Patent ID: 7438685

Claim:
A system for creating fused images for use in targeting external beam radiation therapy comprising: an ultrasound probe configured to produce ultrasound images of a proposed treatment region; a probe locator system configured to locate the position of the ultrasound probe, wherein the probe locator system comprises a frameless spatial registration system, and wherein the frameless spatial registration system comprises an emitter and sensor system; a computer system connected to the probe locator system and ultrasound probe, said computer system having a software program configured to spatially register the ultrasound images according to the located probe position and fuse the spatially registered ultrasound images with either radiographic images of the proposed treatment region or a treatment planning image; a ring collar within which the ultrasound probe is disposed, and wherein the emitter and sensor system comprises a plurality of LEDs attached to the ring collar and at least one camera for detecting the three-dimensional position of the LEDs relative to the treatment region; wherein said computer system further comprises treatment planning software for defining a treatment beam based at least in part upon a position of a desired target volume in the treatment region, the position being determinable within a fused image generated during a treatment planning session; wherein the fused image generated during the treatment planning session is a volumetric representation of the treatment region; and wherein the treatment planning software is further configured to (1) display the volumetric image and (2) contour the target volume in response to user input.