Radiation Treatment with Multiple Imaging Elements

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for radiation treatment with multiple imaging elements. One system includes a first imaging element configured to generate a first observation of a first object, the first observation of the first object being generated at a first time, wherein the first object is associated with a volume of interest (VOI), wherein the VOI is a volume within a body of a patient. The system further includes a second imaging element configured to generate a first observation of a second object, wherein the first observation of the second object is generated at a second time, and the second object is associated with the VOI. The system further includes one or more processors configured to determine a first positioning of the VOI based at least in part on the first observation of the first object and the first observation of the second object, determine a third time for the first imaging element based at least in part on a positioning parameter associated with the first positioning of the VOI, and generate a second observation of the first object at the third time.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system for directing a radiation beam to a location of a diseased tissue region of a patient, the system comprising:
 a traveling beam assembly configured to emit a directed radiation beam;   a beam trajectory calculator, the beam trajectory calculator accepting 3-dimensional spatial coordinate data for diseased tissue and healthy tissue of a patient, the beam trajectory calculator using a cost function to calculate a nominal traveling beam trajectory that reduces delivery of radiation to healthy tissue and provides a target dose of radiation to diseased tissue;   one or more detectors to detect motion of the patient during a treatment time; and   a beam positioner to control the relative positioning of the patient and the traveling beam assembly during the treatment time to cause the directed radiation beam to follow the nominal traveling beam trajectory, adjusted for diseased tissue motion predicted from the motion detected by the one or more detectors.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a beam controller, wherein the nominal traveling beam trajectory specifies one or more positions along the trajectory at which the beam is turned off by the beam controller due to the cost function passing a threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , further configured to:
 obtain a digital pre-treatment body image of the patient; and   map the pre-treatment body image into a treatment coordinate system used for the coordinate data for diseased and healthy tissue of the patient.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the beam positioner controls the relative positioning of the patient and the traveling beam assembly as further adjusted for healthy tissue motion predicted from the motion detected by the one or more detectors. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more detectors detects motion of the patient during a treatment time based on a signal from at least one sensor configured for placement internal to a patient. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the one or more detectors detects motion of the patient during a treatment time based on detecting a location of an external marker identified on a patient's body. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , where the external marker is an artificial marker. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a beam sensor to output a beam sensor signal that at least partially determines beam position, the beam positioner controlling the relative positioning of the patient and the traveling beam assembly based at least in part on the beam sensor signal. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a beam controller, wherein the beam controller is configured to interrupt the beam when predicted diseased tissue motion exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2 , the beam positioner adjusted for diseased tissue motion predicted based on a model that accounts for a delay inherent in the control of the relative positioning of the patient and the traveling beam assembly.