Visualizing Radiation Therapy Beam in Real-Time in the context of Patient's Anatomy

Abstract

A method of real-time radiotherapy beam visualization is provided that includes disposing a free-form flexible scintillating sheet on a subject of interest, irradiating the subject of interest with a source of ionizing radiation, where the free-forming flexible scintillating sheet emits light when irradiated by the therapeutic photon beam, collecting the emitted light and collecting ambient light reflected from the subject of interest and surrounding objects using a camera, where the collected light is converted to image data by the camera, where the image data is communicated to an appropriately programmed computer, and processing the image data to determine beam characteristics and the characteristics of the subject of interest, using the appropriately programmed computer, where the beam characteristics and the characteristics of the subject of interest are displayed in real-time to a machine operator enabling real-time verification of treatment delivery.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 ) A real-time radiotherapy beam visualization system, comprising:
 a) a free-form flexible scintillating sheet configured for disposing on a subject of interest;   b) a source of ionizing radiation configured for irradiating said subject of interest, wherein said free-forming flexible scintillating sheet emits light when irradiated by said source of ionizing radiation;   c) a camera configured for collecting said emitted light, collecting ambient light, or collecting emitted light and ambient light reflected from said subject of interest and surrounding objects, wherein said collected light is converted to image data by said camera; and   d) an appropriately programmed computer and display, wherein said image data is communicated to said appropriately programmed computer and display, wherein said appropriately programmed computer and display is configured for processing said image data to determine beam characteristics and characteristics of said subject of interest, wherein said beam characteristics, said characteristics of said subject of interest, or said beam characteristics and said characteristics of said subject of interest are displayed in real-time to a machine operator enabling real-time assessment of treatment delivery or stored on recordable media for later review or directly to a viewing screen.