of damaging such
non-target tissue, or surrounding healthy tissue or adjacent healthy
organs. This increased risk may cause oncologists to deliver a radiation
dose to the larger treatment volume, which is safer for the non-target
tissue, with the potential disadvantage of underdosing some portion of the
target organ.
Accordingly, prior to the development of the present invention, there has
been no lesion position verification system or method for verifying the
position of a lesion within a body of a patient for use in a radiation
treatment plan, which: regardless of the position of the patient on the
treatment table, can verify that the position of the lesion to be treated
conforms to the position of the lesion utilized in the radiation treatment
plan; and prevents treating healthy tissue surrounding the lesion, or
healthy organs located adjacent the lesion, from being exposed to an
undesired level of radiation.
Therefore, the art has sought a method and apparatus for verifying the
position of a lesion, within a body of a patient for use in a radiation
treatment plan, which: verifies that the position of the lesion to be
treated by the radiation therapy device is positioned to conform to the
position of the lesion used in the radiation treatment plan; and prevents
healthy tissue surrounding the lesion, or healthy organs located adjacent
the lesion, from being exposed to an undesired amount of radiation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, the foregoing advantages have been
achieved through the present method for verifying the position of a
lesion, having an outer surface, within a body of a patient for use in a
radiation treatment plan which includes a plurality of diagnostic images,
which each depict an outline of the outer surface of the lesion. The
present invention includes the steps of: disposing the patient on a
treatment table of a radiation therapy device; disposing on the treatment
table a means for generating an ultrasound image; generating at least one
two-dimensional ultrasound image of the lesion in the patient's body, with
the ultrasound image generating means being disposed in a known geometric
orientation for each ultrasound image generated; outlining the outer
surface of the lesion in the at least one ultrasound image; and comparing
the outlines of the outer surface of the lesion of the at least one
ultrasound image with the outline of the outer surface of the lesion of at
least one of the diagnostic images, whereby the position of the lesion
with respect to the radiation therapy device may be verified to conform to
a desired position of the lesion in the radiation treatment plan.
Another feature of the present invention may include the step of
determining an amount of movement of the lesion required to dispose the
lesion, with respect to the radiation therapy device, to conform to the
desired position of the lesion in the radiation treatment plan. A further
feature of the present invention may include the step of moving the lesion
with respect to the radiation therapy device to dispose the lesion to
conform to the desired position of the lesion in the radiation treatment
plan. An additional feature of the present invention is that the step of
moving the lesion may be performed by moving the treatment table with
respect to the radiation therapy device, by rotating the treatment table
with respect to the radiation therapy device, by rotating the gantry of
the radiation treatment device and by rotating a collimator of the
radiation therapy device.
Another feature of the present invention may include the steps of: forming
a three-dimensional rendering of the outline of the lesion from the
plurality of two-dimensional ultrasound images which have had the outer
surface of the lesion outlined; and comparing the three-dimensional
rendering of the outline of the lesion of the ultrasound images with a
three-dimensional rendering of the outline of the lesion of the radiation
treatment plan. A further feature of the present invention may include the
step of disposing the patient on the treatment table by fixating the
patient to the table with a patient fixation device in a known
orientation.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing
advantages have also been achieved through a lesion position verification
system for use in a radiation therapy plan for treating a lesion within a
body of a patient. This aspect of the present invention includes: a means
for generating at least one ultrasound image of the lesion in the
patient's body; and a means for indicating the position of the means for
generating the at least one ultrasound image when the ultrasound image is
generated, whereby the position of the lesion in the ultrasound image can
be compared with the position of the lesion in the radiation therapy plan.
Another feature of this aspect of the present invention is that the means
for generating the ultrasound image may be an ultrasound probe, including
a means for mounting the ultrasound probe to a radiation therapy device.
