Patient setup using tomosynthesis techniques

1. A system for processing images, comprising:

an imaging system having a x-ray source and an imager; and

a processor configured to

obtain a tomosynthesis image of an object for a phase of a first physiological cycle of a patient during a first time period using the imaging system,

receive a plurality of reference computed tomography (CT) images that are generated at respective phases of a second physiological cycle of the patient during a second time period,

select a CT image from the plurality of reference CT images, wherein the selected CT image has a corresponding phase that best matches with the phase associated with the tomosynthesis image,

compare the tomosynthesis image with a subset of the CT image, and

determine a position of the object based at least in part on a result of the comparison.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the imager is configured to rotate over an angle that is between 5° and 45° to obtain a number of x-ray images.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the source is configured to generate a number of x-ray images, wherein the number is a value that is between 5 and 100.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a treatment radiation source, wherein the position of the object is determined relative to a coordinate system associated with the treatment radiation source.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform a deblurring procedure to modify the tomosynthesis image.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subset of the CT image comprises a two dimensional CT image slice of the CT image.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to compare another tomosynthesis image with the subset of the CT image.

8. A method of determining a position of an object, at least part of the method implemented using a processor, the method comprising:

obtaining an image of an object, wherein the image comprises a tomosynthesis image, wherein the object comprises a part of a patient, and the image is obtained for a phase of a first physiological cycle of the patient during a first time period;

receiving a plurality of reference computed tomography (CT) images that are generated at respective phases of a second physiological cycle of the patient during a second time period;

selecting one of the plurality of reference CT images having a corresponding phase that best matches the phase of the image;

obtaining a reference image of the object, the reference image having a plane that is parallel with a plane of the image, wherein the reference image comprises a subset of the selected one of the plurality of reference CT images;

comparing the reference image with the image; and

determining a coordinate of the object based at least in part on a result of the comparing.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the obtaining the image comprises:

obtaining a first x-ray image of the object using a x-ray source that is located at a first position;

moving the x-ray source from the first position to a second position;

obtaining a second x-ray image of the object using the x-ray source at the second position; and

processing the first and the second x-ray images.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first and the second x-ray images are processed to obtain a set of digital tomosynthesis images.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the obtaining the image further comprises selecting one of the digital tomosynthesis images as the image, and the method further comprises:

comparing another one of the digital tomosynthesis images with the reference image;

wherein the coordinate is determined based at least in part on a result of one of the comparing that indicates a better match.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the obtaining the image further comprises deblurring one or more of the digital tomosynthesis images.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the selected one of the plurality of reference CT images is a three-dimensional image, and wherein the reference image comprises a two-dimensional image determined from the selected one of the plurality of reference CT images.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the coordinate of the object is expressed with reference to a coordinate system of a radiation machine.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the radiation machine is selected from the group consisting of a treatment machine, a diagnostic machine, a simulator, an inspection machine, and a machine that is capable of performing a treatment procedure and a diagnostic procedure.

16. A method of determining a position of an object, at least part of the method implemented using a processor, the method comprising:

obtaining a tomosynthesis image of an object, wherein the object comprises a patient, the tomosynthesis image is obtained for a phase of a first physiological cycle of the patient during a first time period;

receiving a plurality of three-dimensional reference computed tomography (CT) images that are generated at respective phases of a second physiological cycle of the patient during a second time period;

selecting one of the plurality of three-dimensional reference CT images having a corresponding phase that best matches the phase of the tomosynthesis image;

determining a two dimensional CT image from the selected one of the plurality of three-dimensional reference CT images;

determining a match between the tomosynthesis image and a two-dimensional CT image that is a subset of the three-dimensional CT image; and

determining a coordinate of the object relative to a radiation machine based at least in part on the determined match.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising comparing another tomosynthesis image with the two-dimensional CT image.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the obtaining the tomosynthesis image comprises:

obtaining a first x-ray image of the object using a x-ray source that is located at a first position;

moving the x-ray source from the first position to a second position;

obtaining a second x-ray image of the object using the x-ray source at the second position; and

processing the first and the second x-ray images.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first and the second x-ray images are processed to obtain a set of digital tomosynthesis images.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the obtaining the tomosynthesis image further comprises selecting one of the digital tomosynthesis images as the tomosynthesis image, and the method further comprises:

comparing another one of the digital tomosynthesis images with the two-dimensional CT image to determine another match;

wherein the coordinate is determined based at least in part on one of the matches that indicates a better match.

