Heart tissue surface contour-based radiosurgical treatment planning

Abstract

A system that generates a three-dimensional model of a tissue surface, for example the inner surface of the heart from two-dimensional image data slices. On this surface, one or more pattern lines are drawn, e.g., by a physician using a user interface, to designate desired lesion(s) on the surface. From the pattern lines, a three-dimensional volume for a lesion can be determined using known constraints. Advantageously, the series of boundaries generated by the three-dimensional volume may be projected back onto the individual CT scans, which then may be transferred to a standard radiosurgical planning tool. A dose cloud may also be projected on the model to aid in evaluating a plan.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A radiosurgical method for treating a patient body having a heart, the heart having a non-tumerous disease, the method comprising:
 acquiring three dimensional image data from the heart;   generating a three dimensional model of a tissue surface of the heart utilizing the image data;   receiving user input on the surface model of a desired ionizing radiation treatment lesion pattern for mitigating the disease; and   outputting information regarding a planned lesion pattern relative to the three dimensional image data based upon the desired lesion pattern.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the three dimensional model comprises generating a model of the heart based upon a boundary between blood and tissue of the heart. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the boundary comprises an inner surface of the heart tissue. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the three dimensional image data from the heart comprises a plurality of slices of two dimensional data, and wherein generating the three dimensional model comprises generating a model of the heart based upon segments of the boundary between the blood and the heart tissue in each slice of the two dimensional data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the three dimensional model is formed by stacking or assembling together the segments, and by extending the surface between the segments. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein outputting comprises projecting the lesion pattern onto each of the plurality of slices of two dimensional data. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the three dimensional image data from the heart comprises a plurality of slices of two dimensional data, and wherein outputting comprises projecting the lesion pattern onto each of the plurality of slices of two dimensional data. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a three-dimensional volume for a lesion based upon the user input, and generating the information based upon the three-dimensional volume. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein generating the volume comprises expanding the user input to a width that is sufficient to inhibit contractile pathways. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein generating the volume comprises expanding the user input to a depth that is sufficient to transmurally penetrate through the tissue of the heart. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein generating the volume comprises expanding the user input to cover an area of tissue of interest at which the treatment is to occur. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating an ionizing radiation treatment plan based upon the information, and projecting a dose cloud to the solid model based upon the treatment plan. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising snapping the user input on the lesion pattern to the surface of the model. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising evaluating the dose pattern with respect to the user input to determine sufficient treatment. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein evaluating comprises walking the dose pattern around the surface to confirm that the loop forms an enclosed perimeter around the surface. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein walking comprises evaluating a thickness of the loop with respect to a threshold. 
     
     
         17 . A radiosurgical method for treating a patient body having a heart, the heart having a non-tumerous disease, the method comprising:
 acquiring three dimensional image data from the heart;   generating a three dimensional model of a tissue surface of the heart utilizing the image data;   receiving user input on the surface model of a desired ionizing radiation treatment lesion pattern for mitigating the disease; and   generating an ionizing radiation treatment plan based upon the desired lesion pattern, and projecting a dose cloud relative to the image data based upon the desired treatment plan.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising snapping the user input for the lesion pattern to the surface of the model. 
     
     
         19 . A radiosurgical system for treating a patient body with a heart, the heart having a non-tumerous disease, the system comprising:
 an image capture device for acquiring three dimensional planning image data from the heart; and   a processor system comprising a modeling module coupled to the image data for generating a surface model of the heart based upon the image data, and an input for identifying a target region of the heart on the surface model, the processor system coupling the input to the modeling module so generate a lesion pattern on the image data in response to the input on the surface model.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the modeling module is configured to generate the three dimensional model of the heart based upon a boundary between blood and tissue of the heart.