US20110161012A1 - Readers and computer program products that cooperate with single-use external dosimeters for use in radiation therapies - Google Patents

Abstract

Methods, systems, devices, and computer program products include positioning single-use radiation sensor patches that have adhesive means onto the skin of a patient to evaluate the radiation dose delivered during a treatment session. The sensor patches are configured to be minimally obtrusive and operate without the use of externally extending power cords or lead wires.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION
• This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/474,908, filed May 29, 2009, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/303,591, filed Nov. 25, 2002, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/334,580, filed Nov. 30, 2001, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention generally relates to the assessment or quantitative evaluation of the amount of radiation delivered to a patient undergoing radiation therapy.
RESERVATION OF COPYRIGHT
• A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material to which a claim of copyright protection is made. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but reserves all other rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Conventionally, radiation therapy is delivered over a successive series of radiation treatment sessions. High-energy photons and/or electrons are carefully directed and/or focused from an ex vivo radiation source so that they travel into a targeted treatment area in a patient's body. The size, shape, and position of the treatment area (typically where a tumor is or was) as well as its anatomical location in the body and its proximity to sensitive normal tissues are considered when generating a particular patient's treatment plan. That is, the treatment is planned so as to deliver a suitably high dose of radiation to the tumor or targeted tissue while minimizing the dose to nearby sensitive tissue that typically cannot be completely avoided. Directing radiation into non-affected regions may produce undesired side effects particularly as it relates to tissue that may be sensitive to certain dosages of radiation. Unfortunately, even when the patient plan is carefully constructed to account for the location of the cancerous tissue and the sensitive non-affected regions, even small errors in set-up due to beam angle or patient position during delivery of the radiation therapy can inadvertently misdirect radiation into those regions or can influence the dose amount that is actually received by the targeted tissue. Further, the demand for radiation treatment equipment is typically relatively high and this demand may limit the set-up time allowed or allocated in the treatment room between patients.
• In the past, implantable devices for oncology applications have been proposed to evaluate the radiation dose amount received in vivo at the tumor site. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,689 to Scarantino et al., the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. Measuring the radiation at the tumor site in vivo can provide improved estimates of doses received. However, for certain tumor types or situations, a skin-mounted or external surface radiation dosimeter maybe desirable and sufficient for clinical purposes.
• Conventional external or skin-mounted radiation dosimeter systems use semiconductor circuitry and lead wires that power/operate the dosimeters. These types of dosimeters are available from Scandatronics and/or IBA (“Ion Beam Applications”) having an international headquarters location in Belgium. While these radiation dosimeter systems may provide radiation dose estimations, they can, unfortunately, be relatively expensive. Further, these types of dosimeters are used for a plurality of patients potentially raising sterility or cleanliness problems between patients. Conventional dosimeter systems may also require substantial technician time before and during the radiation session. For example, conventional dosimeter systems need to be calibrated before the radiation session may begin. In addition, the lead wires can be cumbersome to connect to the patients and may require excessive set-up time as the technician has to connect the lead wires to run from the patient to the monitoring system and then store the lead wire bundle between patient treatment sessions. Therefore, technicians do not always take the time to use this type of system, and no confirmation estimate of the actual radiation delivered is obtained.
• Other radiation sensors include thermo-luminescent detectors (TLD's). However, while TLD detectors do not require wires during operation, they are analyzed using a spectrophotometer (that may be located in an offsite laboratory) and are not conducive to real-time readings.
• In view of the foregoing there remains a need for improved economical and easy to use radiation dosimeters.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a cost-effective surface mount radiation dosimeter that can be used to evaluate the radiation dose delivered to a patient undergoing radiation therapy.
• It is a further object of the present invention to provide economic methods and devices that can reduce labor set-up time in the radiation treatment chamber over conventional evaluation methods and devices.
• It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a memory storage device on the patch to record the dose history of the patch. This memory storage device may be queried at any time in order to obtain a record of the dose applied to the patch. Other information, such as patient identification, time, date, hospital, therapist, state of the device, dosed/undosed and calibration data may be stored in the memory storage device.
• It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an economic method of determining the amount of radiation delivered to an oncology patient in situ.
