Varian Medical Systems, Inc.

Calypso Medical Technologies, Inc.

J Nelson Wright

Steven Charles Dimmer

Eric Meier

Timothy P Mate

Laurence J Newell

Lynn M Purdy

Edward Joseph Vertatschitsch

William T Mayo

Keith Seiler

James K Riley

Barry Friemel

Ryan Kempston Seghers

Stephen Phillips

Rich Edelson

Systems and methods for treating a lung of a patient. One embodiment of a method comprises positioning a leadless marker in the lung of the patient relative to the target, and collecting position data of the marker. This method further comprises determining the location of the marker in an external reference frame outside of the patient based on the collected position data, and providing an objective output in the external reference frame that is responsive to movement of the marker. The objective output is provided at a frequency (i.e., periodicity) that results in a clinically acceptable tracking error. In addition, the objective output can also be provided at least substantially contemporaneously with collecting the position data used to determine the location of the marker.

Systems and methods for treating a lung of a patient using guided radiation therapy or surgery

Electromagnetic transponders as markers are used to localize and guide orthopedic procedures including: knee replacement, hip replacement, shoulder replacement, damaged bone reconstruction, and spine surgery, and more particularly, to guide orthopedic surgical navigation and alignment techniques and instruments. For example, the marker could further be used in any number of guides or templates that attach to the bony anatomy; such as a surgical guide, cutting guide, cutting jig, resection block and/or resurfacing guide. Further, the marker could be incorporated into an existing intramedullary guide rod for a femur and an extramedullary guide rod for a tibia in a knee replacement surgery; or into an external surgical guide system, or the marker could eliminate the need for an external template altogether. According to yet another anticipated use of the tracking system, the marker could be used in conjunction with or replace an optical alignment system.

Apparatus and methods for using an electromagnetic transponder in orthopedic procedures

An integrated radiation therapy process comprises acquiring first objective target data related to a parameter of a target within a patient by periodically locating a marker positioned within the patient using a localization modality. This method continues with obtaining second objective target data related to the parameter of the target by periodically locating the marker. The first objective target data can be acquired in a first area that is apart from a second area which contains a radiation delivery device for producing an ionizing radiation beam for treating the patient. The localization modality can be the same in both the first and second areas. In other embodiments, the first objective target data can be acquired using a first localization modality that uses a first energy type to identify the marker and the second objective target data can be obtained using a second localization modality that uses a second energy type to identify the marker that is different than the first energy type.

Integrated radiation therapy systems and methods for treating a target in a patient

Instruments and methods for tracking such instruments in a human patient. One embodiment of an instrument in accordance with the invention comprises an elongated body, such as an elongated flexible member, which has a distal section configured to be passed through a vessel or other passageway in a human. The instrument can further include a lumen through the distal section and a magnetic marker having a transponder at the distal section. The transponder includes a circuit configured to be energized by a wirelessly transmitted magnetic excitation energy and to wirelessly transmit a magnetic location signal in response to the excitation energy. The magnetic marker, for example, can be attached to or otherwise integral with the instrument.

Instruments with location markers and methods for tracking instruments through anatomical passageways

An integrated radiation therapy process comprises acquiring first objective target data related to a parameter of a target within a patient by periodically locating a marker positioned within the patient using a localization modality. This method continues with obtaining second objective target data related to the parameter of the target by periodically locating the marker. The first objective target data can be acquired in a first area that is apart from a second area which contains a radiation delivery device for producing an ionizing radiation beam for treating the patient. The localization modality can be the same in both the first and second areas. In other embodiments, the first objective target data can be acquired using a first localization modality that uses a first energy type to identify the marker and the second objective target data can be obtained using a second localization modality that uses a second energy.

A receiver for determining the location of a marker that is excited with an exciting waveform. A sensing array having coils is used to sense magnetic flux from the resonating marker. The coils provide inputs to the receiver. The receiver includes a correlation processor for analyzing the inputs in a coherent manner. Further, the receiver is adapted to tune to the resonant frequency of a marker.

Receiver used in marker localization sensing system and tunable to marker frequency

A facility for facilitating custom radiation treatment planning is described. During a distinguished radiation treatment session for a patient, the facility collects data indicating positioning of a predefined treatment site of the patient relative to a target treatment location throughout the distinguished radiation treatment session. The facility associates the collected positioning data with data describing one or more other aspects of the distinguished radiation treatment session. The facility provides the associated data to a treatment planning facility to determine a treatment plan for future radiation treatment sessions for the patient.

Dynamic/adaptive treatment planning for radiation therapy

Systems and methods for tracking targets in real time for radiation therapy and other applications. In one embodiment, a method includes collecting position information of a marker implanted within a patient at a site relative to the target at a time t, and providing an objective output indicative of the location of the target based on the position information collected at time t. The objective output is provided to a memory device, user interface, and/or radiation delivery machine within 1 ms to 2 seconds of the time twhen the position information was collected. This embodiment of the method can further include providing the objective output at a periodicity of 10-200 ms during at least a portion of a treatment procedure. For example, the method can further include generating a beam of ionizing radiation and directing the beam to a machine isocenter, and continuously repeating the collecting procedure and the providing procedure every 10-200 ms while irradiating the patient with the ionizing radiation beam.

Systems and methods for real-time tracking of targets in radiation therapy and other medical applications

A facility for processing data is described. The facility receives a stream of digital location indications, each location indication identifying a location of a patient while undergoing radiation therapy. In response to each location indication of the string, in substantially real-time relative to the receipt of the position indication, the facility performs an action responsive to the location indication.

Data processing for real-time tracking of a target in radiation therapy

Embodiments of the invention are directed to an apparatus for use in a system that senses an excitable wireless target capable of being implanted in a body or tissue. The apparatus includes multiple electromagnetic field sensors arranged approximately in a common plane, and multiple sense signal output paths coupled to the sensors. Each one of the sensors and corresponding output paths is configured to provide an output signal representing at least a portion of an electromagnetic field provided by the marker, where the output signal is proportional to a component of the field at the sensor, where that component is substantially perpendicular to the plane. Various other configurations regarding this apparatus, as well as the overall system and methods of exciting and receiving signals from wireless markers, are also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for sensing field strength signals to estimate location of a wireless implantable marker

A method and system for locating a source of a signal. The source may be a wireless marker that is implanted in an object, such as a human body. The signal generated by the marker is a magnetic field. The location system uses an array of sensors to measure the magnetic field of the marker at various sensor locations. The location system compares the set of actual measurements to sets of reference measurements for various known locations within a bounding volume. Based on the comparisons, the location system identifies the set of reference measurements that most closely matches the set of actual measurements. The location system then uses sets of reference measurements for known locations near the closest known location to more accurately determine the marker location when it is not actually at one of the known locations.

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Mercer Island, WA, United States of America

J Nelson Wright