System and method for radiation therapy using spatial-functional mapping and dose sensitivity of branching structures and functional sub-volumes

US11633623B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE · US
• The Board of Regents of the University of Texas System · US
• Broncus · US

Inventors

• Amit Sawant · Columbia, US
• Robert Timmerman · Westlake, US
• Yulong Yan · Plano, US
• Henky Wibowo · Cupertino, US
• Esther Vicente · Baltimore, US
• Arezoo Modiri · Rosedale, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 20, 2020
• Grant date: Apr 25, 2023
• Expiry date: Apr 10, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06T2207/30061
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method and apparatus for radiation therapy using functional measurements of branching structures. The method includes determining a location of each voxel of a plurality of voxels in a reference frame of a radiation device. The method further includes obtaining measurements that indicate a tissue type at each voxel. The method further includes determining a subset of the voxels based on an anatomical parameter of a respective branching structure of a set of branching structures indicated by the measurements. The method further includes determining a subset of the voxels that enclose an organ-at-risk (OAR) volume. The method further includes determining a value of a utility measure at each voxel. The method further includes determining a series of beam shapes and intensities which minimize a value of an objective function based on a computed dose delivered to each voxel and the utility measure for that voxel summed over all voxels.