Method for non-invasive heart treatment

1. A method for treatment of atrial fibrillation in a heart of a patient, the method comprising:

directing particle beam radiation or x-ray radiation from outside the patient toward one or more target treatment regions in the heart so as to inhibit the atrial fibrillation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation from outside the patient induces isolation of a first pulmonary vein.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the radiation effects bilateral pulmonary vein isolation.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the radiation results in formation of at least one lesion in the heart, the at least one lesion blocking conduction with or encircling the first pulmonary vein;

a lesion maturation time delay is present between directing of the radiation and isolation of the first pulmonary vein; and

the first lesion induces sufficient electrical isolation of the first pulmonary vein from adjacent electrical pathways of the heart that the atrial fibrillation is inhibited.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising targeting at least one ectopic focus of the heart for treatment with the radiation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation ablates linear lesions within the heart so as to inhibit an ectopic electrical pathway, the lesions corresponding to a Maze lesion pattern.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the radiation is directed to the patient in a first treatment, and a second portion of the radiation is directed to the patient in a second treatment so that the atrial fibrillation is inhibited in a fractionated radiation procedure.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising assessing the patient between the first treatment and the second treatment and electing to perform the second treatment based on the assessment of the first treatment.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation is delivered so as to avoid exceeding a tolerance of tissues adjacent the one or more target regions.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation is delivered as a series of radiation beams extending toward the heart from different angles.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising dynamically registering the radiation beams with the one or more regions of the heart.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dynamic registration is performed so as to compensate for pumping of the heart.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dynamic registration is performed so as to compensate for movement of the patient and breathing.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising moving a radiation source around the patient with a robot arm and directing the radiation toward the region of the heart from the radiation source along the series of radiation beams.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising acquiring a plurality of target adjustment images during the radiation treatment procedure, and determining a position of the region relative to a reference frame of the robot from the target adjustment images.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising inserting radiopaque fiducial markers into the patient around the region, wherein the target images are acquired with first and second fluoroscopic systems.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the target adjustment images are acquired between delivery of successive radiation beams.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the robot arm moves the source with six degrees of freedom.

19. The method of claim 10 , further comprising scanning patient anatomy so as to identify the target region, and planning the series of radiation beams.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein scanning the patient anatomy comprises a CT scan.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein scanning the patient anatomy comprises an MRI scan.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein planning the series of radiation beams comprises determining a number, intensity, and direction of the radiation beams.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the target region comprises determining a target region shape, wherein the radiation is delivered so as to effect a non-isocentric treatment.

24. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating the radiation with a portable linear accelerator, the radiation comprising x-ray radiation.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation comprises gamma radiation.

26. The method of claim 1 , further comprising minimizing damage to surrounding tissue.

27. A method for treatment of atrial fibrillation in a heart of a patient, the method comprising:

directing a sequential series of x-ray or particle radiation beams from outside the patient and from different angles toward a target treatment region in the heart;

dynamically registering the radiation beams with the treatment region;

the irradiation of the target treatment region effecting isolation of a first pulmonary vein so as to inhibit the atrial fibrillation.

28. The method of claim 27 , further comprising:

generating the radiation beams with a radiation source disposed outside the patient and supported on a robotic arm; and

moving the radiation source with the robotic arm between sequential radiation beams of the series.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the radiation source comprises a linear accelerator.

30. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation is delivered from a radiation source as a series of radiation beams, and further comprising moving the radiation source around the patient with a robot arm so that the radiation beams extend toward the heart from different angles.

31. A method for treatment of atrial fibrillation in a heart of a patient, the method comprising:

directing a series of radiation beams from a radiation source outside the patient toward one or more target treatment regions in the heart, the radiation beams comprising at least one of particle beam radiation and x-ray radiation; and

moving the radiation source around the patient with a robot arm between sequential radiation beams of the series so that the beams extend from the radiation source toward the heart from different angles, and so that the radiation beams inhibit the atrial fibrillation.