21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising deblurring one or more of the digital tomosynthesis images.

22. The method of claim 16 , wherein the two dimensional CT image has an orientation relative to the object that corresponds with an orientation of the tomosynthesis image.

23. The method of claim 16 , wherein the determining the coordinate comprises comparing the two dimensional CT image with the tomosynthesis image.

24. The method of claim 16 , wherein the radiation machine is selected from the group consisting of a treatment machine, a diagnostic machine, a simulator, and a machine that is capable of performing a treatment procedure and a diagnostic procedure.

25. The method of claim 16 ,

wherein the tomosynthesis image is obtained by receiving a plurality of x-ray images and processing the x-ray images using a back projection technique.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the tomosynthesis image is obtained by performing a filtering procedure.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the filtering procedure is performed after the back projection procedure is performed.

28. The method of claim 25 , wherein the number of x-ray images is less than that associated with a complete set for forming a volumetric CT image.

29. A method for use in a radiation treatment procedure, at least part of the method implemented using a processor, the method comprising:

obtaining a first tomosynthesis image of an object;

determining a first two dimensional coordinate of the object using the first tomosynthesis image;

obtaining a second tomosynthesis image of the object;

determining a second two dimensional coordinate of the object using the second tomosynthesis image; and

determining a three dimensional coordinate of the object using a processor based on the first and second two dimensional coordinates, wherein the act of determining the three dimensional coordinate is performed during a radiation treatment section;

wherein the act of determining the three dimensional coordinate based at least in part on the first and the second two dimensional coordinates is performed during a delivery of a treatment radiation beam or between deliveries of treatment radiation beam pulses to treat a target at an isocenter.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the obtaining the first tomosynthesis image comprises:

obtaining a first x-ray image of the object using a x-ray source that is located at a first position;

moving the x-ray source from the first position to a second position;

obtaining a second x-ray image of the object using the x-ray source at the second position; and

processing the first and the second x-ray images.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the first and the second x-ray images are processed to obtain a set of digital tomosynthesis images.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the obtaining the first tomosynthesis image further comprises selecting one of the digital tomosynthesis images as the first tomosynthesis image.

33. The method of claim 31 , further comprising deblurring one or more of the digital tomosynthesis images.

34. The method of claim 29 , wherein the determining the three dimensional coordinate of the object comprises performing a triangulation procedure using the first and the second two dimensional coordinates.

35. The method of claim 29 , further comprising controlling a treatment radiation source or a collimator based at least in part on the three dimensional coordinate that is determined using the first and the second tomosynthesis images respectively.

36. The method of claim 29 , further comprising tracking a movement of the object during the radiation treatment session based at least in part on the three dimensional coordinate.

37. A device for use in a radiation treatment procedure, comprising:

a processor configured for:

obtaining a first tomosynthesis image of an object,

determining a first two dimensional coordinate of the object using the first tomosynthesis image,

obtaining a second tomosynthesis image of the object,

determining a second two dimensional coordinate of the object using the second tomosynthesis image, and

determining a three dimensional coordinate of the object during a radiation treatment session based at least in part on the first and the second two dimensional coordinates; and

a memory for storing the first and second tomosynthesis images;

wherein the processor is configured to determine the three dimensional coordinate during a delivery of a treatment radiation beam or between deliveries of treatment radiation beam pulses to treat a target at an isocenter.

38. The device of claim 37 , wherein the processor is configured to control a treatment radiation source or a collimator based at least in part on the three dimensional coordinate that is determined using the first and the second tomosynthesis images respectively.

39. The device of claim 37 , wherein the processor is configured to track a movement of the object during the radiation treatment session based at least in part on the three dimensional coordinate.