Another feature of the present invention is that the means for determining
the position of the means for generating the at least one ultrasound
image, may be a position sensing system which indicates the position of
the ultrasound image generating means with respect to a radiation therapy
device. An additional feature of this aspect of this present invention may
include a means for comparing the position of the lesion in the at least
one ultrasound image with the position of the lesion in the radiation
therapy plan.
The lesion position verification system and method for verifying the
position of a lesion of the present invention, have the advantages of
preventing healthy tissue surrounding the lesion, or healthy organs
located adjacent the lesion, from being exposed to an undesired amount of
radiation; and permit the verification that the position of the lesion
with respect to the radiation therapy treatment device conforms to the
desired position of the lesion in the radiation treatment plan.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
IN THE DRAWING:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional imaging device with a
patient schematically illustrated on the imaging table, the patient having
a lesion disposed within the patient's body;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the imaging device of FIG. 1, with the
patient passing through the imaging device;
FIG. 3 is an example of an image produced by the imaging device of FIG. 1,
illustrating the position of the lesion within the patient's body;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional radiation therapy device, or
linear accelerator, including a rotatable couch, collimator, and gantry;
FIG. 5 is a perspective, schematic view, of the linear accelerator of FIG.
4, including a means for generating an ultrasound image of the lesion
within the patient's body;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view indicating multiple ultrasound images being
taken of a lesion;
FIGS. 7A-7D are two-dimensional ultrasound images, with the lesion of FIG.
6 having its outer surface outlined;
FIG. 8 is a three-dimensional rendering of the outline of a lesion prepared
from the plurality of ultrasound images of FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a three-dimensional rendering of the outline of the lesion of
FIG. 6 prepared from a plurality of images like that of FIG. 3 obtained
from the imaging device of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 10A-10C illustrate the rotational transformation required for the
three-dimensional rendering of FIG. 8 to be orientated into the same
configuration of the lesion of FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the radiation treatment device of FIG. 5,
illustrating the lesion of FIG. 8 being orientated with respect to the
radiation therapy treatment device, to conform to the orientation of the
lesion of FIG. 9;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the radiation treatment device of FIG. 5,
being provided with a patient fixation device to fixate the patient upon
the treatment table of the radiation treatment device in the orientation
the patient had when the patient was imaged with the imaging device of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 13 is a two-dimensional ultrasound image made with the device of FIG.
12;
FIG. 14 is another two-dimensional ultrasound image made with the device of
FIG. 12; and
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the radiation therapy device of FIG. 12,
with the treatment table being reorientated so that the lesion within the
patient's body conforms to the position of the lesion in a radiation
treatment plan.
While the invention will be described in connection with the preferred
embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the
invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all
alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as may be included within
the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to FIG. 1, a conventional imaging device 300 is
schematically shown and includes a conventional imaging table 301, upon
which is disposed a patient 302 having a lesion 303 within the patient's
body 302. Imaging device 300 may be a computerized tomographic ("CT")
scanning device, as illustrated in FIG. 1, or may alternatively be a
magnetic resonance ("MR") imaging device, as are known in the art. CT
scanning devices, such as imaging device 300, produce an image
representing a "slice" of body tissue 304 (shown in phantom lines in FIG.
2), one such slice being illustrated in FIG. 3. A plurality of images, or
diagnostic images, 304 are obtained by the imaging device 300, and this
series of "slices" which constitute a complete CT study, represent a
three-dimensional picture of a particular volume, or section, of the
patient's body, such as that portion of the patient's body 302 which
includes lesion 303 therein. The plurality of "slices" or diagnostic
images, 304 are obtained by moving the patient 302, disposed upon imaging
table 301, through imaging device 300 in the direction shown by arrow 305
as illustrated in FIG. 2.
If desired, as hereinafter described in greater detail, the orientation of
the patient 302 upon imaging table 301 when the slices, or images, 304 are
made, may be predetermined, or known, as by fixating the patient's body
302 to the imaging table 301 by use of a conventional fixation device 306.
