A system for tracking tumors during radiotherapy by interleaving treatment pulses with imaging pulses is disclosed. The system includes a multisource scanning eBeam X-ray tube having a plurality of focal spots. The X-ray tube is configured to emit X-rays to a plurality of different locations on a target by sequentially emitting the X-rays to the focal spots in the plurality of focal spots. This is done such that the X-rays can be emitted to the plurality of different locations on the target without substantially moving the X-ray tube or the target. The system further includes an imager panel configured to act as the target and configured to receive the X-rays from the focal spots of the X-ray tube. The system further includes a tomosynthesis reconstruction module configured to process output from the imager panel to construct an image.

An X-ray irradiating apparatus according to an embodiment is an X-ray irradiating apparatus that can transmit a maintenance electric current for suppressing the motion of a diaphragm in a subject, and includes an electric current outputting unit, electrode units, an electric current output controlling unit and an operating unit. The electric current outputting unit outputs the maintenance electric current for maintaining the contraction of the muscle. The electrode units, which are disposed on a skin surface of the subject, transmit the maintenance electric current. The electric current output controlling unit controls the electric current outputting unit to switch between a state in which the maintenance electric current is output to the electrode units and a state in which the maintenance electric current is not output to the electrode units. The operating unit performs the operation of the electric current output controlling unit.

A processing device for a radiation device is configured to carry out the steps of retrieving, from a data storage, volume data of a subject that was generated by imaging an internal structure of the subject, determining a position of an object in the subject based on the retrieved volume data of the subject, obtaining geometry information including a position of a radiation source and a position of a radiation detector, and obtaining a direction of the radiation detector, and determining a condition for imaging with the radiation source, so that the object can be captured through the imaging, based on the volume data, the position of the object, the position of the radiation source, the position of the radiation detector, and the direction of the radiation detector.

Various embodiments of the present technology generally relate to identification of tumor location. More specifically, some embodiments of the present technology relate automated tracking of fiducial marker clusters in x-ray images for the real-time identification of tumor location and guidance of radiation therapy beams. Some embodiments use processed CBCT projection images, an automated routine of reconstruction, forward-projection, tracking, and stabilization generated static templates of the marker cluster at arbitrary viewing angles. Breathing data can be incorporated into some embodiments, resulting in dynamic templates dependent on both viewing angle and breathing motion. In some embodiments, marker clusters can be tracked using normalized cross correlations between templates (either static or dynamic) and CBCT projection images.

A more accurate radiotherapy is implemented by using a vessel marker for radiotherapy having a deformation fixed shape for engaging with the inner wall of a vessel by deformation after being inserted into the vessel, and a position notification shape for notifying an outside of a radiation irradiation position. Also provided are a radiotherapy support method for supporting radiotherapy to be performed by using the vessel marker, a radiation irradiation control apparatus that irradiates, with radiation, a patient in which the vessel marker is indwelled, and a vessel marker indwelling support apparatus to be used when indwelling the vessel marker.

A positioning apparatus and a positioning method has a control element and function 40 includes a radiograph acquisition element 41 that acquires radiograph data detected by two radiography systems selected from a group consisting of a flat panel detector, a DRR (Digital Reconstructed Radiograph) generation element 42 that generates DRR in two different directions by virtually performing fluoroscopic projection relative to the 3-dimensional CT data obtained through the network 17, a positioning element 43 that positions a CT to the X-ray fluoroscopic radiograph obtained from two radiography systems, and a displacement distance calculation element 44 that calculates a displacement distance of the tabletop 31 based on the gap between radiographs for improved positioning. The positioning element 43 has a multidimensional optimization element 45 and a 1-dimensional optimization element 46 that optimize parameters relative to rotation and translation of the fluoroscopic projection to maximize an evaluation function that evaluates a matching degree between the DRR and the X-ray fluoroscopic radiograph.

Extended field-of-view imaging is enabled by combined imaging with a kilovolt (“kV”) x-ray source and a megavolt (“MV”) x-ray source, in which at least one of the corresponding x-ray detectors is laterally offset from the target isocenter by an amount such that the x-ray detector does not have a view of the target isocenter. This scan geometry enables the reconstruction of non-truncated images without resorting to the more expensive solution of outfitting the imaging or radiotherapy system with enlarged x-ray detectors.

According to an embodiment, a medical image processing device includes a processor, and a memory. The memory that stores processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to execute acquiring a first perspective image of a subject viewed in a first direction; setting a first region and a second region on the first perspective image, the first region including a first group of pixels around a target pixel, the second region including a second group of pixels, the second group including a pixel not included in the first group; calculating a likelihood of the target pixel, wherein the likelihood increases as a difference between pixel values included in the first group decreases and a difference between pixel values of the first group and the second group increases; and detecting a position of an object in the subject based on the likelihood.

An outline of at least a patient on a patient support is determined. Based on at least one image of the patient, a plurality of orientations of the patient support and of at least one device are determined. The at least one device is capable of delivering a radiation treatment to the patient or of performing imaging associated with the radiation treatment. Based on the outline and the plurality of orientations of the patient support and of the at least one device, a clearance zone that no portion of the at least one device will occupy when the at least one device or the patient supported by the patient support is in motion is calculated.

Systems, methods, and related computer program products for image-guided radiation treatment (IGRT) are described. For one preferred embodiment, an IGRT apparatus is provided comprising a ring gantry having a central opening and a radiation treatment head coupled to the ring gantry that is rotatable around the central opening in at least a 180 degree arc. For one preferred embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a gantry translation mechanism configured to translate the ring gantry in a direction of a longitudinal axis extending through the central opening. Noncoplanar radiation treatment delivery can thereby be achieved without requiring movement of the patient. For another preferred embodiment, an independently translatable 3D imaging device distinct from the ring gantry is provided for further achieving at least one of pre-treatment imaging and setup imaging of the target tissue volume without requiring movement of the patient.