• These and other objects can be satisfied by the present invention by a disposable, single-use skin mounted radiation dosimeter that has a self-contained package that is small, adhesively attachable to the skin of the patient, and operates in a relatively easy to operate and read manner without requiring the use of lead wires.
• Certain embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods for monitoring radiation doses administered to patients undergoing radiation treatments. The methods include the steps of: (a) releasably securing at least one single-use dosimeter sensor patch onto the skin of the patient such that the patch is self-contained and devoid of leads extending therefrom; (b) administering radiation to the patient in a first treatment session; (c) contacting the sensor patch with a dose-reader device after the administering step to obtain data associated with a change in an operational parameter in the dosimeter sensor patch; and (d) determining the radiation dose received by the patient during the administering step based on the change in the operational parameter.
• In some embodiments, the sensor patch may be pre-dosed and/or calibrated before the sensor patch is secured to the patient. The obtained data may be stored in an electronic storage device provided on the sensor patch itself The storage device may be, for example, an EEPROM. Other information, such as the patient's name, the doctor's name, the test date and the like, may also be stored in the storage device provided on the sensor patch. Alternatively, the data can be stored on a computer readable memory integrated on a physical record sheet that can be placed in the patient's file.
• Other embodiments are directed to systems for monitoring radiation administered to a patient during a therapeutic treatment. The system comprises: (a) at least one disposable single-use dosimeter patch, the patch comprising a body holding a circuit with at least one MOSFET and an external reader contact region thereon, the MOSFET(s) having an associated threshold voltage that changes when exposed to radiation, the body comprising opposing upper and lower primary surfaces; and (b) an external portable dose-reader being configured to make electrical contact with the patch by physically engaging with the contact region on the patch to obtain voltage threshold data corresponding to the dose amount of radiation exposure it is exposed to in use. During operation, the patch has a perimeter that is devoid of outwardly external lead wires.
• In some embodiments, the patch includes a conformable resilient body. The lower primary surface may include a medical grade adhesive and the sensor patch may be pressed on to secure the sensor patch to the patient. In other embodiments, an adhesive coverlay is applied over the sensor patch to secure the sensor to the patient. A portion or all of the sensor patch may be adapted to be inserted into the dose-reader to transmit the dose data and the dose-reader may similarly be adapted to receive a portion or all of the sensor patch. Insertion of the sensor patch into the reader electrically couples the sensor to the reader and allows the reader to receive the radiation dose data from the sensor patch. The sensor patch may also include an electronic storage device in electrical communication with the sensor. The sensor patch may then be pre-dosed and/or calibrated before the radiation session. Data may be downloaded from the memory of the sensor patch to a remote computer and/or a computer application using the electrical coupling of the sensor patch and the dose-reader.
• In certain embodiments, the at least one dosimeter patch is a plurality of discrete sensor patches and the reader is configured to serially contact with each respective sensor patch to obtain the threshold voltage value associated therewith.
• A sheet of sensor patches may be pre-dosed and/or calibrated simultaneously or individually before the sensor patches are secured to the patient. The calibration and/or pre-dosing may be performed at the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or at the actual test site. The sheet of sensor patches may include about 30 to about 100 sensors. The sensors may also be provided in a high density array of sensors where so many sensors are provided in a certain area of the high density array, for example, multiple sensors may be provided per square inch or per 3 by 3 inch regions of the high density array.
• Still other embodiments are directed to sets of disposable single-use radiation dosimeter patches. The sets comprise a plurality of discrete disposable single-use dosimeter patches, each patch comprises a conformable body holding a circuit with an operational electronic component that changes a parameter in a detectable predictable manner when exposed to radiation, the body comprising opposing upper and lower primary surfaces and the dosimeter patch, in use and positioned on the patient, is devoid of externally hanging lead wires.
• The operational electronic component may be a radiation sensitive biased MOSFET or MOSFETs (such as MOSFET pairs) and the detectable operational parameter that changes can be the MOSFET threshold voltage(s). Furthermore, a medical grade adhesive may be supplied on the lower primary surface of the sensor body such that the sensor may be adhered to the patient's skin. In certain embodiments, an adhesive coverlay may be provide over the body of the sensor to secure the sensor to the patients skin.