Fixation device 306, illustrated schematically in FIGS. 1 and 2, and as
shown in the slice, or image 304, of FIG. 3, may be any conventional
invasive, or noninvasive, fixation device which attaches to the patient
302 a coordinate system and secures the patient to the imaging table 301.
Typically, the coordinate system is one which is forced by its attachment
mechanism to be coplanar with the plane 307 in which lies the upper
surface 308 of imaging table 301; however, any fixation device 306 having
a coordinate system may be utilized provided the relationship between the
coordinate system and the imaging table 301 is known, when it is desired
to fixate patient 302.
In FIG. 3, the lesion 303 is shown disposed within the patient's body 302
at a particular location having conventional X, Y, and Z coordinates,
which are determined in a conventional manner by the CT scanner with
respect to the frame of reference, or the coordinate system, of the
imaging device as shown by its X, Y and Z axes in FIG. 1. It should be
noted that the use of the term "lesion" throughout this specification,
including the claims, is meant to include any lesion, tumor, abnormal
growth, or similar structure, or body organ, which is desired to be
treated with radiation therapy. The cross-sectional configuration of
lesion 303 in FIG. 3 appears as circular, for illustrative purposes only.
After the series of slices, or images, 304 of the patient's body 302 which
include lesion 303 therein, are obtained, the series of slices, or
diagnostic images are then transferred in a conventional manner to a
conventional radiation treatment planning system which includes
conventional software to permit a physician to outline the outer surface
310 of lesion 303 in each slice 304. The computer software of the
radiation treatment planning system also constructs, or creates, a
three-dimensional rendering of the outer surface 310 of lesion 303 from
the plurality of slices, or diagnostic images, 304. An example of a
three-dimensional rendering 311 of the outline of a lesion 303 is shown in
FIG. 9, and the three-dimensional rendering 311 is aligned with the frame
of reference of the imaging device. In the case of imaging device 300 of
FIG. 1, its frame of reference is the longitudinal axis 312, or Z axis, of
imaging table 301. In a conventional manner, a radiation treatment plan is
generated by the radiation treatment planning system, whereby lesion 303
may receive the necessary radiation dose to properly treat lesion 303.
Preferably, the radiation treatment plan is a conformal radiation
treatment plan, whereby the shape of the radiation beam will conform to
the spacial contour, or outline, 310 of lesion 303 as seen by the
radiation beam as it passes through the lesion 303, or the "beam's eye
view" of the lesion 303 during rotation of the radiation beam source about
the lesion 303.
With reference to FIG. 4, a conventional radiation treatment device 400,
which is preferably a conventional linear accelerator 401, includes a
gantry 402, turntable 403 which causes treatment table 404 to rotate
therewith, and a collimator 405, which preferably is a collimator capable
of conforming the shape of the radiation beam to conform to the beam's eye
view of the lesion being treated. The three axes of rotation of the gantry
402, turntable and treatment table 403, 404 and collimator 405 are
designated with the letters G, T, and C, respectively. For illustrative
purposes only, the lesion 303 within patient's body 302 is disposed in the
patient's head in FIG. 4; however, the method and apparatus of the present
invention is limited to use with lesions disposed in the patient's body,
or torso, excluding the head of the patient. The lesion 303 which is
treated by linear accelerator 401 is disposed at the isocenter 406 of the
linear accelerator 401. The isocenter 406 is defined as the point of
intersection of the three axes of rotation, C, G, and T of linear
accelerator 401. The previously described radiation treatment plan
controls the operation of linear accelerator 401, and controls the
operation of collimator 405, rotation of gantry 402, and location of
treatment table 404, in a conventional manner. As previously discussed,
the position and orientation of lesion 303 within patient's body 302 with
respect to linear accelerator 401 may not necessarily be the same as the
position and orientation of lesion 303 which was utilized in developing
the radiation treatment plan. Thus, the present invention is used to
verify that the position and orientation of lesion 303 within the
patient's body 302 conforms, or matches, the position and orientation of
the lesion 303 in the diagnostic slices 304 utilized in developing the
radiation treatment plan.
