Afterloading device, and use thereof

1. A system for performing a radiotherapy-related procedure, the system comprising:

an afterloader device for delivering radiation treatment and configured to position at least one transducer toward one or more source monitoring locations;

a first element configured to maneuver a radiation source from a source storage position located inside of the afterloader device to a first source position located outside of the afterloader device and within a delivery channel positioned within a body of a patient;

a second element including the at least one transducer, the at least one transducer being configured to detect a parameter indicative of a radiation source position and generate a transducer signal, and wherein the second element is configured to move the at least one transducer from a first transducer position to a second transducer position at which the transducer detects the parameter indicative of the radiation source position,

wherein the transducer is configured to communicate the transducer signal to the afterloader device; and

a controller that determines a position of the radiation source along a length of the delivery channel based on the transducer signal.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second element is further arranged to move the at least one transducer to a transducer storage location inside of the afterloader device.

3. The system of claim 1 ,

wherein the afterloader device further includes a plurality of openings and a plurality of transducer storage locations inside of the afterloader device, and

wherein the system includes a plurality of second elements, where each of the plurality of openings extends from a respective transducer storage location to communicate with a region outside of the afterloader device and is dimensioned to receive a corresponding second element therethrough, and wherein the afterloader device is configured to select a particular one of the plurality of second elements to pass through a particular one of the plurality of openings.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the afterloader device includes a communication device configured to receive the transducer signal, and wherein the second element includes a communication cable, such that the transducer signal is communicable from the transducer to the communication device via the second element.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the parameter indicative of a radiation source position is a radiation parameter, the transducer comprises a radiation detector, and the parameter indicative of a radiation source position is determined based on an amount of radiation emitted from the radiation source that is detected by the radiation detector.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the radiation detector includes at least one of a scintillator or a diode.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the detected parameter is a distance parameter and the transducer comprises a spatial position detector configured to detect a position of the radiation source based on an electromagnetic signal detected by the spatial position detector.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the spatial position detector includes an electromagnetic coil.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the afterloader device includes a communication device configured to receive the transducer signal, and wherein the transducer is configured to wirelessly transmit the transducer signal to the communication device.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the second element is less than approximately 2 millimeters.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the detected parameter includes temperature.

12. A method of performing a radiotherapy-related procedure, comprising:

maneuvering a radiation source from a source storage position located inside of an afterloader device to a first source position located outside of the afterloader device via a first element;

moving a transducer from a first transducer position to a second transducer position via the afterloader and a second element;

detecting, with the transducer, a parameter indicative of a position of the radiation source and generating a transducer signal, wherein at least one of the transducer or the radiation source is moved to detect the parameter indicative of the position of the radiation source; and

determining, using a controller, and based on the transducer signal, a position of the radiation source.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising moving the transducer to a third transducer position.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the first transducer position is a storage location within the afterloader device.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the second transducer position is within approximately 10 centimeters from a source position.

16. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

positioning the transducer and the radiation source at a predetermined measuring distance away from each other;

detecting, with the transducer, a portion of radiation emitted from the radiation source at the measuring distance and generating a transducer signal; and

calibrating the transducer based on the generated transducer signal.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the transducer and the radiation source are both located within the afterloader device during the calibrating.

18. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising verifying a positioning of the radiation source based at least in part on the generated transducer signal.

19. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising monitoring a position of the transducer using an imaging system.

20. A method of performing a radiotherapy-related procedure, comprising:

maneuvering a radiation source from a source storage position located inside of an afterloader device to a first source position located outside of the afterloader device via a first element;

moving a transducer from a first transducer position to a second transducer position via the afterloader and a second element;

detecting, with the transducer, a first parameter indicative of a first position of the radiation source and generating a first transducer signal;

maneuvering the radiation source to a second source position located outside of the afterloader device via the first element;

detecting, with the transducer, a second parameter indicative of a second position of the radiation source and generating a second transducer signal; and

determining, using a controller, and based on the first and the second transducer signals, a first position and a second position of the radiation source.