• Another embodiment is directed to a computer program product for evaluating a radiation dose delivered to a patient. The computer program product comprises a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium. The computer-readable program code comprises: (a) computer readable program code for receiving pre-irradiation threshold voltage data associated with a plurality of disposable sensor patches; (b) computer readable program code for accepting data from a reader configured to electrically serially contact each of the plurality of disposable sensors for a short time; and (c) computer readable program code for determining the voltage threshold shift of the disposable sensor patches after radiation to determine the radiation exposure.
• In still further embodiments of the present invention, a dose-reader may be adapted to receive a sensor patch in a sensor port. The sensor patch is also adapted to be inserted in the sensor port. The dose-reader can be a pocket or palm sized portable device. The dose-reader may also include a communications port, for example, a universal serial port (USB), RS 232 and the like, for downloading obtained data to a computer application or remote computer. The dose-reader functionality may be incorporated into a personal digital assistant (PDA) or other pervasive computer device.
• In further embodiments the sensor patch may be configured to communicate with the dose-reader wirelessly. For example, the sensor patch and the dose-reader may both be equipped with an radio frequency (RF) interface so that information may be shared between the two devices.
• The foregoing and other objects and aspects of the present invention are explained in detail in the specification set forth below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
• FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a patient undergoing radiation treatment according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram of operations for monitoring patients undergoing radiation treatments according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIGS. 3A and 3B are illustrations of sets of disposable dosimeter patches according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 3C is an anatomical map of sensor location according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary patient information form according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic illustrations of sensor placement on a patient according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of embodiments of a reader contacting the sensor to obtain the radiation dosage data according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of further embodiments of a reader receiving the sensor in a sensor port to obtain the radiation dosage data according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 8A is a greatly enlarged side view of a disposable radiation dosimeter according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 8B is a top view of the dosimeter shown inFIG. 8A.
• FIG. 8C is a partial cutaway view of a probe head for a reader according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 9A is a schematic of embodiments of a sensor patch with a circuit thereon according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 9B is a schematic of further embodiments of a sensor patch with a circuit thereon according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 9C is a schematic of further embodiments of a sensor patch with a circuit thereon according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 9D is a schematic of further embodiments of a sensor patch according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 9E is a schematic of further embodiments of a sensor patch according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 10A is a schematic illustration of a sheet of sensors according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 10B is yet another schematic illustration of a sheet of sensors according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 10C is a further schematic illustration of a sheet of sensors according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 11 is a schematic of a circuit diagram of a MOSFET sensor with a reader interface and an optional memory according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 12A is a schematic of a threshold voltage reader circuit according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 12B is a graph of the change in the threshold voltage value versus radiation dose according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 13 is a graph of the threshold voltage dependence on Ids using the voltage (V₀) of the reader illustrated inFIG. 12A.
• FIG. 14A is a schematic of a circuit diagram with a MOSFET pair, the left side of the figure corresponding to an irradiation operative configuration and the right side of the figure corresponding to a read dose operative configuration, according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 14B is a schematic of a circuit diagram with a MOSFET pair, the left side of the figure corresponding to an irradiation operative configuration and the right side of the figure corresponding to a read dose operative configuration, according to other embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 15A is a schematic of a system or computer program product for estimating radiation based on data taken from a point contact-reader data acquisition system according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 15B is a block diagram illustrating a reader device according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 15C is a block diagram illustrating a reader device according to further embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 16 is a block diagram of a computer program having a radiation estimation module according to embodiments of the present invention.
• FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a point-contact reader data acquisition system according to embodiments of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In the figures, certain components, features, or layers may be exaggerated for clarity. In the block diagrams or flow charts, broken lines indicate optional operations, or features unless stated otherwise.
• FIG. 1 illustrates an example of aradiation system10 with aradiation beam source20 directed at a patient50 having a tumor site. The patient50 can be positioned so as to be aligned and stationary with respect to thebeam20b(illustrated by the diverging dotted lines) during the treatment. As such, the patient50 can be arranged in any desired position depending on the direction of the beam, the location of the tumor, and the type of radiation therapy system employed. As shown, the patient is reclined, substantially flat and face up on a table so that thebeam20bis directed into the targeted tumor site in the body as the patient undergoes radiation therapy in a treatment session. Typically, the patient will undergo a plurality of successive treatment sessions over a treatment period. Each treatment session may be planned to administer radiation doses of between about 1-2 Gray (100-200 cGy) with an overall treatment limit of about 35-80 Gray.
