Patent ID: 7201715

Claim:
A system for monitoring loading of radiation into an insertion device for use in a radiation therapy treatment to determine whether the treatment will be in agreement with a radiation therapy plan, the system comprising: at least one radioactive source for providing radiation therapy to a treatment region of the patient; an insertion device, the insertion device being configured to hold the at least one radioactive source, the insertion device for insertion into the treatment region to provide therapy to the treatment region of the patient via the at least one radioactive source held thereby; a computer automated optical sensor that is positioned to automatically sense loading of the at least one radioactive source into the insertion device and generate optical sensor output data indicative thereof; a radiation sensor that is positioned to sense a radiation pattern of the at least one radioactive source loaded in the insertion device and generate radiation sensor output data indicative thereof; and a processor in communication with the computer automated optical sensor and the radiation sensor, the processor being configured to (1) interface with an external device to receive data representative of the radiation therapy plan, the plan data defining (a) a number of radioactive sources to be loaded into the insertion device and (b) a radiation pattern for the planned treatment, (2) process the optical sensor output data to determine a quantity of radioactive sources that are currently present in the insertion device, (3) process the radiation sensor output data to determine an actual radiation pattern emitted by the at least one radioactive source held by the insertion device, and (4) compare the determined quantity and the determined actual radiation pattern with the plan data to thereby determine whether the actual treatment agrees with the therapy plan.