Claims
- 1. A method, comprising:
(a) positioning a treatment head and an imaging device and directing an amount of kilovoltage radiation from the treatment head toward a patient positioned between the treatment head and the imaging device; (b) generating image data based on attenuated radiation detected by the imaging device; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) to generate image data for a plurality of positions of the treatment head; (d) generating three-dimensional data representing internal portions of the patient based on the image data; (e) determining a correspondence between the generated three-dimensional data and other data representing the internal portions of the patient; and (f) determining whether treatment equipment is properly positioned relative to the patient based on the correspondence.
- 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein steps (a) through (f) are performed in a planning mode of operation.
- 3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting a treatment mode of operation once the treatment equipment is properly positioned relative to the patient.
- 4. A method according to claim 4, further comprising selecting a verification mode of operation during said treatment mode of operation and repeating steps (a) though (f) to verify whether treatment equipment is properly positioned relative to the patient.
- 5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising changing a position of the treatment equipment relative to the patient based on the correspondence.
- 6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the step of changing a position of the treatment equipment comprises determining a distance between the treatment equipment and the patient.
- 7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:
generating data representing surface features of the patient, wherein the step of determining whether the treatment equipment is properly positioned comprises determining a correspondence between the data representing surface features of the patient and other data representing surface features of the patient.
- 8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the other data representing surface features represents surface features of the patient with the patient in a position and the other data representing internal portions of the patient represents internal portions of the patient with the patient substantially in the position.
- 9. A method according to claim 7, wherein the other data representing surface features of the patient was generated at substantially a same time as the other data representing internal portions of the patient.
- 10. A medium storing processor-executable process steps, the process steps comprising:
a step to position a treatment head and an imaging device and direct an amount of kilovoltage radiation from the treatment head toward a patient positioned between the treatment head and the imaging device; a step to generate image data based on attenuated radiation detected by the imaging device, the steps to position and to generate repeated to generate image data for a plurality of positions of the treatment head; a step to generate three-dimensional data representing internal portions of the patient based on the image data; a step to determine a correspondence between the generated three-dimensional data and other data representing the internal portions of the patient; and a step to determine whether the treatment equipment is properly positioned relative to the patient based on the correspondence.
- 11. A medium according to claim 10, the process steps further comprising:
a step to generate data representing surface features of the patient, wherein the step to determine whether the treatment equipment is properly positioned comprises a step to determine a correspondence between the data representing surface features of the patient and other data representing surface features of the patient.
- 12. An apparatus comprising:
a memory storing processor-executable process steps; and a processor in communication with the memory and operative in conjunction with the stored process steps to:
position a treatment head and an imaging device and direct an amount of kilovoltage radiation from the treatment head toward a patient positioned between the treatment head and the imaging device; generate image data based on attenuated radiation detected by the imaging device, the steps to position and to generate repeated to generate image data for a plurality of positions of the treatment head; generate three-dimensional data representing internal portions of the patient based on the image data; determine a correspondence between the generated three-dimensional data and other data representing the internal portions of the patient; and determine whether the treatment equipment is properly positioned relative to the patient based on the correspondence.
- 13. An apparatus according to claim 12, the processor further operative in conjunction with the stored process steps to generate data representing surface features of the patient,
wherein determination of whether the treatment equipment is properly positioned comprises determination of a correspondence between the data representing surface features of the patient and other data representing surface features of the patient.
- 14. A system comprising:
a radiation source for emitting radiation from a plurality of positions directed toward a patient; an imaging device for generating three-dimensional data representing internal portions of a patient in conjunction with the emitted radiation from the plurality of positions; and a processor for determining a correspondence between the generated three-dimensional data and other data representing the internal portions of the patient, and for determining whether the treatment equipment is properly positioned relative to the patient based on the correspondence.
- 15. A system according to claim 14, further comprising:
at least one range detecting device for generating data usable to determine a distance between the patient and the radiation source.
- 16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the processor determines whether the treatment equipment is properly positioned relative to the patient based on the data usable to determine a distance between the patient and the radiation source.
- 17. A system according to claim 14, further comprising:
a surface imager for generating data representing surface features of the patient, wherein the determination of whether the treatment equipment is properly positioned comprises determination of a correspondence between the data representing surface features of the patient and other data representing surface features of the patient.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/377,352, filed May 1, 2002 and entitled “System and Method of Focused Orthovoltage Technology for Radiotherapy”.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60377352 |
May 2002 |
US |