• To help monitor or estimate the amount of radiation that is delivered to the patient during a treatment session, at least one disposable single-usedosimeter sensor patch30 can be positioned externally on the skin of thepatient50. As used herein, “single-use” is used to refer to a use for a single patient during a treatment session. Thesensor patch30 may be episodically worn or continuously worn. It will be understood that a treatment session may include an active radiotherapy administration during a single treatment session or serially spaced apart treatment sessions. The treatment session may have a duration of minutes, hours, days and the like. Furthermore, a calibration dose obtained before thesensor patch30 is positioned on a patient is not to be considered the “single-use.”
• As shown inFIG. 1, a plurality ofsensor patches30 are located both on the front and back of thepatient50. Thesensor patches30 are configured to change an operational parameter in a predictable manner that correlates to radiation dose it receives, as will be discussed further below. Thesensor patch30 can be configured so as to be self-contained and discrete and devoid of dangling lead wires extending to a remote power source or operating system during use and in position on the patient. As such, a reader, for example, reader75 (FIGS. 6 and 7), can be configured to obtain the data from thesensor patch30 by, for example, electrically contacting with eachsensor patch30 of interest.
• As used herein, the reference number “75” will be used to refer generally to a reader device according to embodiments of the present invention. Particular embodiments of areader device75 may be referred to using thereference number75 and one or more primes attached thereto. For example, particular embodiments of the reader device may be denoted75′ or75″. This convention may similarly be used with respect to other features of the present invention. For example, the reference number “30” will be used to refer to particular embodiments of a sensor patch herein. It will be understood that features discussed with respect to any embodiment of the present invention may be incorporated into other embodiments of the present invention even if these features are not discussed specifically with reference to each individual embodiment.
• Referring toFIG. 2, operations that can be carried out to monitor the radiation dose that is delivered to a patient undergoing radiation therapy are illustrated. At least one single-use disposable dosimeter sensor patch can be releasably secured to the skin of the patient (block100). In certain embodiments, the sensor patch may be calibrated and/or pre-dosed before being attached to the patient (block101). The calibration and/or pre-dosing of the sensor patch may be done on an individual patch basis or many sensor patches may be calibrated and/or pre-dosed in batches simultaneously as discussed further below. In certain embodiments, the patch(es) can be conveniently attached to the patient in operation-ready condition before the patient enters the radiation treatment room or chamber (block102) to limit or reduce the set-up time required or the “down-time” of the equipment or the treatment room. In other words, the sensor patch or patches may be secured to the patient prior to his/her entry into the radiation treatment room. A pre-irradiation or pre-dose measurement or reading of data associated with an operational parameter of the sensor patch(es)30 can be obtained prior to initiation of the radiation treatment (block105). The data can be obtained in situ, with the sensor patch(es)30 in position on the patient. Alternatively, the pre-dose data can be established prior to positioning the sensor patch(es) onto the subject as discussed above and the data then transferred to the reader or associated controller and/or computer at a desired time.
• In certain embodiments of the sensor patch(es), the post-radiation reading can be taken when the patient leaves the treatment room to evaluate the dose delivered during the treatment session to limit the amount of room-use time. Thesensor patches30 can be removed from the patient and then read by a handheld portable or a bench top reader. In other embodiments, the reading can be obtained while thesensor patches30 remain on the patient. In certain particular embodiments, the reading may be able to be obtained in situ during the treatment session (without removing the sensor patch(es) from the patient) to provide real-time feedback to the clinician estimating whether the desired dose is being administered to the patient. In certain embodiments, the temperature of the sensor patch (such as at a location adjacent the circuitry) or of the subject (skin or core body) can also be ascertained or obtained and taken into account when calculating the radiation dose. In any event the dose reading can be obtained without requiring external powering or externally applied biasing of thesensor patches30 during the radiation treatment.
