Stereotactic Therapeutic System

Abstract

A fiducial marker system ( 210 a - c ) comprises a first unit and a second unit. The first unit is patient affixable and comprises a partly spherical inner surface having a first center point that is adapted to receive a touch probe measurement head for measuring the spatial position of the center point. The second unit is releasably attachable to an outer surface of the first unit, and has a second center point, wherein the first center point and the second center point are substantially identical when the second unit is attached to the first unit. For stereotactic therapy, a patient is imaged with the first and second unit assembled. Then the second unit is detached. A stereotactic frame ( 300 ) is attached to the first units via arms. Thus frameless imaging is provided in a frame based stereotactic surgery system with high precision. Repeated assembly of the frame ( 300 ) to the first units, remaining in the patient, provides advantageous fractionized stereotactic radiotherapy.

1 . A stereotactic therapy system comprising:
 a stereotactic frame comprising a base unit and a plurality of adjustable arms mounted to said base unit, wherein:   a mounting unit is provided at an end portion of each of said arms that is arranged for releasably mounting each of said arms, and thus said stereotactic frame, to an outer surface of patient affixed first fiducial marker units, such that said base unit has a fixed spatial relationship to said first fiducial marker units and thus, when said first fiducial marker units are secured in relation to a boney anatomical structure of a patient, a fixed spatial relationship to said patient;   said arms comprise freely pivotable joints allowing said arms to pivot and flex at said joints; and   said joints are lockable after said arms are mounted to said first fiducial marker units by said mounting units.   
     
     
         2 . The stereotactic therapy system of  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of adjustable arms are arranged to freely rotate around said first fiducial marker units when mounted thereto. 
     
     
         3 . The stereotactic therapy system of  claim 1 , wherein said end portion of each of said arms is provided with an opening for access of a measurement arm to the first fiducial marker unit when said adjustable arm is mounted to the fiducial marker unit for measuring the spatial position of the fiducial marker unit when said arms, and said frame are mounted thereto. 
     
     
         4 . The stereotactic therapy system of  claim 3 , whereby an inner surface of said first fiducial marker unit is accessible via said opening to receive an external measuring device to measure a spatial position of a first center point of said first fiducial marker unit by said external measuring device. 
     
     
         5 . The stereotactic therapy system of  claim 1 , wherein said stereotactic frame comprises predefined surface marks adapted to be measured by an external measuring device for determining the position of the stereotactic frame. 
     
     
         6 . The stereotactic therapy system of  claim 1 , wherein said stereotactic frame comprises a further arm to be attached to a cervical vertebra. 
     
     
         7 . The stereotactic therapy system of  claim 1 , wherein said stereotactic frame is of a carbon fiber reinforced plastic material. 
     
     
         8 . The stereotactic therapy system of  claim 1 , wherein said base unit is sized and shaped for the head of a patient to pass through an interior of said base unit. 
     
     
         9 . The stereotactic therapy system of  claim 1 , wherein said stereotactic frame is a stereotactic radiosurgery frame or a stereotactic radiotherapy frame. 
     
     
         10 . The stereotactic therapy system of  claim 1 , wherein said stereotactic frame comprises fiducial markers. 
     
     
         11 . The stereotactic therapy system of  claim 1 , wherein each of said arms comprises two freely pivotable joints allowing each of said arms to pivot and flex at two locations along each of said arms. 
     
     
         12 . A medical stereotactic frame, said stereotactic frame comprising:
 a plurality of bendable arms mounted to a base frame, wherein:   each of said plurality of bendable arms comprises a lockable, first pivoting joint that allows said bendable arm to bend at said first pivoting joint and attachment means for reversible attachment to a fiducial marker unit affixed to a bony anatomical structure of a patient,   said first pivoting joint is positioned between said base frame and said attachment means, and   when each of said attachment means is attached to said fiducial marker unit and each of said pivoting joints is locked, said base frame has a fixed spatial relationship to each of said fiducial marker units and a fixed spatial relationship to said bony anatomical structure of said patient.   
     
     
         13 . The stereotactic frame of  claim 12 , wherein said stereotactic frame is a stereotactic radiosurgery frame or a stereotactic radiotherapy frame. 
     
     
         14 . The stereotactic frame of  claim 12 , wherein said attachment means comprises a spring-loaded fixation means or a releasable attachment means. 
     
     
         15 . The stereotactic frame of  claim 12 , wherein each of said plurality of bendable arms comprises a lockable, second pivoting joint that allows said bendable arm to bend at said second pivoting joint and wherein said second pivoting joint is positioned between said base frame and said attachment means.