Systems and methods for real-time target validation for image-guided radiation therapy

1. A method for real-time validation of a radiation treatment session, comprising:

obtaining images of a target under treatment;

comparing, over a series of projection angles, the obtained images with corresponding reference images; and

evaluating whether there is a change in a parameter of the treatment session by:

determining a first difference between the compared images at a first projection angle;

determining a second difference between the compared images at a second, subsequent projection angle;

computing the difference between the first and second differences; and

comparing the computed difference with a predetermine threshold,

wherein a computed difference above the predetermined threshold indicates a change in one or more treatment parameters.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment parameters include target spatial position, target orientation, target volume position, beam trajectory through the target, and radiation dose.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein a change in the treatment parameter indicates one or more of target displacement and radiation dose delivery error.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the evaluating includes evaluating a similarity between a beam trajectory in a 3D target volume reconstructed from the obtained images and a 3D target volume reconstructed from the reference images.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the 3D reconstructing includes using a compressive sensing computation algorithm.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising validating spatial position and orientation of the target volume based on the reconstructed 3D target volumes.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the reconstructing is in real-time.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the evaluating includes evaluating, in real-time, a similarity between the total radiation dose in a target volume determined from the obtained images and the total radiation dose in the target volume determined from the reference images.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparing and evaluating are continually performed during the treatment session.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a feedback signal upon indication of a change in one or more parameters.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising applying an adjustment in the treatment session in response to the feedback signal.

12. A system for real-time validation of a radiation treatment session, comprising:

an imaging device to generate a series of images of a target volume exposed to radiation; and

a computer processing system configured to:

obtain the series of images;

compare, over a series of projection angles, the obtained images with corresponding reference images; and

evaluate whether there is a change in a parameter of the treatment session by:

determining a first difference between the compared images at a first projection angle;

determining a second difference between the compared images at a second, subsequent projection angle;

computing the difference between the first and second differences; and

comparing the computed difference with a predetermine threshold,

wherein a computed difference above the predetermined threshold indicates a change in one or more treatment parameters.

13. The system of claim 12 ,

wherein the treatment parameters include target spatial position, target orientation, target volume position, beam trajectory through the target, and radiation dose, and

wherein a change in the treatment parameter indicates one or more of target displacement and radiation dose delivery error.

14. The system of claim 12 ,

wherein the evaluating includes evaluating a similarity between a beam trajectory in a 3D target volume reconstructed from the obtained images and a 3D target volume reconstructed from the reference images, the 3D reconstructing including using a compressive sensing computation algorithm,

wherein the reconstructing is in real-time, and

wherein the system further comprises validating spatial position and orientation of the target volume based on the reconstructed 3D target volumes.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the evaluating includes evaluating, in real-time, a similarity between the total radiation dose in a target volume determined from the obtained images and the total radiation dose in the target volume determined from the reference images.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the computer processing system is further configured to generate a feedback signal upon indication of a change in one or more parameters, and apply an adjustment in the treatment session in response to the feedback signal.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium upon which is embodied a sequence of programmed instructions which when executed by a computer processing system causes the computer processing system to:

obtain a series of images of a target volume;

compare, over a series of projection angles, the obtained images with corresponding reference images; and

evaluate whether there is a change in a parameter of the treatment session by:

determining a first difference between the compared images at a first projection angle;

determining a second difference between the compared images at a second, subsequent projection angle;

computing the difference between the first and second differences; and

comparing the computed difference with a predetermine threshold,

wherein a computed difference above the predetermined threshold indicates a change in one or more treatment parameters.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , further causing the computer processing system to:

evaluate a similarity between a beam trajectory in a 3D target volume reconstructed from the obtained images and a 3D target volume reconstructed from the reference images, the 3D reconstructing including using a compressive sensing computation algorithm, wherein the reconstructing is in real-time; and

validate spatial position and orientation of the target volume based on the reconstructed 3D target volumes.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , further causing the computer processing system to evaluate, in real-time, a similarity between the total radiation dose in a target volume determined from the obtained images and the total radiation dose in the target volume determined from the reference images.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , further causing the computer processing system to generate a feedback signal upon indication of a change in one or more parameters, and apply an adjustment in the treatment session in response to the feedback signal.