With reference to FIG. 5, the linear accelerator 401 of FIG. 4 is
schematically illustrated, including treatment table 404, gantry 402, and
collimator 405 illustrated with patient 302 lying upon treatment table
404. In FIG. 5, treatment table 404 has been rotated 90 degrees in the
direction shown by arrow 407 of FIG. 4. Patient 302 is disposed on
treatment table 404, with patient 302 laying flat upon treatment table
404, although patient 302 is not laying precisely in the same orientation
with respect to treatment table 404, as patient 302 had when patient 302
was lying upon imaging table 301. Although it might be desirable to
immobilize patient 302 during the radiation therapy treatment, due to the
prolonged time required for many treatments, the patient's orientation on
the treatment table 404 need Dot be precisely the same as its orientation
on imaging table 301; however patient 302 must be laying flat on treatment
table 404. Since the orientation of the patient's body 302 is not the same
as it was when the patient 302 was imaged by imaging device 300, it should
be apparent that it is very likely the position and orientation of lesion
303 with respect to treatment table 404 and linear accelerator 401 will
not conform, or match, the position and orientation of lesion 303 upon
which the radiation treatment plan for linear accelerator 401 has been
based. It is thus necessary to verify the position, including the
orientation, of lesion 303 to determine if it will conform to its desired
position, including orientation, which has been used in the radiation
treatment plan previously obtained. Further, it is necessary to determine
where to relocate lesion 303 with respect to linear accelerator 401, so
that the position and orientation of lesion 303 will conform to its
position and orientation required by the radiation treatment plan.
The position, of lesion 303, which includes its orientation, may be
verified in the following manner. A means for generating 420 an ultrasound
image 421 (FIG. 7) is disposed on treatment table 404. Preferably the
means for generating 420 an ultrasound image 421 is a conventional,
commercially available ultrasound probe 422. Ultrasound probe 422 can
generate two-dimensional ultrasound images of the portion of the patient's
body 302 containing lesion 303, while patient 302 is on treatment table
404. Ultrasound probe 422 is disposed upon, and mounted to, treatment
table 404 as by a bracket 423 which is preferably fixedly secured to
treatment table 404. Ultrasound probe 422, by means of any suitable
conventional connection 423' is mounted so that it can be moved upwardly
and downwardly with respect to bracket 423, so that ultrasound probe 422
may be brought into contact with the patient's body 302, in order to
generate ultrasound images 421.
With reference to FIG. 6, lesion 303, shown in phantom lines, is shown
disposed within a plurality of planes 430, each plane representing a
particular orientation of ultrasound probe 422 while an ultrasound image
421 of lesion 303 is being generated. By rotating ultrasound probe 422, or
alternatively by moving ultrasound probe 422 with respect to table 404, as
will be hereinafter described in greater detail, the plurality of
ultrasound images 421a-421d of FIGS. 7A-7D, may be generated. As seen in
FIGS. 7A-7D, the outer surface of lesion 303 in each ultrasound image
421a-421d is outlined, such outlining being performed by a conventional
software program, such as in the radiation treatment planning system
previously described, which permits a physician to outline the outer
surfaces 310 of each ultrasound image 421a-421d, in a similar manner in
which the outer surface 310 of lesion 303 was outlined on the diagnostic
images, or slices, 304. While only four ultrasound images are illustrated,
this "is for illustrative purposes only, in that more ultrasound images
421 may be required dependent upon the size of lesion 303.
As shown in FIG. 8, a three-dimensional rendering 425 of the outline of the
lesion 303 from the plurality of two-dimensional ultrasound images
421a-421d may be formed by a conventional software program in a similar
manner in which the three-dimensional rendering 311 of lesion 303 (FIG. 9)
was prepared from the series of diagnostic images, or slices 304, as
previously described.
