Hyperthermia for diagnostic imaging

Abstract

The present invention provides a diagnostic imaging system (100), comprising a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system (110) for providing an image representation of at least a portion of a subject of interest (120) positioned in an examination space (116), a hyperthermia device (111) for locally heating a target zone within the portion of the subject of interest (120), and a control unit (126) for controlling the MR imaging system (110) and the hyperthermia device (111), wherein the diagnostic imaging system (100) is adapted to provide a diagnostic image representation of the portion of the subject of interest (120) by correlating image representations obtained at different temperatures of the target zone, wherein the diagnostic image representation comprises information on temperature dependent changes of the metabolism of the subject of interest (120). The invention further provides a treatment system comprising the above diagnostic imaging system (100), a treatment module (146) for applying a treatment to the subject of interest (120) for destroying cells within the target zone, and a control module (126) for controlling the treatment module (146) for applying the treatment based on diagnostic image representations obtained by the diagnostic imaging system (100). Accordingly, changes of the metabolism of the subject of interest can be evaluated to direct a treatment to such areas, where the cells have not yet been destroyed as desired. By comparing the difference of the above measurements between the first and the second temperature, the efficiency of the treatment can be evaluated and the further treatment can be adapted based on the metabolism changes.

1 . An oncological treatment system, comprising:
 a diagnostic imaging system, the diagnostic imaging system comprising:   a magnetic resonance imaging system for providing an image representation of at least a portion of a subject of interest positioned in an examination space,   a hyperthermia device for locally heating a target zone within the portion of the subject of interest, and   a control unit for controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system and the hyperthermia device,   wherein the diagnostic imaging system is arranged to provide a diagnostic image representation of the portion of the subject of interest by correlating image representations obtained at different temperatures of the target zone,   the diagnostic image representation comprising information on temperature dependent changes of the metabolism of the subject of interest   a treatment module for applying a treatment to the subject of interest, the treatment module arranged for destroying cells within the target zone, the treatment module comprising is a high power linear accelerator or a chemotherapy/drug release module, and   a control module for controlling the treatment module for applying the treatment based on diagnostic image representations obtained by the diagnostic imaging system.   
     
     
         2 . The oncological treatment system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is arranged to perform a pulsed operation of the hyperthermia device and the magnetic resonance imaging system to provide an image representation of the portion of the subject of interest when the hyperthermia device is inactive. 
     
     
         3 . The oncological treatment system according to  claim 1 , wherein the hyperthermia device is an ultrasonic and/or a radio-frequency irradiation device. 
     
     
         4 . The oncological treatment system according to  claim 1 , further comprising an application module for applying a contrast agent to the subject of interest. 
     
     
         5 . The oncological treatment system according to  claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic imaging system is arranged to provide a diagnostic image representation of the portion of the subject of interest including hypoxia information of the portion of the subject of interest. 
     
     
         6 . The oncological treatment system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control module is further adapted to control the hyperthermia device for locally heating the target zone within the portion of the subject of interest together with the treatment module for applying the treatment. 
     
     
         7 . A software package for upgrading a magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein the software package contains instructions for controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system according to a method for providing a diagnostic image representation of a portion of a subject of interest, comprising the steps of:
 providing an image representation of at least a portion of a subject of interest positioned in an examination space, wherein a target zone of the portion of subject of interest has a first temperature;   locally heating the target zone, wherein the target zone has a second temperature;   providing a further image representation of the portion of the subject of interest positioned in an examination space;   correlating the obtained image representations with the target zone having the first and the second temperature;   providing the diagnostic image representation of the portion of the subject of interest with the correlated image representations, wherein the diagnostic image representation comprises information on temperature dependent changes of the metabolism of the subject of interest; and   applying a treatment dose by means of a high power linear accelerator or a chemotherapy/drug release module for destroying cells within the target zone of the subject of interest based on the diagnostic image representation.   
     
     
         8 . A software package according to  claim 7 , wherein the step of providing a diagnostic image representation of the portion of the subject of interest with the correlated image representations comprises identifying hypoxic areas within the portion of the subject of interest. 
     
     
         9 . A diagnostic imaging system comprising:
 a magnetic resonance imaging system for providing an image representation of at least a portion of an associated subject of interest positioned in an examination space,   a hyperthermia device for locally heating a target zone within the portion of the subject of interest,   a treatment module for applying a treatment to the subject of interest, wherein the treatment module is configured to destroy cells within the target zone; and   a control unit for controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system, the hyperthermia device, and the treatment module, wherein the control unit is configured to provide a diagnostic image representation of the portion of the subject of interest by correlating image representations obtained at different temperatures of the target zone,   
     
     
         10 . The diagnostic imaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the treatment module is a high power linear accelerator. 
     
     
         11 . The diagnostic imaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the treatment module is a chemotherapy/drug release module. 
     
     
         12 . The diagnostic imaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the treatment module is integral with the magnetic resonance imaging system. 
     
     
         13 . The diagnostic imaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the control unit automatically controls the treatment module based on diagnostic image representations obtained during the treatment. 
     
     
         14 . The diagnostic imaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the control unit is arranged to perform a pulsed operation of the hyperthermia device and the magnetic resonance imaging system to provide an image representation of the portion of the subject of interest when the hyperthermia device is inactive. 
     
     
         15 . The diagnostic imaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the hyperthermia device is one selected from a group consisting of an ultrasonic and an radio-frequency irradiation device. 
     
     
         16 . The diagnostic imaging system of  claim 9  further comprising an application module for applying a contrast agent to the subject of interest. 
     
     
         17 . The diagnostic imaging system of  claim 9 , wherein the diagnostic image representation of the portion of the subject of interest includes hypoxia information of the portion of the subject of interest.