• In certain embodiments, a plurality ofdiscrete sensor patches30 can be positioned to cover a region on the skin that is in the radiation beam path so as to reside over the tumor site. In particular embodiments, one ormore sensor patches30 can also be positioned in radiation sensitive areas of the body to confirm stray radiation is not unduly transmitted thereto.FIG. 2 illustrates that a sensor patch can be located at the neck over the thyroid when the tumor site is over the chest region. As such, sensitive regions include, but are not limited to, the thyroid, the spine, the heart, the lungs, the brain, and the like. In any event, referring again toFIG. 1, radiation is administered to the patient in a first treatment session (block110). Data associated with a change in an operational parameter in the dosimeter sensor patch circuitry may be obtained from the sensor patch using a reader device (block120) after administering the radiation to the patient (block110). In certain embodiments, a sensor patch may be removed from the patient and inserted into the reader device to transfer the data from the sensor patch. In further embodiments, the reader device may contact the sensor patch as discussed further below. The radiation dose received by the patient can be determined based on the obtained data (block125). The obtained data as well as other information may be stored in a memory device included on the sensor patch as described further below (block130).
• The sensor patch does not require lead wires extending from a remote power source or computer system to operate. Instead, thesensor patch30 is configured to be a discrete patch (or a patch array of sensors) that can transmit or relay data upon contact with and/or insertion into areader device75 and may store data in an electronic memory device included on the sensor patch. In certain embodiments, thesensor patch30 may be configured to communicate wirelessly with thereader75. The radiation dose received by thesensor patch30 can be determined and used to estimate the dose received by the patient during the radiation therapy session based on the data obtained by the reader. The reader itself can be a handheld portable unit that may or may not include wires to connect with a remote controller or computer as will be discussed further below. In any event, the operations can be carried out for each or a selected radiation treatment session. If the operations are repeated for each treatment session, a cumulative amount of delivered radiation can be estimated/confirmed to allow a clinician to evaluate whether additional treatments are desired.
• FIG. 3A illustrates that thesensor patches30 can be provided in a kit or set130 including a plurality ofsensors30p.The plurality ofsensors30pmay be configured in sufficient numbers or types for a single patient or so as to be able to supply sensors across a plurality of patients. In certain embodiments, a strip of sixsensor patches30 can be packaged together as aset130′ as shown inFIG. 15A. It is contemplated that, depending on the treatment type, the treatment location, the tumor site, and the like, different numbers ofsensor patches30 may be used for different patients. Thus, if thesensor kit130 is sized for a single patient, the kit may include from about 2 to about 10 ormore sensor patches30 that can be selectively chosen for use by the clinician. Eachsensor patch30 can be sterilized and sealed in a sterile package or thekit130 itself can be sized and configured to hold a plurality of thesensor patches30pin a sterile package that, once opened, can be either used or discarded. Similarly, if thesensor kit130 is sized for multi-patient use, then larger quantities may be packaged individually, or in sets within the multi-patient package, together. The sterilization can be performed by heat or chemical exposure, such as by ethylene oxide sterilization. In certain embodiments, sterilization and/or sterile packaging may not be required.
• As is also shown inFIG. 3A, eachsensor patch30 can be packaged withpre-irradiation characterizing data132. Thisdata132 can be included in optically or electronically readable formats such as in bar code format for the reader to be able to read without having the clinician enter the information into a controller/computer. In certain embodiments, thedata132 may be included in amemory storage device67, for example, an electrically programmable memory such as an electrically erasable read only programmable memory (EEPROM), provided on eachsensor patch30pas discussed further below. Thememory storage device67 may include information such as patient identification, time, date, hospital, therapist, state of the device, dosed/undosed sensor data and calibration data. Thememory storage device67 may further be used to store bias parameters and/or information with respect to measurement methodology for eachindividual patch30.
• Eachsensor patch30 can have an individual calibration coefficient, dose data or characterizing data label located on thesensor patch30 or as a corresponding label held with the package orkit130. In other embodiments, eachsensor patch30 produced in a common production run (off of the same wafer or chip) with substantially similar characterizing data may be packaged together and a single calibration characterizing data orlabel132 can be included with theset130 or sets or production run. In certain embodiments, the calibration related characterizing data can include the pre-irradiation threshold voltage value of a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor(s) (MOSFET(s)) that is measured at an OEM and provided in or with the sensor patch set130.
