System and method for image-guided therapy planning and procedure

Abstract

A method for generating a treatment plan for therapy comprising obtaining image data representing a tissue, determining a therapy dose map comprising dose values for a plurality of dose points based on the image data, forming a desired dose value vector comprising the dose values for the plurality of dose points, determining a one or more potential therapy locations based on the image data, determining a therapy dose map equation for each of the plurality of dose points based on the one or more potential therapy locations, forming a matrix based on the therapy dose map equations for the each dose points, determining an inverse of the matrix and determining the treatment plan by multiplying the desired dose value vector by the inverse of the matrix.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A computer implemented method for generating a treatment approach for therapy, comprising:
 accessing, by a processor, a therapy dose map including a plurality of dose values for a plurality of target dose locations for target tissue;   determining, by the processor, an output treatment plan for a patient from the therapy dose map, wherein the output treatment plan includes placement and any dwell time associated with one or more seeds;   monitoring, by the processor, a treatment procedure implementing the output treatment plan, and   modifying, by the processor, the output treatment plan during execution of the treatment procedure.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein monitoring includes at least one of:
 analyzing additional imaging of patient tissue, detecting changes or movement of tissue to be treated, detecting a deviation of catheter positioning, and detecting a deviation in positioning of critical structures.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 22 , further comprising generating, by the processor, a treatment matrix with rows corresponding to a dose contribution of a plurality of potential dose locations. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein determining the output treatment plan includes multiplying a desired dose vector by an inverse of the treatment matrix. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the act of determining the output treatment plan includes defining a plurality of actual dose locations and a dwell time for the plurality of actual dose locations. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the act of generating the output treatment plan includes eliminating the dose contribution of at least some of the plurality of potential dose locations. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 26 , further comprising an act of automatically transitioning at least one treatment device between at least some of the plurality of actual dose locations. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the output treatment plan includes a vector representing the plurality of actual dose locations. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 26 , further comprising an act of injecting one or more treatment devices at the plurality of actual dose locations during the treatment procedure. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the output treatment plan provides for brachytherapy, and the act of generating the plurality of actual dose locations is responsive to evaluating a radiation dose provided by one or more brachytherapy seeds. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein modifying the output treatment plan during execution of the treatment procedure includes an act of evaluating an actual dose contribution made during the course of the treatment procedure. 
     
     
         33 . A system for generating a treatment approach for therapy, comprising:
 at least one processor operatively connected to a memory, the at least one processor when executing configured to:   access a therapy dose map including a plurality of dose values for a plurality of target dose locations for target tissue;   determine an output treatment plan for a patient from the therapy dose map, wherein the output treatment plan includes placement and any dwell time associated with one or more seeds;   monitor a treatment procedure implementing the output treatment plan, and   modify the output treatment plan during execution of the treatment procedure.   
     
     
         34 . The system according to  claim 33 , wherein monitoring includes at least one of: analyzing additional imaging of patient tissue, detecting changes or movement of tissue to be treated, detecting a deviation of catheter positioning, and detecting a deviation in positioning of critical structures. 
     
     
         35 . The system according to  claim 33 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to generate a treatment matrix with rows corresponding to a dose contribution of a plurality of potential dose locations. 
     
     
         36 . The system according to  claim 35 , wherein determining the output treatment plan includes multiplying a desired dose vector by an inverse of the treatment matrix. 
     
     
         37 . The system according to  claim 33 , wherein determining the output treatment plan includes defining a plurality of actual dose locations and a dwell time for the plurality of actual dose locations. 
     
     
         38 . The system according to  claim 34 , wherein the act of generating the matrix includes eliminating the dose contribution of at least some of the plurality of potential dose locations. 
     
     
         39 . The system according to  claim 34 , further comprising an act of automatically transitioning at least one treatment device between at least some of the plurality of actual dose locations. 
     
     
         40 . The system according to  claim 33 , wherein the output treatment plan includes a vector representing the plurality of actual dose locations. 
     
     
         41 . The system according to  claim 33 , further comprising an act of evaluating an actual dose contribution of the plurality of potential dose locations against the output treatment plan.