Method and device for accurately positioning a patient in radiotherapy and/or radiosurgery

US6865253B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Brainlab AG · DE

Inventors

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

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 18, 2001
• Grant date: Mar 8, 2005
• Expiry date: Mar 31, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61N2005/1076
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for accurately positioning a patient for radiotherapy and/or radiosurgery, comprising the following steps: the patient is pre-positioned as accurately as possible with respect to a linear accelerator; at least two x-ray images of the patient and/or one of the parts of his body in the vicinity of the radiation target point are produced from different respective recording angles on a single image recorder; the x-ray image is spatially localized; at least one reconstructed image, corresponding to each x-ray image and deriving from a three-dimensional patient scan data set, is produced, the reconstructed images containing the desired image contents of the x-ray images when the patient is correctly positioned; and the real x-ray images are superimposed, and the positioning error is determined electronically and/or with computer guidance by way of particular landmarks and/or the intensity gradient or the contours in the two images; and the position of the patient is corrected by way of the determined positioning error.