In order to properly combine the ultrasound images 421a-421d, so that the
three-dimensional renderings 425 and 311 of FIGS. 8 and 9 can be properly
compared, as hereinafter described, it is necessary that the ultrasound
probe 422 (FIG. 5) be disposed in a known geometric orientation. This
geometric orientation for ultrasound probe 422 must be known for each
ultrasound image 421a-421d which is generated by ultrasound probe 422.
Preferably, the known geometric orientation is the orientation 9f the
ultrasound probe 422 with respect to the coordinate system, or frame of
reference, of the linear accelerator 401, which is along the longitudinal
axis 435 of treatment table 404, which corresponds to the Z axis of the X,
Y, and Z axes illustrated in FIG. 5.
Preferably, a means for indicating the geometric orientation of the
ultrasound probe 422 is disposed within the room 432 in which linear
accelerator 401 is installed. The means for indicating 431 the geometric
orientation of ultrasound probe 422, or means 431 for indicating the
position of ultrasound probe 422 when each ultrasound image 421 is
generated, is a position sensing system 433 aligned with linear
accelerator 401. Any number of conventional position sensing systems can
be used to determine the position of the ultrasound probe 422 with respect
to the linear accelerator 401. These can include: a camera system fixed to
the room 432 which looks at light emitting diodes ("LED") 434 mounted to
ultrasound probe 422, which determines the orientation of the ultrasound
probe 422 by the relationship between the positions of at least two LED's;
ultrasonic emitters 434 affixed to the ultrasound probe 422 which are
listened to by microphones placed in the room, whereby the position, or
geometric orientation of ultrasound probe 422 is determined by
triangulating the time it takes for the sound from each of the ultrasonic
emitters, or transmitters, to reach a microphone disposed at a fixed
location in the treatment room 432. Any suitable position sensing system
433 may be utilized, provided the position, including the orientation, of
ultrasound probe 422 may be determined with respect to linear accelerator
401. With position sensing system 433, being aligned to the linear
accelerator 401, then the position, and orientation of the ultrasound
probe 422 with respect to the frame of reference of the linear accelerator
401 can be determined each time an ultrasound image 421 is generated. By
mounting a portion of the position sensing system 433, such as LEDs or
ultrasonic emitters shown schematically at 434, parallel to the
longitudinal axis 436 of ultrasound probe 422, and by disposing ultrasound
probe 422 to have its longitudinal axis 436 be disposed perpendicular to
plane 437 in which lies the upper surface 438 of treatment table 404, the
orientation of each ultrasound image 421a-421d with respect to the
original diagnostic images 304 can be determined and compared. It should
be noted, that the geometric orientation of ultrasound probe 422 with
respect to linear accelerator 401, as previously described, is selected
arbitrarily to provide the known geometric orientation for each ultrasound
image 421 generated. However, it should be noted that by mounting the
ultrasound probe 422 so that it is orthogonal, or perpendicular, to the
frame of reference of both the linear accelerator 401 and imaging device
300, or longitudinal axis 435 of treatment table 404 and longitudinal axis
312 of imaging table 301, the comparison of the three-dimensional
renderings 425, 311 of FIGS. 8 and 9 is simpler. The comparison of the
three-dimensional renderings 425, 311 of FIGS. 8 and 9 can be accomplished
so long as the position and orientation of ultrasound probe 422 is known
when ultrasound probe 422 generates each ultrasound image 421a-421d.
With reference to FIGS. 8, 9, and FIGS. 10A-10C, after the
three-dimensional renderings 425, 311 have been formed as previously
described, the three-dimensional rendering 425 formed from the plurality
of ultrasound images 421a-421d (FIG. 7) are compared with the
three-dimensional rendering 311 of the outline of the lesion 303 formed
from the diagnostic images 304 of the radiation treatment plan. The
three-dimensional renderings 425, 311 can be compared by overlaying the
three-dimensional rendering 425 over the three-dimensional rendering 311.