• In certain embodiments, identifying indicia may be disposed on thesensor patches30 to allow a clinician to easily visually identify and/or account for the sensors used. For example,FIG. 3A illustrates three discrete sensor patches labeled as1F,2F, and3F as well as a sensor with a pictorial representation of aheart4F (other visual images can also be used such as a yellow caution sign, other anatomical symbols, and the like). The heart orcaution sensor patch30s can be positioned in a radiation sensitive area to detect the amount of radiation delivered to that area. Typically, the radiation beam is adjusted to reduce the radiation exposure to sensitive areas and a caution-sensitive sensor patch30s (or patches) can indicate whether adjustments need to be made to reduce the detected exposure for each or selected treatment sessions. Thesensor patches30s used for sensitive detection may be configured with increased sensitivity for enhanced dose resolution capability for measuring small, residual, or stray doses of radiation (such as those located over critical organs which are not in the treatment volume). For example, for “normal” single use sensors may be configured to operate over a range of between about 50-500 cGy; the “high sensitivity” sensor might be configured to operate from about 1-50 cGy. In particular embodiments, thecircuit30c(FIG. 9A) for thehigh sensitivity sensor30sincludes at least one radiation-sensitive field-effect transistor (RADFET) that can be configured to produce a larger threshold voltage shift for a given amount of received or absorbed dose relative to thesensors30 positioned in the window of the targeted treatment volume. The larger voltage shift may increase dose resolution and possibly dose repeatability.
• In addition, single-use dosimeters can be optimized to work over a much lower dose range than multiple use dosimeters. Since the typical per day fraction for radiation therapy is about 200 cGy, thedosimeter sensor30 can be optimized for accuracy and repeatability over this dose range. A 50-500 cGy operating range should meet performance goals while providing adequate flexibility for varying treatment plans. A multiple-sessionfraction dosimeter sensor30 may require a much larger dose range that depends on the number of fractions over which the sensor will operate. As used herein, “disposable” means that the sensor patch is not reusable and can be disposed of or placed in the patient's records.
• As shown inFIG. 3A, the indicia can include an alphanumeric identifier such as the letter “F” located to be externally visible on thesensor patches30. The letter “F” can represent that the sensors are placed on a first side or front of the patient.FIG. 3B illustrates that a second set ofsensors130′ can be supplied, thesesensor patches30 can be labeled with different indicia, such as1B,2B,3B and the like, representing that they are located at a different location relative to the first set (such as a second side or back of the patient). Using data from opposing outer surfaces can allow an interpolated radiation dose amount to be established for the internal tumor site.
• It will be understood that the indicia described above, namely “F” and “B”, are provided herein for exemplary purposes only and that indicia according to embodiments of the present invention are not limited by the examples provided. Any label, mark, color or the like may be used that would serve to distinguish one patch or set of patches from another patch or set of patches without departing from the teachings of the present invention. For example, instead of “F” and “B”, the first set ofpatches130 may be blue and the second set ofpatches130′ may be red. Furthermore, the indicia may be, for example, on the sensor patch itself or on an adhesive covering placed on or over the sensor patch without departing from the teachings of the present invention.
• FIG. 3C illustrates a patientanatomical map150 that can be used to identify where each of thesensor patches30 are placed on the body of the patient. Themap150 may be stored in the patient chart or file. For each treatment session for which dose monitoring is desired, the clinician can allocate the same sensor patch identifier (“A”, “1F”, etc . . . ) to the same location. Themap150 and/or indicia on thesensor patches30 can, in turn, help the clinician consistently identify whether a particular location may have undue or deficient exposure. For example, if sensor patch F1 indicates a low radiation exposure, while F3 indicates a relatively high exposure, and the two are positioned in the targeted beam region, either one or both of thesensor patches30 is not functioning properly, or the radiation beam may need adjustment. Using substantially the same sensor patch position for successive treatment sessions may allow cumulative radiation dose data to be obtained and correlated to provide a more reliable indication of dose. The clinician may also draw markings on the patient's skin to help align thesensor patches30 in relation thereto over the different treatments sessions.
• In certain embodiments, thediscrete sensor patches30 can be arranged to reside on a common substrate or to be attached to each other so as to define known or constant distances therebetween (not shown). Thesensor patches30 may be configured to be at the body temperature of the patient during use or at room temperature, or temperatures in between. In certain embodiments, to establish a calculated dose amount, a temperature reading may be obtained, assumed, or estimated. In certain particular embodiments, the temperature may impact the operational change if substantially different from that upon which the calibration data is established.
