Patent ID: 7899517
Filing Date: 2011-03-01
Classification: A61N,G16H

Abstract:
1. A real time radiation treatment planning system for use in effecting radiation therapy of a pre-selected anatomical portion of an animal body, comprising: an imaging device configured to generate image data corresponding to the anatomical portion; a stepper configured to automatically position said imaging device; a template; at least one of a plurality of hollow needles configured for insertion, under guidance of the template, into said anatomical portion; a radiation delivery device configured to define a plurality of positions having a spatial relationship within a volume of said anatomical portion and to insert at least one energy emitting source through said at least one of the plurality of hollow needles at said plurality of positions into said anatomical portion; a processor configured to generate a radiation treatment plan for effecting said radiation therapy including generating information concerning: wherein said processor uses a three-dimensional imaging algorithm and a three-dimensional image segmentation algorithm for one or more specific organs within said anatomical portion and the plurality of said hollow needles for converting the image data obtained with said imaging device into a three-dimensional image of the anatomical portion to determine in real time a number and position of at least one of said hollow needles, a position of said at least one energy emitting source within the at least one of said hollow needles, and a dwell time of said at least one energy emitting source at the position; wherein said processor is configured to generate a set of multiple sampling points and to use a gradient-based algorithm to calculate a radiation dose distribution for each of said sampling points,