Since the frames of reference for the data sets with which the
three-dimensional renderings 425, 311 are the same, those being the
longitudinal axes 435, 312 of the linear accelerator 401 and the imaging
device 300, a transformation matrix required to align the two
three-dimensional renderings 425, 311 can be determined by a conventional
computer program which utilizes a conventional fitting algorithm, known to
those of ordinary skill in the art. Were the orientation of the two
three-dimensional renderings to conform to each other, whereby
three-dimensional rendering 425 conformed, or matched, three-dimensional
rendering 311, then the position of the lesion 303 with respect to the
radiation therapy device 400, or linear accelerator 401, would be verified
to conform to the desired position of the lesion 303 which has been used
in the radiation treatment plan, and the radiation treatment plan could
begin. As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the position of the lesion 303
with respect to the linear accelerator 401 does not conform to the desired
position of the lesion 303 in the radiation treatment plan. As shown in
FIG. 10A, the fitting algorithm determines the required coordinate
transformation, or transformation matrix, required to properly align the
three-dimensional renderings of FIGS. 8 and 9. The fitting algorithm
determines that it is necessary to rotate three-dimensional rendering 425
an angle .alpha. equal to -15 degrees, whereby lesion 303 will assume the
position illustrated in FIG. 10B. The fitting algorithm then determines
that lesion 303 of FIG. 10B must be rotated an angle .phi. equal to -30
degrees.
With reference to FIG. 11, the transformation matrix, or required
coordinate transformation, is applied to linear accelerator 401, by
rotating collimator 405 through the angle .alpha. -15 degrees, and
treatment table 404 is rotated about its axis of rotation T through an
angle .phi. of -30 degrees, whereby lesion 303 is positioned with respect
to linear accelerator 401 so that lesion 303 conforms to its position and
orientation it previously had when lesion 303 was imaged by imaging device
300 and the radiation treatment plan was developed. Accordingly, lesion
303 is oriented correctly with respect to linear accelerator 401 and is
correctly positioned with respect to the isocenter 406 (FIG. 4) of the
radiation beam from collimator 405. If desired, another plurality of
ultrasound images may be generated for the lesion 303 in its position and
orientation illustrated in FIG. 11, and by once again performing the steps
discussed in connection with FIGS. 7-10 to confirm that lesion 303 is
positioned and oriented in the desired position for the radiation
treatment plan, prior to commencing the radiation treatment plan by linear
accelerator 401 in a conventional manner.
The transformation matrix, or coordinate transformation, is determined by
the fitting algorithm, which is the amount of movement of lesion 303
required to dispose lesion 303 with respect to linear accelerator 401 to
conform to the desired position of lesion 303 in the radiation treatment
plan. The desired amount of movement can be accomplished by: translating,
or moving, linearly treatment table 404 upwardly, downwardly, or inwardly
or outwardly from linear accelerator 401, such as along the X, Y, or Z
axes illustrated in FIG. 11; rotating treatment table 404 about its axis
of rotation T, as previously described in connection with FIG. 11;
rotation of gantry 402 about its axis of rotation G; rotating collimator
405, as previously described in connection with FIG. 11; or any
combination of the foregoing.
With reference to FIGS. 12-15, another method for verifying the position of
lesion 303 will be described. The time required to perform the previously
described method can be lessened if the patient 302 is fixated with
respect to treatment table 404 in the same orientation that patient 302
was oriented when the patient was imaged as previously described in
connection with FIGS. 1-3. If the patient 302 is fixated to imaging table
301, as by fixation device 306 previously described in connection with
FIGS. 1-3, and if patient 302 is fixated to treatment table 404, as by use
of the same fixation device 306, as shown in FIG. 12, it is only necessary
to compare two-dimensional outlines of the outer surface 310 of lesion 303
obtained from at least one, and preferably only one, ultrasound image 421
with two-dimensional outlines of the outer surface of lesion 303 obtained
from at least one diagnostic image, or slice 304. In this method of lesion
position verification, patient 302 is imaged in imaging device 300 while
the patient is fixated to imaging table 301 by fixation device 306 in the
same manner as previously described in connection with FIGS. 1-3. The
physician then outlines the outer surface 310 of lesion 303 in each of the
diagnostic images, or slices, 304 in the same manner previously described
in connection with FIG. 3. A radiation treatment plan is then developed
for treatment of lesion 303 by a treatment planning system in the same
manner previously described. The treatment planning system may also
determine the center of a geometric solid, such as a sphere, cube, or
other geometric solid, as is known in the art, which bounds the
three-dimensional rendering 311 (FIG. 9) of the outer surface 310 of
lesion 303, which information may be used in a manner hereinafter
described.