• In certain embodiments, a first set-up pre-dose verification protocol can be carried out to deliver a first radiation dose and a first radiation dose value can be obtained for at least one selected patch to confirm that the radiation beam focus location is correct or suitable (or whether a sensitive area is receiving radiation). In addition, the system can be configured to map a dose gradient by correlating the determined radiation dose values at each patch location to the anatomical location on the subject of each patch.
• FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplarypatient dosimetry form99, which may be, for example, a paper sheet or computer printable document. Theform99 can contain ananatomical map150 as discussed above with respect toFIG. 3C. Sicel Technologies, Inc. asserts copyright protection for the form illustrated inFIG. 4 and has no objection to reproduction of the patent document, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but reserves all other rights whatsoever.
• As discussed above, themap150 may be used to identify and/or memorialize for the patient record where each of thesensor patches30 are placed on the body of the patient during use. Ananatomical map150 can be used to record the specifics of each radiation session and may be placed in each patient's chart or file to assist the doctor and/or clinician. Patients being treated on an ongoing basis may have multiple dosimetry forms99 in their chart and/or file corresponding to each treatment session. As noted above, for each treatment session, the clinician can, as desired, allocate the same sensor patch identifier to the same location aided by themap150. As further illustrated inFIG. 4, thedosimetry form99 may further include adosimetry plan portion152, ameasurement data portion154 and a sensorpatch record portion156.
• Thedosimetry plan portion152 may include the patient's name, the date or dates the patient is scheduled for the treatment, the patient's doctor, and any information that may be specific to the patient or the patient's treatment. Themeasurement data portion154 may include information such as the date of the treatment and the therapist administering the treatment on that date. The sensorpatch record portion156 may include labeled sections158 (A, B, . . . ) giving each patient a discrete identifier which may correspond to sensor patch locations (A, B, . . . ) with the identifiers indicated on theanatomical map150. The sensorpatch record portion156 may further include dosing data, for example, target and measured doses as illustrated inFIG. 4. The sensorpatch record portion156 may further include the actual sensor patch used on the patient in each of the labeledsections158. As shown, theform99 can include two separate storage regions, namely a pre and post dose use storage region. In addition, thefaun99 can also allow a clinician to indicate whether the sensor patch was held in the entrance and/or exit field.
• In certain embodiments, thesensor patch30 may contain a storage or memory device67 (FIGS. 3A,9B), the storage or memory device on the sensor patches may be accessed to determine dosing information etc. if this information fails to be recorded, is misplaced or requires verification. Furthermore, thememory device67 included on thesensor patch30 may further include the data recorded in themap portion150, thedosimetry plan portion152 and themeasurement data portion154 of thedosimetry form99. Accordingly, thememory device67 on thesensor patch30 may serve as an electronic dosimetry patient record form. It will be understood that thedosimetry form99 ofFIG. 4 is provided for exemplary purposes only and that the present invention may provide data and/or hold sensor patches in alternate manners without departing from the teachings of the present invention.
• FIG. 5A illustrates the use of fiveprimary sensor patches30 positioned over the targeted treatment region (on the front side of the patient) and onesensor patch30spositioned over the heart.FIG. 5B illustrates threeprimary sensors30 located over the back surface proximate the area corresponding to theunderlying tumor site25.
• FIG. 6 illustrates a reader ordata acquisition device75′ according to embodiments of the present invention, in point contact with theunderlying sensor patch30 in order to detect the amount of radiation that thesensor patch30 was exposed to during (or after) the treatment session. In certain embodiments, as discussed above, the sensor patch(es)30 can be secured to a patient's chart ordosimetry form150 and read after removal from the patient. Thereader75′ illustrated inFIG. 6 may be configured to contact a portion of an electrical circuit on thesensor patch30 that includes a device that has an operating characteristic or parameter that changes upon exposure to radiation in a predictable manner to allow radiation doses to be determined. Thereader75′ can be configured with aprobe75pthat is configured to electrically contact an electrically conductive probe region on thesensor patch30 so as to obtain a reading in a “short” time of under about 30 seconds, and typically in less than about 5-10 seconds, for each of thesensor patches30.
