Methods and Systems for Lesion Localization, Definition and Verification

Abstract

A method and apparatus for lesion or organ definition for the purpose of radiation treatment planning localization and treatment position verification. The apparatus uses a combination of an ultrasound imaging system and a diagnostic imaging system to acquire localization ultrasound images referenced in the coordinate space of the diagnostic imaging system through the use of position sensing system. The method compares the location of the lesion in the localization ultrasound images with the position of the lesion in ultrasound images taken while the patient lies on the treatment table of a therapy treatment unit, suggests corrective measures to place the lesion in its intended treatment position and executes the correction upon confirmation from qualified personnel.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . A method of imaging a feature of a patient, the method comprising:
 establishing a position of an ultrasound probe relative to a plane in the patient, the plane corresponding to an earlier-acquired diagnostic image of the patient;   generating an ultrasound image of the patient;   identifying a feature on the ultrasound image;   identifying the feature on the diagnostic image;   registering the images by transforming a coordinate system of one of the images to a coordinate system of the other image; and   displaying the registered images.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein registration comprises transforming a coordinate system of the ultrasound image to a coordinate system of the diagnostic image. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein registration comprises transforming a coordinate system of the diagnostic image to a coordinate system of the ultrasound image. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the feature comprises one or more fiducials. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the feature comprises one or more anatomical features of the patient. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the anatomical feature comprises a lesion. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 19  wherein displaying the images includes superimposing the diagnostic image and the ultrasound image. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the diagnostic image comprises a non-ultrasound diagnostic image. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the transformation of the coordinate systems of the one image and the other comprises using an absolute coordinate reference system. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising developing a radiation treatment plan based, at least in part, on the registered images. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising guiding an instrument to the lesion using the registered images. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the absolute reference coordinate system is established using a positional tracking system. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein said means for establishing an absolute coordinate reference system comprises at least one laser. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the absolute coordinate reference system is independent of the device used to acquire the diagnostic image. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the absolute coordinate reference system is independent of the device used to acquire the ultrasound image. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the diagnostic image forms a three-dimensional image. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the step of drawing one or more contours on one or more of the images. 
   
   
       36 . A system for simultaneously displaying an ultrasound image and an earlier-acquired diagnostic image, the system comprising:
 a storage device for storing a diagnostic image acquired from a MRI scanner, a PET scanner, a CT scanner or an ultrasound scanner;   an ultrasound device including an ultrasound probe for generating at least one ultrasound image of a portion of a patient;   a position tracker configured to track a position and an orientation of the ultrasound probe relative to the diagnostic image;   means for fusing the diagnostic image and the ultrasound image based on a feature common to both images; and   a display configured to display the registered images.   
   
   
       37 . The system of  claim 36  wherein the means for registering the diagnostic image and the ultrasound image transforms a coordinate system of the ultrasound image to a coordinate system of the diagnostic image. 
   
   
       38 . The system of  claim 36  wherein the means for registering the diagnostic image and the ultrasound image transforms a coordinate system of the diagnostic image to a coordinate system of the ultrasound image. 
   
   
       39 . The system of  claim 36  wherein the ultrasound probe comprises one or more markers responsive to the position tracker that facilitate determination of the positional and the orientation of the probe. 
   
   
       40 . The system of  claim 36  wherein the feature common to both images comprises one or more fiducials. 
   
   
       41 . The system of  claim 36  wherein the feature common to both images comprises one or more anatomical features of the patient. 
   
   
       42 . The system of  claim 41  wherein the anatomical feature comprises a lesion. 
   
   
       43 . The system of  claim 36  wherein the diagnostic image comprises a non-ultrasound diagnostic image. 
   
   
       44 . The system of  claim 36  wherein the means for registering the diagnostic image and the ultrasound image transforms the coordinate systems of the images using an absolute coordinate reference system. 
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 44  wherein the position tracker further establishes the absolute coordinate reference system. 
   
   
       46 . The system of  claim 44  wherein the position tracker comprises at least one laser. 
   
   
       47 . A system for simultaneously displaying an ultrasound image and an earlier-acquired diagnostic image, the system comprising:
 a storage device for storing a diagnostic image acquired from a MRI scanner, a PET scanner, a CT scanner or an ultrasound scanner;   an ultrasound device including an ultrasound probe for generating at least one ultrasound image of a portion of a patient;   a position tracker configured to track a position and an orientation of the ultrasound probe relative to the diagnostic image, wherein the ultrasound probe comprises one or more markers responsive to the position tracker that facilitate determination of the position and the orientation of the probe;   a cross-correlator configured to fuse the diagnostic image and the ultrasound image based on a feature common to both images, the feature comprising one or more fiducials or one or more anatomical features of the patient; and   a display configured to display the fused images.