Exact patient positioning by compairing reconstructed x-ray images and linac x-ray images

US6516046B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Brainlab AG · DE

Inventors

• Stephan Fröhlich · Aschheim, DE
• Cornel Schlossbauer · Gilching, DE
• Andreas Blumhofer · Neubiberg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 22, 2000
• Grant date: Feb 4, 2003
• Expiry date: Sep 22, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61N2005/1062
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for exact positioning of a patient for radiotherapy or radiosurgery comprising the following steps: a) pre-positioning the patient relative to a linear accelerator, b) producing at least one X-ray image of the patient or one of his/her body parts in the vicinity of the radiation treatment target, c) mapping the X-ray image, d) generating at least one reconstructed image from a three-dimensional set of patient scanning data corresponding to said X-ray image, especially isocentrically, e) superimposing the reconstructed image and the X-ray image, and detecting the positional error electronically or computer-controlled on the basis of specific landmarks in both images, and f) correcting the position of the patient on the basis of the detected positional error.