Patient positioning method based on binary image correlation between two edge images for proton-beam radiation therapy.

A new technique based on normalized binary image correlation between two edge images has been proposed for positioning proton-beam radiotherapy patients. A Canny edge detector was used to extract two edge images from a reference x-ray image and a test x-ray image of a patient before positioning. While translating and rotating the edged test image, the absolute value of the normalized binary image correlation between the two edge images is iteratively maximized. Each time before rotation, dilation is applied to the edged test image to avoid a steep reduction of the image correlation. To evaluate robustness of the proposed method, a simulation has been carried out using 240 simulated edged head front-view images extracted from a reference image by varying parameters of the Canny algorithm with a given range of rotation angles and translation amounts in x and y directions. It was shown that resulting registration errors have an accuracy of one pixel in x and y directions and zero degrees in rotation, even when the number of edge pixels significantly differs between the edged reference image and the edged simulation image. Subsequently, positioning experiments using several sets of head, lung, and hip data have been performed. We have observed that the differences of translation and rotation between manual positioning and the proposed method were within one pixel in translation and one degree in rotation. From the results of the validation study, it can be concluded that a significant reduction in workload for the physicians and technicians can be achieved with this method.

Ridge filter design for proton therapy at Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center.

At the Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center (HIBMC) we have developed a new design method for the bar ridge filter used in proton therapy, taking into consideration the scattering and nuclear interaction effects within the filter itself, which are introduced in the design. In our beam delivery system, the bar ridge filter is employed as the range modulator. It is combined with the wobbler system, and produces a three-dimensionally uniform spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP). The design program predicts the three-dimensional dose distribution. Ridge filters of 3-12 cm SOBP in 1 cm increments were designed in the maximum radiation field for 150 MeV and 190 MeV proton beams so that a uniform physical dose area is obtained in the SOBP region three-dimensionally. Measurements were performed with the constructed ridge filters to verify the uniformity and these were compared with the predictions of the design program. The predictions and measurements were found to be in agreement except for the 12 cm SOBP. The uniformities were better than +/- 3.0% for all SOBPs produced. The ridge filters are now clinically in use.