Online angle selection in rotational imaging and tracking systems
Inventors
Jordan, Petr • Myronenko, Andriy • Maurer, Calvin • Schnarr, Eric • O'Connell, Rob
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11896850-B2
Publication Date
2024-02-13
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method of operating a radiation apparatus is described. The method includes selecting at least a first angle and a second angle from a set of angles for a first rotation of a gantry of a radiation apparatus. The method also includes generating, using an imaging device mounted to the gantry, a first tracking image of a target from the first angle during the first rotation of the gantry. The method further includes generating, using the imaging device, a second tracking image of the target from the second angle during the first rotation of the gantry.
Core Innovation
A method of operating a radiation apparatus uses a rotatable gantry and an imaging device mounted to the gantry to support in-treatment image-guided radiation therapy tracking. For a first rotation of the gantry, the method selects at least a first angle and a second angle from a set of angles to obtain target tracking images, and the first angle is selected based on a tracking quality metric value satisfying a tracking quality metric criterion.
The tracking quality metric value includes a numerical confidence that the target is trackable from images generated at the first angle, and the criterion includes a numerical threshold. The method generates a first tracking image of the target from the first angle during the first rotation and generates a second tracking image of the target from the second angle during the first rotation.
The method further supports tracking by performing target tracking based on the first tracking image and, in refinements, uses multiple x-ray images generated from two or more angles to generate a motion model of the target. Additional refinements address tracking failure by using a second tracking image to determine whether target tracking has failed, determining a time window for a next tracking image, and interrupting delivery of the radiation treatment beam when no angle from the set of angles is available within the time window.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are directed to metric-based selection of gantry angles for IGRT tracking images during a gantry rotation, where the selection is driven by a tracking quality metric value including numerical confidence of target trackability satisfying a numerical threshold. Across the independent claims, the inventive theme is selecting angles from a set based on confidence and thresholded tracking quality metric values, generating tracking images at the selected angles, and performing target tracking based on the first tracking image.
Tracking-quality metric angle selection for gantry rotation
Selecting at least a first angle and a second angle from a set of angles for a first rotation of a gantry of a radiation apparatus, wherein the first angle is selected from the set of angles based on having a tracking quality metric value satisfying a tracking quality metric criterion, wherein the tracking quality metric value includes a numerical value representing a confidence that a target is trackable based on images generated at the first angle, and wherein the tracking quality metric criterion includes a numerical threshold.
Generation of first and second tracking images at selected angles
Generating, using an imaging device mounted to the gantry, a first tracking image of the target from the first angle during the first rotation of the gantry; and generating, using the imaging device, a second tracking image of the target from the second angle during the first rotation of the gantry.
Computer-readable medium for metric-based tracking image generation
A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by a process device, cause the processing device to select at least a first angle and a second angle from a set of angles for a first rotation of a gantry of a radiation apparatus, wherein the first angle is selected from the set of angles based on having a tracking quality metric value satisfying a tracking quality metric criterion, wherein the tracking quality metric value includes a numerical value representing a confidence that a target is trackable based on images generated at the first angle, and wherein the tracking quality metric criterion includes a numerical threshold; generate, using an imaging device mounted to the gantry, a first tracking image of the target from the first angle during the first rotation of the gantry; and generate, using the imaging device, a second tracking image of the target from the second angle during the first rotation of the gantry.
Target tracking based on a tracking image from a selected angle
Selecting at least a first angle from a set of angles for a first rotation of a gantry of a radiation apparatus, wherein the first angle is selected from the set of angles based on having a tracking quality metric value satisfying a tracking quality metric criterion, wherein the tracking quality metric value includes a numerical value representing a confidence that a target is trackable based on images generated at the first angle, and wherein the tracking quality metric criterion includes a numerical threshold; generating, using an imaging device mounted to the gantry, a first tracking image of the target from the first angle during the first rotation of the gantry; and performing target tracking based on the first tracking image.
The independent claims collectively cover selecting gantry rotation angles from a set using a tracking quality metric value that provides numerical confidence in trackability and satisfies a numerical threshold, generating tracking images at the selected angles during the rotation, and performing target tracking based on the first tracking image. Dependent claim refinements in the provided claim set further add comparative quality and separation between angles, motion-model generation from multiple x-ray images, execution timing during alignment or treatment stage, and interrupting treatment delivery when tracking fails.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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