Granted Patent B2

US 7,567,694 · App. 11/459,061 · Granted Jul 28, 2009

Abstract

Claims (48)

1. A method of placing constraints on a deformation map, the method comprising using a computer to carry out the steps of:

generating a deformation map between two images;

identifying a defined structure in one of the images;

applying the deformation map to relate the defined structure from the one image onto the other image to create a deformation-based defined structure;

independently generating a contour around at least a portion of the deformation-based defined structure;

modifying the deformation-based defined structure; and

updating the deformation map in response to the step of modifying the deformation-based defined structure.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein modifying the deformation-based defined structure is performed manually.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the method of placing constraints on a deformation map is performed during planning and delivery of a radiotherapy treatment plan.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the images are computer-generated images of at least a portion of a patient, the computer-generated images being acquired using a medical imaging device.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising generating a contour based on the updated deformation map.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising determining a dose accumulation in the patient based on the deformation map.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the act of remapping one of the images based on the deformation map.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising generating a new image by applying the deformation map to one of the images.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising combining the two images and the deformation map to generate a new image.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the images are generated from different imaging modalities.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the images are based on a time-series set of volumes.

12. A method of placing constraints on a deformation map, the method comprising using a computer to carry out the steps of:

generating a deformation map between two images;

identifying a defined structure in one of the images;

applying the deformation map to relate the defined structure from the one image onto the other image to create a deformation-based defined structure;

independently generating a contour around at least a portion of the deformation-based defined structure;

modifying the deformation-based defined structure;

updating the deformation map in response to the step of modifying the deformation- based defined structure; and

generating a contour based on the updated deformation map.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein modifying the deformation-based defined structure is performed manually.

14. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the method of placing constraints on a deformation map is performed during planning and delivery of a radiotherapy treatment plan.

15. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the images are computer- generated images of at least a portion of a patient, the computer -generated images being acquired using a medical imaging device.

16. A method as set forth in claim 12 and further comprising determining a dose accumulation in the patient based on the deformation map.

17. A method as set forth in claim 12 further comprising remapping one of the images based on the deformation map.

18. A method as set forth in claim 12 further comprising generating a new image by applying the deformation map to one of the images.

19. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the images are generated from different imaging modalities.

20. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the images are based on a time-series set of volumes.

21. A method of placing constraints on a deformation map, the method comprising using a computer to carry out the step of:

generating a first contour set of a first region of interest in a first image;

generating a second contour set after generating the first contour set of a second region of interest in a second image;

generating a deformation map between the first image and the second image after the first contour set and the second contour set are generated;

constraining the deformation map such that the first region of interest in the first image maps to the second region of interest in the second image; and

using the deformation map to accumulate dose delivered to the patient.

22. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein one of the first contour set and the second contour set includes an image.

23. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the images are computer generated images of at least a portion of a patient, the computer generated images being acquired using a medical imaging device.

24. A method as set forth in claim 22 further comprising generating a new image by applying the deformation map to one of the images.

25. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the images are generated from different imaging systems.

26. A method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the images are based on a time-series set of volumes.

27. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the method of placing constraints on a deformation map is performed during planning and delivery of a radiation therapy treatment plan.

28. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the first contour set defines a first region of interest and wherein the second contour set defines a second region of interest and further comprising applying the deformation map to relate the first region of interest onto the second region of interest to create a deformation-based defined region of interest.

29. A method as set forth in claim 28 and further comprising modifying the deformation-based defined region of interest.

30. A method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising displaying the deformation map on a display and manually generating a contour.

Assignments (12)