US5411026A
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Method and apparatus for lesion position verification
Assignee: Best Medical International Inc
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Filing: 1993-10-08
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Granted: 1995-05-02
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Expires: 2013-10-08
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for verifying the position of a lesion in a patient's body compares the location of the lesion in CT slices with the position of the lesion in ultrasound images taken while the patient lays on the treatment table of a linear accelerator.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark P. Carol
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:56
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B8/00; A61B8/52; A61B8/5215; A61B8/5238; A61B8/08; A61N; A61N5/00; A61N5/10; A61N5/1048; A61N5/1049; A61B90/00; A61B90/10; A61B2090/101; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/916
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A lesion position verification system for use in a radiation therapy plan, for use with a radiation therapy device, for treating a lesion within a body of a patient, comprising: (a) a means for generating at least one ultrasound image of the lesion in the patient's body; and (b) a means for indicating the position, with respect to the radiation therapy device, 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 a position of the lesion in the radiation therapy plan.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
103 words
A lesion position verification system for use in a radiation therapy plan, for use with a radiation therapy device, for treating a lesion within a body of a patient, comprising: (a) a means for generating at least one ultrasound image of the lesion in the patient's body; and (b) a means for indicating the position, with respect to the radiation therapy device, 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 a position of the lesion in the radiation therapy plan.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The lesion position verification system of claim 1, wherein the means for generating the ultrasound image is an ultrasound probe.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The lesion position verification system of claim 2, including a means for mounting the ultrasound probe to the radiation therapy device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The lesion position verification system of claim 1, wherein the means for indicating the position of the means for generating the at least one ultrasound image, is a position sensing system which indicates the position of the ultrasound image generating means with respect to the radiation therapy device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The lesion position verification system of claim 1, further including 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.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
192 words
A 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, comprising the steps of: (a) disposing the patient on a treatment table of a radiation therapy device; (b) disposing on the treatment table a means for generating an ultrasound image; (c) 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; (d) outlining the outer surface of the lesion in at least one of said ultrasound images; and (e) comparing the outlines of the outer surface of the lesion of the said 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.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
192 words
A 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, comprising the steps of: (a) disposing the patient on a treatment table of a radiation therapy device; (b) disposing on the treatment table a means for generating an ultrasound image; (c) 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; (d) outlining the outer surface of the lesion in at least one of said ultrasound images; and (e) comparing the outlines of the outer surface of the lesion of the said 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.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 6, including 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.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 7, including 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.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 8, including repeating steps (b) through (e) of claim 6.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the step of moving the lesion is performed by moving the treatment table with respect to the radiation therapy device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the step of moving the lesion is performed by rotating the treatment table with respect to the radiation therapy device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the step of moving the lesion is performed by rotating a collimator of the radiation therapy device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the step of moving the lesion is performed by rotating a gantry of the radiation therapy device.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the patient is disposed on the treatment table with the patient lying flat on the treatment table.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 6, including the step of utilizing a means for indicating the geometric orientation of the ultrasound image generating means while the at least one ultrasound image is generated.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 6, including the steps of: forming a three dimensional rendering of the outline of the lesion from a 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.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 6, including 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.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 17, including the step of determining a set of three dimensional coordinates of a center of a geometric solid which bounds the outer surface of the lesion in the at least one ultrasound image.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 18, including the step of comparing the set of three-dimensional coordinates of the center of the geometric solid from the at least one ultrasound image to a set of three dimensional coordinates of a center of the same geometric solid determined from the diagnostic images.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 17, wherein the ultrasound image generating means is disposed on the treatment table by mounting the ultrasound image generating means perpendicular to the treatment table.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-05-01 | 1998-10-31 | 1999-05-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-05-01 | 2002-10-31 | 2003-05-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-05-01 | 2006-10-31 | 2007-05-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |