CN209897395U - Monitor support module - Google Patents

Abstract

Discussed herein is a monitor support module that can hold and support a dose monitor assembly configured to monitor a radiation therapy dose in a radiation therapy system. Embodiments of a monitor support module include a monitor room and a cable support module coupled to the monitor room. The cable support module includes a first interface removably secured to the external connector, a second interface attached to the monitor room, and a support extending between the first interface and the second interface and to provide mechanical support and protection to various connection elements located between the external connector and the monitor room.

Description

Monitor support module

Technical Field

This document pertains generally, but not exclusively, to a dose monitor unit for monitoring a radiation therapy dose applied to a human or animal subject.

Background

Radiation therapy is used to treat cancer and other diseases in the tissues of mammals (e.g., humans and animals). Exemplary radiation therapy is provided using a linear accelerator (Linac), whereby a target (e.g., a tumor) is irradiated with high-energy particles (e.g., electrons, photons, ions, etc.). In typical Linac-based radiation therapy, multiple radiation beams are directed at the target from different angles.

Medical Linac typically includes a thermionic electrostatic electron gun that can generate an electron beam, and a series of coupled resonant radio-frequency cavities to accelerate the electron beam to megaelectron-volt (MeV) energy. The accelerated electron beam collides with the target (e.g., tungsten). In the target material, most of the kinetic energy of the electron beam is converted into heat and a small portion of the energy is emitted in the form of x-ray photons, also known as a bremsstrahlung photon beam. Due to the velocity of the electrons at this time, the production of bremsstrahlung radiation will be anisotropic and projected mainly forward. Following the target, a dosimeter (also known as a dose monitor), such as an ion chamber filled with a gas that can be ionized under the action of radiation, can monitor the dose rate, integrated dose, and field symmetry of the beam. This is to prevent excessive use of radiation and radiation beams that do not meet the intended treatment plan.

A magnetic resonance linear accelerator (MR-Linac) is a radiation therapy system that combines Linac radiation therapy with diagnostic-grade Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). MR-Linac enables room MRI for anatomic and physiologic therapy adaptation and response monitoring, and has the potential to reduce the therapeutic range through real-time visualization and target tracking. The dose monitor may comprise a hermetically sealed monitor housing. The monitor chamber may include a feedthrough for transmitting signals between the interior and exterior of the monitor chamber.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

The present inventors have recognized several challenges related to the conventional design of dose monitor chambers and related to signal communication with dose monitor chambers. For example, a dose monitor chamber typically communicates with a cable connector via a feedthrough and a wired connection. Because of the size, shape, and material of the cable connector, it is a significant technical challenge to sealingly attach the cable connector directly to the monitor room. Typically, the dose monitor chamber is hermetically sealed to maintain a desired gas pressure at the interior of the monitor chamber. Connecting a cable connector directly to the monitor chamber may introduce excessive cable connection stresses that are transferred to the sealed boundary, which may result in air leaking from the interior of the monitor chamber.

Another challenge associated with conventional dose monitor chambers is the general lack of accessibility to the signal connections. In the MR-Linac system, the monitor chamber may be embedded in the receptacle portion of the following cassette: the cartridge is removably insertable into a radiation therapy treatment head of an MR-Linac system. Connecting a cable connector directly to the monitor room may actually make it difficult, if not impossible, to add or modify front-end circuitry and/or one or more sensors, at least due to the limited space to house additional circuitry or components. Thus, it is often necessary to remove the cartridge from the MR-Linac system to modify existing circuit connections or to add new components. This can be time consuming and can be subject to operational errors.

This document describes, among other things, an improved monitor support module (i.e., monitor housing and support module) that includes a coupling arrangement to connect an external cable connector to a feedthrough of a monitor chamber. Embodiments of the coupling device include a cable support module extending between the external connector and the dose monitor chamber. The external connector has a pin configuration that provides easy access to the radiation dose signal (e.g., dose rate, integrated dose, and field symmetry of the radiation beam) generated by the dose monitor. The cable support module includes a support configured to provide mechanical support and protection for wires and other components located between the external connector and the monitor room.

The cable support device as described herein has several advantages over conventional sealed attachment of a cable connector directly to a monitor room. In addition to adequate mechanical support and protection of the various components, the cable support device relieves cable connection stresses and prevents air from leaking from the interior of the monitor room. Therefore, not only is the normal operation of the MR-Linac system ensured, but the life of the system can also be prolonged. Additionally, the cable support device allows a user to directly access circuitry and components without moving the cassette, thereby improving system usability and enhancing the user experience.

Example 1 is a monitor support module for a dose monitor assembly configured to monitor radiation therapy dose. The monitor support module includes a monitor chamber and a cable support module. The cable support module includes: a first interface detachably secured to an external connector coupled to the monitor chamber via a connection element; a second interface attached to the monitor chamber; and a support extending between the first interface and the second interface and configured to provide mechanical support and protection to a connection element located between the external connector and the monitor room.

In example 2, the subject matter of example 1 optionally includes the following first interface of the cable support module: the first interface may include a bracket to receive an external connector that is flush mounted on the cartridge.

In example 3, the subject matter of any one or more of examples 1-2 optionally includes a feedthrough attached to the monitor chamber and coupled between the connection element and the monitor chamber, the feedthrough configured to transmit electrical signals between an interior and an exterior of the monitor chamber.

In example 4, the subject matter of any one or more of examples 1-3 optionally includes the following supports of the cable support module: the support may be configured to provide mechanical support and protection to the electronic circuitry of the connection element located between the external connector and the monitor chamber.

In example 5, the subject matter of example 4 optionally includes the following electronic circuitry: the electronic circuitry may include wires and components located between the external connector and the monitor chamber.

In example 6, the subject matter of any one or more of examples 4 to 5 optionally includes the following electronic circuitry: the electronic circuit may comprise a voltage divider circuit.

In example 7, the subject matter of any one or more of examples 4 to 6 can optionally include the following electronic circuitry: the electronic circuitry may include one or more sensors.

In example 8, the subject matter of example 7 optionally includes a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of an interior compartment of the monitor chamber.

In example 9, the subject matter of any one or more of examples 1-8 optionally includes one or more covers configured to seal the monitor chamber and the cable support module contained within the receptacles of the cassettes: the cartridge can be removably inserted into the MR-Linac treatment head.

The foregoing is intended to provide a summary of the subject matter of the present patent application. The foregoing is not intended to provide an exclusive or exhaustive description of the invention. The detailed description is included to provide additional information regarding the present patent application.

Drawings

In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like reference numerals may depict like parts in different views. Like numerals having different letter suffixes may represent different instances of similar components. The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example and not by way of limitation, various embodiments discussed in the present document.

Fig. 1 shows an example of a radiation therapy system.

Fig. 2 illustrates an example of a radiation therapy system that can include a radiation therapy output configured to provide a therapy beam.

Figures 3A-3B illustrate examples of monitor support modules and illustrate portions of the environment in which the modules may operate.

Figure 4 shows an example of a cassette holding a monitor support module and illustrates a portion of the environment in which the cassette may be used.

Detailed Description

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments, also referred to herein as "examples," are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that: the various embodiments may be combined or other embodiments may be utilized and structural, logical, and electrical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Fig. 1 illustrates an exemplary radiation therapy system 100 for providing radiation therapy to a patient, a portion of a patient's body, or a "phantom" that may include a target object representing a patient or a portion of a patient's body. The radiation therapy system 100 includes an image processing device 112. The image processing apparatus 112 may be connected to a network 120. The network 120 may be connected to the internet 122. The network 120 may connect the image processing device 112 with one or more of a database 124, a hospital database 126, an Oncology Information System (OIS)128, a radiation therapy device 130, an image acquisition device 132, a display device 134, and a user interface 136. The image processing apparatus 112 may be configured to generate a radiation therapy treatment plan 142 to be used by the radiation therapy apparatus 130.

Image processing device 112 may include a memory device 116, a processor 114, and a communication interface 118. The memory device 116 may store computer-executable instructions, such as an operating system 143, a radiation therapy treatment plan 142 (e.g., initial treatment plan, adjusted treatment plan, etc.), a software program 144 (e.g., artificial intelligence, deep learning, neural networks, radiation therapy treatment plan software), and any other computer-executable instructions to be executed by the processor 114. In one embodiment, the software program 144 may convert a medical image in one format (e.g., MRI) to a medical image in another format (e.g., CT) by generating a composite image, such as a pseudo-CT image. For example, the software programs 144 may include an image processing program to train a prediction model for converting a form (modality) of the medical image 146 (e.g., an MRI image) into a different form of a synthetic image (e.g., a pseudo CT image), alternatively, the trained prediction model may convert the CT image into an MRI image. In another embodiment, the software program 144 may record a patient image (e.g., a CT image or MR image) with a dose distribution (also denoted as an image) of the patient such that corresponding image voxels and dose voxels are appropriately associated by a network. In yet another embodiment, the software program 144 may replace a function of the patient image, such as a signed distance function or a processed version of the image that emphasizes some aspect of the image information. Such a function may emphasize edges or differences in voxel texture or any other structural aspect useful for neural network learning. In another embodiment, the software program 144 may replace a dose distribution function that emphasizes some aspect of the dose information. Such a function may emphasize steep slopes around the target or any other structural aspect useful for neural network learning. The memory device 116 may store the following data: the data includes medical images 146, patient data 145, and other data needed to build and deliver a radiation therapy treatment plan 142.

In addition to the memory 116 storing the software program 144, it is contemplated that the software program 144 may be stored on a removable computer medium such as a hard drive, a computer diskette, a CD-ROM, a DVD, HD, Blu-ray DVD, a USB flash drive, an SD card, a memory stick, or any other suitable medium, and that the software program 144 may be executed by the image processor 114 when downloaded onto the image processing device 112.

The processor 114 may be communicatively coupled to the memory device 116, and the processor 114 may be configured to execute computer-executable instructions stored thereon. The processor 114 may transmit or receive the medical image 146 to the memory 116. For example, the processor 114 may receive the medical image 146 from the image acquisition device 132 via the communication interface 118 and the network 120 for storage in the memory 116. The processor 114 may also send the medical image 146 stored in the memory 116 to the network 120 via the communication interface 118 to store the medical image 146 in the database 124 or the hospital database 126.

In addition, the processor 114 may utilize a software program 144 (e.g., treatment planning software) along with the medical images 146 and patient data 145 to build the radiation therapy treatment plan 142. The medical image 146 may include information such as imaging data associated with a patient anatomical region, organ, or volumetric segmentation data of interest. The patient data 145 may include the following information: such as (1) functional organ modeling data (e.g., serial and parallel organs, appropriate dose response models, etc.), (2) radiation dose data (e.g., Dose Volume Histogram (DVH) information), or (3) other clinical information related to the patient and treatment session (e.g., other surgery, chemotherapy, prior radiation therapy, etc.).

In addition, the processor 114 may utilize a software program to generate intermediate data, such as, for example, update parameters to be used by the neural network model, or to generate an intermediate 2D image or 3D image, which may then be subsequently stored in the memory 116. The processor 114 may then transmit the executable radiation therapy treatment plan 142 to the network 120 via the communication interface 118 and further to the radiation therapy device 130 where the radiation therapy treatment plan is used to treat the patient with radiation. Additionally, the processor 114 may execute software programs 144 to implement functions such as image conversion, image segmentation, deep learning, neural networks, and artificial intelligence. For example, the processor 114 may execute a software program 144 that trains or contours medical images, such software 144, when executed, may train a boundary detector or utilize a shape dictionary.

The processor 114 may be a processing device including one or more general purpose processing devices such as a microprocessor, Central Processing Unit (CPU), Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), or the like. More specifically, the processor 114 may be a Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) microprocessor, Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) microprocessor, Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW) microprocessor, processor executing other instruction sets, or processors executing a combined instruction set. The processor 114 may also be implemented by one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a system on chip (SoC), or the like. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, in some embodiments, the processor 114 may be a special purpose processor rather than a general purpose processor. The processor 114 may include one or more well-known processing devices, such as those available from Intel^TMManufactured Pentium^TM、Core^TM、Xeon^TMOr is

A series of microprocessors; from AMD^TMManufactured Turion^TM、Athlon^TM、Sempron^TM、 Opteron^TM、FX^TM、Phenom^TMA series of microprocessors; or any of the various processors manufactured by Sun Microsystems, inc (Sun Microsystems). The processor 114 may also include a graphics processing unit, such as from Nvidia^TMManufactured by

A series of GPUs; by Intel^TMGMA and Iris manufactured^TMA series of GPUs; or from AMD^TMRadeon of manufacture^TMA series of GPUs. The processor 114 may alsoTo include accelerated processing units, e.g. by Intel^TMManufactured Xeon Phi^TMA series of accelerated processing units. The disclosed embodiments are not limited to any type of processor that is otherwise configured to meet the computational requirements of identification, analysis, maintenance, generation, and/or to provide large amounts of data or to manipulate such data to perform the methods disclosed herein. In addition, the term "processor" may include more than one processor, e.g., a multi-core design or a plurality of processors each having a multi-core design. The processor 114 may execute sequences of computer program instructions stored in the memory 116 to perform various operations, procedures, methods that will be described in greater detail below.

The memory device 116 may store a medical image 146. In some embodiments, the medical images 146 may include one or more MRI images (e.g., 2D MRI, 3D MRI, 2D streaming MRI, 4D volumetric MRI, 4D cine MRI, etc.), functional MRI images (e.g., fMRI, DCE-MRI, diffusion MRI), Computed Tomography (CT) images (e.g., 2DCT, cone beam CT, 3D CT, 4D CT), ultrasound images (e.g., 2D ultrasound, 3D ultrasound, 4D ultrasound), Positron Emission Tomography (PET) images, X-ray images, fluoroscopic images, radiotherapy portal images, Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) images, computer-generated synthetic images (e.g., pseudo-CT images), and the like. In addition, the medical images 146 may also include medical image data, such as training images, ground truth images, contour images, and dose images. In an embodiment, the medical image 146 may be received from the image acquisition device 132. Accordingly, the image acquisition device 132 may include an MRI imaging device, a CT imaging device, a PET imaging device, an ultrasound imaging device, a fluoroscopy device, a SPECT imaging device, an integrated linac and MRI imaging device, or other medical imaging device for acquiring medical images of a patient. The medical image 146 may be received or stored in any type of data or any type of format, and the image processing device 112 may use the medical image 146 to perform operations consistent with the disclosed embodiments. The memory device 116 may be a non-transitory computer readable medium such as Read Only Memory (ROM), phase change random access memory (PRAM), Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), flash memory, Random Access Memory (RAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) such as Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), static memory (e.g., flash memory, flash disks, static random access memory), and other types of random access memory, cache memory, registers, compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), Digital Versatile Disks (DVD) or other optical storage, cartridges, other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transitory medium that may be used to store information including images, or other data that may be accessed by the processor 114 or any other type of computer device, Data or computer-executable instructions (e.g., computer-executable instructions stored in any format). The computer program instructions may be accessed by the processor 114, read from ROM or any other suitable memory location, and loaded into RAM for execution by the processor 114. For example, the memory 116 may store one or more software applications. The software applications stored in memory 116 may include, for example, an operating system 143 for common computer systems and for software-controlled devices. Further, the memory 116 may store the entire software application that is executable by the processor 114, or only a portion of the software application that is executable by the processor 114. For example, the memory device 116 may store one or more radiation therapy treatment plans 142.

The image processing device 112 may communicate with a network 120 via a communication interface 118, which communication interface 118 may be communicatively coupled to the processor 114 and the memory 116. The communication interface 118 may provide a communicative coupling between the image processing device 112 and components of the radiation therapy system 100 (e.g., components that allow for data exchange with external devices). For example, the communication interface 118 may in some embodiments have suitable interface circuitry connected to a user interface 136, which user interface 136 may be a hardware keyboard, keypad, or touch screen, wherein a user may enter information into the radiation therapy system 100 through the hardware keyboard, keypad, or touch screen.

The communication interface 118 may include, for example, a network adapter, a cable connector, a serial connector, a USB connector, a parallel connector, a high-speed data transmission adapter (e.g., such as a fiber optic, USB 3.0, thunderbolt interface, etc.), a wireless network adapter (e.g., such as a WiFi adapter), a telecommunications adapter (e.g., 3G, 4G/LTE, etc.), and so forth. Communication interface 118 may include one or more digital and/or analog communication devices that allow image processing device 112 to communicate with other machines and devices, such as remotely located components, via network 120.

The network 120 may provide a Local Area Network (LAN), a wireless network, a cloud computing environment (e.g., as software for a service, as a platform for a service, as an infrastructure for a service, etc.), a client-server, a Wide Area Network (WAN), etc. For example, the network 120 may be a LAN or WAN that may include other systems S1(138), S2(140), and S3 (141). The systems S1, S2, and S3 may be the same as the image processing apparatus 112, or the systems S1, S2, S3 may be different systems. In some embodiments, one or more of the systems in network 120 may form a distributed computing/simulation environment that cooperatively performs embodiments described herein. In some embodiments, one or more of systems S1, S2, and S3 may include a CT scanner that acquires CT images (e.g., medical image 146). Additionally, the network 120 may be connected to the Internet 122 for communication over the Internet with remotely resident servers and clients.

Thus, the network 120 may allow data transfer between the image processing device 112 and a plurality of various other systems and devices, such as the OIS 128, the radiation therapy device 130, and the image acquisition device 132. Further, data generated by the OIS 128 and/or the image acquisition device 132 may be stored in the memory 116, the database 124, and/or the hospital database 126. The data may be transmitted/received over a network 120 through a communication interface 118 for access by the processor 114 as needed.

The image processing apparatus 112 may communicate with the database 124 through the network 120 to transmit/receive a plurality of various types of data stored on the database 124. For example, the database 124 may include the following machine data: the machine data is information associated with the radiation therapy device 130, the image acquisition device 132, or other machine related to the radiation therapy. Machine data information may include radiation beam size, arc placement, beam on and off durations, machine parameters, segmentation, multi-leaf collimator (MLC) configuration, gantry speed, MRI pulse sequence, and so forth. The database 124 may be a storage device and the database 124 may be provided with a suitable database management software program. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the database 124 may include multiple devices located in a central or distributed manner.

In some implementations, the database 124 may include a processor-readable storage medium (not shown). Although the processor-readable storage medium in an embodiment may be a single medium, the term "processor-readable storage medium" should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of computer-executable instructions or data. The term "processor-readable storage medium" shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing or encoding a set of instructions for execution by the processor and that, as such, cause the processor to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present disclosure. The term "processor-readable storage medium" shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, optical and magnetic media. For example, a processor-readable storage medium may be one or more volatile, non-transitory, or non-volatile tangible computer-readable media.

The image processor 114 may communicate with a database 124 to read images into the memory 116 or to store images from the memory 116 to the database 124. For example, the database 124 may be configured to store a plurality of images (e.g., 3D MRI, 4D MRI, 2D MRI slice images, CT images, 2D fluoroscopic images, X-ray images, raw data by MR scan or CT scan, digital imaging and communications in medical Data (DIMCOM), etc.) received by the database 124 from the image acquisition device 132. The database 124 may store data to be used by the image processor 114 when executing the software program 144 or when establishing the radiation therapy treatment plan 142. The database 124 may store data generated by a trained neural network that includes network parameters that make up a model learned by the network and predictive data generated therefrom. The image processing device 112 may receive imaging data 146 (e.g., 2D MRI slice images, CT images, 2D fluoroscopic images, X-ray images, 3D MRI images, 4D MRI images, etc.) from the database 124, the radiotherapy device 130 (e.g., MR-Linac), and/or from the image acquisition device 132 to generate the treatment plan 142.

In an embodiment, the radiation therapy system 100 may include the following image acquisition devices 132: the image acquisition device 132 is capable of acquiring medical images of a patient (e.g., Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) images, 3D MRI, 2D streaming MRI, 4D volumetric MRI, Computed Tomography (CT) images, cone beam CT, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) images, functional MRI images (e.g., fMRI, DCE-MRI, and diffusion MRI), X-ray images, fluoroscopic images, ultrasound images, radiotherapy portal images, Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) images, etc.). The image acquisition device 132 may be, for example, an MRI imaging device, a CT imaging device, a PET imaging device, an ultrasound device, a fluoroscopy device, a SPECT imaging device, or any other suitable medical imaging device for obtaining one or more medical images of a patient. The images acquired by the image acquisition device 132 may be stored in the database 124 as imaging data and/or test data. By way of example, the images acquired by the image acquisition device 132 may also be stored by the image processing device 112 as medical image data 146 in the memory 116.

In an embodiment, for example, the image acquisition device 132 may be combined with the radiation therapy device 130 as a single device (e.g., an MRI device combined with a Linac, which is also referred to as "MR-Linac"). Such MR-Linac may be used, for example, to determine the location of a target organ or target tumor within a patient's body in order to accurately direct radiation therapy to a predetermined target in accordance with a radiation therapy treatment plan 142.

The image acquisition device 132 may be configured to acquire one or more images of a patient's anatomy for a region of interest (e.g., a target organ, a target tumor, or both a target organ and a target tumor). Each image, particularly a 2D image or slice, may include one or more parameters (e.g., 2D slice thickness, orientation, and position, etc.). In an embodiment, the image acquisition device 132 may acquire 2D slices at any orientation. For example, the orientation of the 2D slice may include a sagittal orientation, a coronal orientation, or an axial orientation. The processor 114 may adjust one or more parameters, such as the thickness and/or orientation of the 2D slice, to include the target organ and/or the target tumor. In an embodiment, the 2D slices may be determined by information such as a 3D MRI volume. Such 2D slices may be acquired by the image acquisition device 132 in "near real-time" while the patient is undergoing radiation therapy treatment, such as while the radiation therapy device 130 is in use. By "near real time" is meant that the data is acquired in at least milliseconds or less.

The image processing device 112 may generate and store a radiation therapy treatment plan 142 for one or more patients. The radiation therapy treatment plan 142 may provide information related to the specific radiation dose to be applied to each patient. The radiation therapy treatment plan 142 may also include other radiation treatment information, such as beam angles, dose volume histogram information, the number of radiation beams to be used during treatment, dose per beam, and the like.

The image processor 114 may be implemented using, for example, treatment planning software such as that manufactured by Elekta AB of stockholm, swedenSuch as a software program 144, generates the radiation therapy treatment plan 142. To generate the radiation therapy treatment plan 142, the image processor 114 may communicate with an image acquisition device 132 (e.g., a CT device, an MRI device, a PET device, an X-ray device, an ultrasound device, etc.) to access the patientAnd delineate a target, such as a tumor. In some embodiments, delineation of one or more Organs At Risk (OARs), such as healthy tissue surrounding or in close proximity to a tumor, may be necessary. Thus, segmentation of the OAR may be performed when the OAR is close to the target tumor. In addition, if the target tumor is close to the OAR (e.g., prostate very close to bladder or rectum), by segmenting the OAR from the tumor, the radiation therapy system 100 can study not only the dose distribution in the target but also in the OAR.

In order to delineate the target organ or target tumor from the OAR, medical images of the patient undergoing radiotherapy, such as MRI images, CT images, PET images, fMRI images, X-ray images, ultrasound images, radiotherapy portal images, SPECT images, etc., may be obtained non-invasively by the image acquisition device 132 to display the internal structure of the body part. Based on information from the medical image, a 3D structure of the relevant anatomical part may be obtained. In addition, during the treatment planning process, a number of parameters may be taken into account to achieve a balance between effective treatment of the target tumor (e.g., so that the target tumor receives a sufficient radiation dose for effective treatment) and low radiation of the OAR (e.g., the OAR receives as little radiation dose as possible). Other parameters that may be considered include the location of the target organ and target tumor, the location of the OAR, and the movement of the target relative to the OAR. For example, a 3D structure may be obtained by mapping the contours of a target or mapping the contours of an OAR within each 2D layer or slice of an MRI or CT image and combining the contours of each 2D layer or slice. The contour may be generated manually (e.g., by a physician, radiation dose tester, or health care worker using a software program such as the MONACO manufactured by Elekta AB, stockholm, sweden^TMSuch as manually) or automatically (e.g., using an ABAS such as manufactured by Elekta AB of stockholm, sweden^TMAutomatically generated based on programs such as Atlas-based automated segmentation software). In particular embodiments, the 3D structure of the target tumor or OAR may be automatically generated by the treatment planning software.

After the target tumor and OAR have been located and delineated, the radiation dose tester, physician, or health care worker can determine the radiation dose to be applied to the target tumor, as well as determine any maximum dose that can be received by the OAR closest to the tumor (e.g., left and right parotid, optic nerve, eye, lens, inner ear, spinal cord, brainstem, etc.). After the radiation dose is determined for each anatomical structure (e.g., target tumor, OAR), a process known as inverse planning may be performed to determine one or more treatment plan parameters that will achieve the desired radiation dose distribution. Examples of treatment planning parameters include volume delineation parameters (e.g., which define the target volume, contour sensitive structures, etc.), the extent around the target tumor and OAR, beam angle selection, collimator settings, and beam start times. During the inverse planning procedure, the physician may define the following dose constraint parameters: the dose constraint parameter sets a limit on how much radiation an OAR can receive (e.g., define a full dose for a tumor target and a zero dose for any OAR; define a 95% dose for a target tumor; define a dose that receives ≦ 45Gy for spinal nerves, define a dose that receives ≦ 55Gy for the brainstem, and define a dose that receives < 54Gy for the optic nerve structures). The results of the inverse planning may constitute a radiation therapy treatment plan 142 that may be stored in the memory 116 or database 124. Some of these treatment parameters may be correlated with each other. For example, attempting to adjust one parameter (e.g., a weight for a different receptor, such as increasing a dose with respect to a target tumor) to change a treatment plan may affect at least another parameter, which in turn may lead to development of a different treatment plan. Accordingly, the image processing device 112 may generate a tailored radiation therapy treatment plan 142 having these parameters for use by the radiation therapy device 130 to provide radiation therapy treatment to the patient.

Additionally, the radiation therapy system 100 can include a display device 134 and a user interface 136. Display device 134 may include display of medical images, interface information, treatment plan parameters (e.g., contours, dose, beam angles, etc.), treatment plan, target, positioning target, and/or heelA trail target, or any user-related information. The user interface 136 may be a keyboard, keypad, touch screen, or any type of device by which a user may input information to the radiation therapy system 100. Alternatively, the display device 134 and the user interface 136 may be integrated into a device such as a tablet computer-e.g., apple

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Furthermore, any or all of the components of the radiation therapy system 100 may be implemented as virtual machines (e.g., virtual machines (VMWare), virtualization technology (Hyper-V), etc.). For example, a virtual machine may be software acting as hardware. Thus, a virtual machine may include at least one or more virtual processors, one or more virtual memories, and one or more virtual communication interfaces that collectively act as hardware. For example, the image processing device 112, the OIS 128, and the image acquisition device 132 may be implemented as virtual machines. Given the available processing power, memory, and computing power, the entire radiation therapy system 100 may be implemented as a virtual machine.

Fig. 2 shows an exemplary radiation treatment apparatus 202 that can include a radiation source, such as an X-ray source or linear accelerator, a treatment couch 216, an imaging detector 214, and a radiation treatment output 204. The radiation therapy device 202 can be configured to emit a radiation beam 208 to provide therapy to a patient. The radiation treatment output 204 can include one or more attenuators or collimators, such as a multi-leaf collimator (MLC).

In fig. 2, a patient may be positioned in region 212, supported by a treatment couch 216, to receive a radiation treatment dose according to a radiation therapy treatment plan. The radiation treatment output 204 can be mounted or attached to a gantry 206 or other mechanical support. One or more chassis motors (not shown) may rotate the gantry 206 and the radiation treatment output 204 about the couch 216 as the couch 216 is inserted into the treatment region. In an embodiment, the gantry 206 may be capable of continuous rotation about the couch 216 as the couch 216 is inserted into the treatment region. In another embodiment, the gantry 206 can rotate to a predetermined position when the couch 216 is inserted into the treatment region. For example, the gantry 206 may be configured to rotate the treatment output 204 about an axis ("a"). Both the couch 216 and the radiation treatment output 204 may be independently movable to other positions around the patient, such as movable in a transverse direction ("T"), movable in a lateral direction ("L"), or rotatable about one or more other axes, such as a transverse axis (as indicated by "R"). A controller communicatively connected to one or more actuators (not shown) may control the movement or rotation of the couch 216 in accordance with the radiation therapy treatment plan in order to properly position the patient in the radiation beam 208 or out of the radiation beam 208. Since both the couch 216 and the gantry 206 can be movable independently of each other in multiple degrees of freedom, this allows the patient to be positioned such that the radiation beam 208 can accurately target the tumor.

The coordinate system shown in fig. 2 (including axis a, axis T, and axis L) may have an origin located at isocenter 210. The isocenter can be defined as the following position: at this location, the central axis of the radiotherapy beam 208 intersects the origin of the coordinate axes to deliver a prescribed radiation dose onto or into the patient. Alternatively, the isocenter 210 may be defined as the following location: at this position, the central axis of the radiation therapy beam 208 intersects the patient for various rotational positions of the radiation therapy output 204 as positioned by the gantry 206 about axis a.

The gantry 206 may also have an attached imaging detector 214. The imaging detector 214 is preferably positioned opposite the radiation source 204, and in an embodiment, the imaging detector 214 may be located within the field of the treatment beam 208.

An imaging detector 214 may be mounted on the gantry 206, preferably on the gantry 206 opposite the radiation treatment output 204, to maintain alignment with the treatment beam 208. The imaging detector 214 rotates about an axis of rotation as the gantry 206 rotates. In an embodiment, the imaging detector 214 may be a flat panel detector (e.g., a direct detector or a scintillator detector). In this manner, the imaging detector 214 may be used to monitor the therapy beam 208, or the imaging detector 214 may be used to image the patient's anatomy, such as portal imaging. The control circuitry of the radiotherapy device 202 can be integrated within the system 100 or integrated remotely from the system 100.

In an illustrative embodiment, one or more of the treatment couch 216, the treatment output 204, or the gantry 206 may be automatically positioned, and the treatment output 204 may establish the treatment beam 208 according to a prescribed dose for a particular treatment delivery instance. The treatment delivery sequence may be specified according to a radiation therapy treatment plan, such as using one or more different orientations or positions in gantry 206, treatment couch 216, or treatment output 204. Therapy delivery may occur sequentially, but therapy delivery may intersect in a desired treatment site on or within the patient, such as at isocenter 210. A prescribed cumulative dose of radiation therapy can thereby be delivered to the treatment site while reducing or avoiding damage to tissue near the treatment site.

Accordingly, fig. 2 specifically illustrates an example of a radiation therapy device 202, which radiation therapy device 202 is operable to provide radiation therapy treatment to a patient and has a configuration in which the radiation therapy output is rotatable about a central axis (e.g., axis "a"). Other radiation treatment output configurations may be used. For example, the radiation treatment output can be mounted to a robotic arm or manipulator having multiple degrees of freedom. In yet another embodiment, the treatment output may be fixed, such as positioned in a region laterally spaced from the patient, and a platform supporting the patient may be used to align the radiation treatment isocenter with a particular target site located within the patient's body. In another embodiment, the radiation therapy device may be a combination of a linear accelerator and an image acquisition device. In some embodiments, the image acquisition device may be an MRI device, an X-ray device, a CT device, a CBCT device, a helical CT device, a PET device, a SPECT device, an optical tomography device, a fluoroscopic imaging device, an ultrasound imaging device, or a radiotherapy portal imaging device, etc., as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art.

Figures 3A-3B illustrate an example of a monitor support module 300 and illustrate portions of an environment in which the module may operate. Monitor support module 300 may include a cable support module 330 connected to a Dose Monitor Chamber (DMC) 310. The DMC310 comprises an internal compartment filled with a gas that can be ionized under the action of radiation and to generate an ion current that can be detected and used to evaluate the radiotherapy dose.

As shown in fig. 3A, the DMC310 may be embedded into a receptacle portion of a carrier, such as a cartridge 301. Corresponding covers may be attached to the DMC310 and the cable support module 330. The covers may be sized and adapted to securely seal the DMC310 and the support module 330, respectively. In an example, the internal compartment of the DMC310 is hermetically sealed to maintain an airtight environment in which the air density is fixed and unaffected by external environmental changes such as pressure, temperature, or humidity. The gas-tight environment of the interior compartment may help to ensure stable gas ionization under the action of radiation and the generation of ionic currents within the gas-tight environment. In an example, the lid may be argon arc welded to the chamber body 310. The cable support module 330 may be removably attached to its cover. Alternatively, the cable support module 330 may be argon arc welded to its cover. The chamber body 310, cable support module 330, and cover may be plated before being soldered.

Fig. 3B shows an example of the internal components and wiring supported by the cable support module 330. For purposes of illustration, the cover of the cable support module 330 and the cover of the DMC310 are removed. The cable support module 330 includes a support body extending between an exterior interface 331 and an interior interface 332. The external interface 331 may be removably secured to the external connector 320, such as using screws, nuts and bolts, or using other locking members. An external connector 320 (e.g., a parallel port connector or a serial port connector) may be flush mounted on the front panel 303 of the cassette 301, and the external connector 320 fits securely into the cradle at the external port 331. The internal interface 332 can be attached to at least a portion of the chamber body of the DMC310, such as via screws or other securing means.

The support body of the cable support module 330 can be sized and shaped to provide mechanical support for components, wiring, circuitry, or other components interconnected with the external connector 320 and the DMC 310. In addition, the support may protect the parts, wiring, circuitry or other components from damage or contamination. As shown in fig. 3B, the support 330 can support electronic circuitry between the external connector 320 and the DMC310, the electronic circuitry including one or more of: a wire 341, a voltage divider circuit 342, or one or more sensors in other electronic components and circuits.

By way of non-limiting example, a temperature sensor 343 can be positioned on the cable support module 330 and monitor the temperature of the internal compartment of the DMC 310. Such temperature measurements can be used to correct for the effects of temperature on the ion current measurements and thus radiation dose evaluations in cases where a hermetic seal of the DMC cannot be maintained (e.g., air leaks within the DMC and resulting temperatures in the DMC). Examples of temperature sensors may include thermistors, thermocouples, or other types of thermometers.

Figure 4 shows an example of a cassette 301 and illustrates the part of the environment in which the cassette may operate. The cartridge 301 may have a handle 302 on its front panel 303 to allow a user to slide the cartridge 301 (with the DMC310 in the cartridge 301) into the receptacle of the MR-Linac treatment head 410. Cassette 301 is connected to MR-Linac therapy head 410 via head frame 420.

The cable support module 330 described herein can provide several advantages over conventional direct connections between feedthroughs (e.g., signal pins within the feedthroughs) and the DMC 310. Connecting the external connector 320 directly to the DMC310 is a significant technical challenge, and connecting the external connector 320 directly to the DMC310 may introduce excessive cable connection stresses, particularly at the sealed boundary, causing air leaks into the DMC. The cable support module 330 described herein may provide sufficient mechanical support to the various components to relieve cable connection stresses. The cable support module 330 may also serve as a buffer between external connector mating forces and feedthroughs, and the cable support module 330 may provide sufficient protection for the wiring, circuitry, and components from damage or contamination. This may help to ensure proper system function (e.g., transmission of radiation dose signals) and extend the life of the system. The external connector has the following pin configuration: this pin configuration provides easy access to radiation dose signals located outside and remote from the dose monitor. Examples of radiation dose signals to be monitored for integrity monitoring purposes include the dose rate of the radiation beam, the integrated dose, field symmetry, and the polarization voltage and its feedback signal.

The cable support module 330 is also long enough to allow a user to directly access the circuitry and components in communication with the DMC310 without having to move the cartridge 301 into and out of the radiation therapy treatment head. Accordingly, the cable support module 330 may improve system usability and enhance user experience.

The foregoing description includes reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. The drawings illustrate, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are also referred to herein as "examples. Such examples may include elements other than those shown or described. However, the present inventors also contemplate examples in which only those elements shown or described are provided. Moreover, the present inventors also contemplate examples using any combination or permutation of those elements shown or described with respect to a particular example (or one or more aspects thereof), or with respect to other examples (or one or more aspects thereof) shown or described herein.

In the event of inconsistent usages between this document and any documents incorporated by reference, then usage in this document controls.

As is common in the patent literature, in this document, the terms "a" or "an" are used to include one or more than one, independently of any other instance or use of "at least one" or "one or more". In this document, unless otherwise indicated, the term "or" is used to indicate nonexclusivity, such that "a or B" includes "a but not B", "B but not a", and "a and B". In this document, the terms "including" and "in which" are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms "comprising" and "in which". Furthermore, in the following claims, the terms "comprising" and "including" are open-ended, that is, a system, apparatus, article, composition, formulation, or process that includes an element other than the elements in the claims that follow such term is considered to be within the scope of the claims. Furthermore, in the appended claims, the terms "first," "second," and "third," etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.

Unless the context indicates otherwise, geometric terms such as "parallel", "perpendicular", "circular" or "square" are not intended to require absolute mathematical precision. Rather, such geometric terms allow for variations due to manufacturing or equivalent function. For example, if an element is described as "circular" or "substantially circular," parts that are not exactly circular (e.g., slightly elliptical or polygonal parts) are still encompassed by the description.

The above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments may be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art after reviewing the above description. The abstract is provided to comply with 37c.f.r. § 1.72(b), to enable the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. The summary is submitted with the following understanding: the abstract is not intended to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Moreover, in the foregoing detailed description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. This should not be interpreted as implying that an unclaimed disclosed feature is essential to any claim. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description as examples or embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment, and it is contemplated that these embodiments may be combined with each other in various combinations or permutations. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Claims (9)

1. A monitor support module for a dose monitor assembly configured to monitor a radiation therapy dose, the monitor support module comprising:

a monitor chamber; and

a cable support module, the cable support module comprising:

a first interface detachably secured to an external connector via a connecting element, the external connector coupled to the monitor chamber;

a second interface attached to the monitor chamber; and

a support extending between the first interface and the second interface and configured to provide mechanical support and protection to the connection element between the external connector and the monitor chamber.

2. The monitor support module of claim 1 wherein the first interface of the cable support module comprises a cradle to receive the external connector flush mounted on a cassette.

3. The monitor support module of any of claims 1-2, further comprising a feedthrough attached to the monitor chamber and coupled between the connection element and the monitor chamber, the feedthrough configured to transmit electrical signals between an interior and an exterior of the monitor chamber.

4. The monitor support module of any of claims 1-2, wherein the support body of the cable support module is configured to provide mechanical support and protection to an electronic circuit of the connection element located between the external connector and the monitor chamber.

5. The monitor support module of claim 4 wherein the electronic circuitry includes wires and components between the external connector and the monitor chamber.

6. The monitor support module of claim 4 wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a voltage divider circuit.

7. The monitor support module of claim 4 wherein the electronic circuitry comprises one or more sensors.

8. The monitor support module of claim 7, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of an interior compartment of the monitor chamber.

9. The monitor support module of any of claims 1-2, further comprising one or more covers configured to seal the monitor chamber and the cable support module contained within the housing of the cassette: the cartridge can be removably inserted into the MR-Linac treatment head.

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