With reference to FIG. 12, patient 302 is then disposed on treatment table
404 in the same orientation patient 302 was disposed upon imaging table
301. This may be accomplished by utilizing the same fixation device 306 on
imaging table 404, whereby it is assured that patient 302 is referenced
with respect to the two table 404,301 in an identical orientation. Once
again, the patient 302 is laying flat upon treatment table 404. Table 404
is then moved with respect to linear accelerator 401 to dispose lesion 303
with respect to linear accelerator 401 in a position previously determined
by the radiation treatment plan of the treatment planning system. By
moving treatment table 404 along its X, Y, Z axes to the previously
determined three-dimensional coordinates determined by the radiation
treatment plan, lesion 303 will be disposed properly under the treatment
beam from collimator 405.
Ultrasound probe 422 is then secured to treatment table 404 in a known
geometric orientation, as by securing it to fixation device 306 which also
functions in the same manner as bracket 423, previously described in
connection with FIG. 5. At least one, and preferably only one,
two-dimensional ultrasound image 421, (FIGS. 13, 14) is then generated by
ultrasound probe 422, with the ultrasound probe 422 being disposed in a
known geometric orientation for each ultrasound image generated. A
position sensing system 433, as previously described in connection with
FIG. 5 may be utilized to determine the orientation and position of
ultrasound probe 422 in the manner previously described in connection with
FIG. 5. As previously described in connection with FIG. 5, ultrasound
probe 422 may be disposed with its longitudinal axis 436 being disposed
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 312 of treatment table 404, and
perpendicular to the plane 437 in which lies the upper surface 438 of
treatment table 404. Ultrasound probe 422 is moved downwardly to contact
the patient 302 directly over the position of lesion 303 which the
treatment planning system has determined for the location of lesion 303.
Ultrasound probe 422 may then be moved with respect to lesion 303 a known
distance along the longitudinal axis 435 of treatment table 404 and
another ultrasound image is generated, if desired. Ultrasound probe 422
may be moved with respect to lesion 303, as by indexing fixation device
306 in a direction along the longitudinal axis 435 of treatment table 404.
Ultrasound probe 422 is moved along axis 435 and ultrasound images are
generated of lesion 303, until the entire length of lesion 303 along axis
435 has been imaged, if desired.
The outer surface 310 of lesion 303 of the at least one ultrasound image is
then outlined in the manner previously described in connection with FIG.
7. The center of the geometric solid which bounds the three-dimensional
rendering 425 (FIG. 8) of lesion 303 may also be determined in the same
manner as the three-dimensional coordinates of the center of the geometric
solid which bounds the three-dimensional rendering 311 (FIG. 9) of lesion
303.
The outline of the outer surface 310 of the lesion 303 of the at least one
ultrasound image 421 is then compared with the outlines of the outer
surface 310 of the lesion 303 of the corresponding diagnostic image, or
slice, 304. If the lesion 303 has not moved from its position at the time
of the imaging procedure, the outline of the ultrasound image and the
diagnostic image should closely coincide. If the position of lesion 303
has moved since the time of the imaging procedure, then the amount of
movement of lesion 303 along each of the X, Y, and Z axes of treatment
table 404 can be determined by the previously described fitting algorithm
to determine the required coordinate transformation for lesion | | |