• Referring now toFIG. 7 asensor patch30′ disposed in a reader ordata acquisition device75″ according to further embodiments of the present invention.Sensor patches30′ according to embodiments of the present invention may be adapted to be inserted into thereader75″. Similarly, thereader75″ is adapted to receive thesensor patch30′. As shown, thesensor patch30′ is formed to include atab portion36 that at least a portion of is sufficiently rigid to sustain its shape for proper electrical coupling when inserted into aport32 in thereader device75″. As illustrated inFIG. 7, thereader75″ may include asensor port32 and thesensor patch30′ may be inserted into theport32 in thereader75″ in order to detect the amount of radiation that thesensor patch30′ was exposed to. Theport32 can read thesensor patch30 as it is held in selected orientations in theport32. Theport32 may be configured similar to conventional devices that read, for example, glucose strip sensors and the like. Theport32 illustrated inFIG. 7 may contain one or more electrical contacts configured to contact one or more electrical contacts on thesensor patch30′ to electrically connect thereader75″ to an electrical circuit on thesensor patch30′. The electrical circuit on thesensor patch30′ includes a radiation-sensitive component that has an operating characteristic or parameter that changes upon exposure to radiation in a predictable manner to allow radiation doses to be determined. As before, thereader75″ may obtain a reading in under about 30 seconds, and typically in less than about 5-10 seconds, for each of thesensor patches30.
• Thereader device75″ can be held in aportable housing37. It may be pocket sized and battery powered. In certain embodiments, thereader device75 may be rechargeable. As shown inFIGS. 7,15A and15B, thereader75 may include adisplay portion75d,for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), to provide an interface to depict data to the doctor and/or technician.
• The function of thereader device75 may be incorporated into any portable device adapted to receive asensor patch30 in, for example, asensor port32. For example, thereader75 functionality/circuitry could be disposed in a personal digital assistant (PDA) that is adapted to include aradiation sensor port32. Thereader75 may further include aremote computer port33. Theport33 may be, for example, RS232, infrared data association (IrDA) or universal serial bus (USB), and may be used to download radiation and/or other selected data from thesensor patch30 to a computer application or remote computer. In some embodiments, thesensor patch30 and thereader device75 may both be equipped with an RF interface and information may be shared between them wirelessly.
• In certain embodiments, as noted above, thesensor patch30 includes a storage ormemory device67. In these embodiments, thereader75 may be configured to obtain data stored in thememory device67 of thesensor patch30 using, for example, electrical contacts on thereader75 and thepatch30, to transfer the data stored in thememory device67 of thesensor patch30. This data obtained from the sensorpatch memory device67 may, for example, be stored locally on thereader75 or be downloaded to an application on, for example, a remote computer using aport33 provided in thereader75. Thememory device67 on thesensor patch30 may serve as a permanent record of the radiation dose and may contain a real time clock such that the obtained data may include a time and date stamp.
• FIG. 8A illustrates exemplary embodiments of asensor patch30. As shown, thesensor patch30 includes asubstrate layer60, acircuit layer61, and anupper layer62 that may be defined by a coating, film, or coverlay material. Thesubstrate layer60 can be selected such that it is resilient, compliant, or substantially conformable to the skin of the patient. Examples of suitable substrate layer materials include, but are not limited to, Kapton, neoprene, polymers, co-polymers, blends and derivatives thereof, and the like. The underside or bottom of thesensor patch30bmay include a releasable adhesive30aso as to be able to attach to the skin of the patient. The adhesive30acan be a medical grade releasable adhesive to allow thesensor patch30 to be secured to the skin during the treatment session and then easily removed without harming the skin. The adhesive30acan be applied to portions, or all, of the bottom surface of thesubstrate layer60. In certain embodiments, the underside of thesensor patch30bmay be free of the adhesive. In these embodiments, anadhesive coverlay30c1 (FIG. 9C) may be placed over the body of thesensor patch30 to secure thesensor patch30 to the patient. Theadhesive coverlay30c1 may be sized to extend beyond the outer perimeter of thesensor substrate60. The adhesive may be on a portion or all of the underside of thecoverlay30c1.
• In other embodiments, the sensor patch(es)30 is configured as a discrete, low profile, compact non-invasive and minimally obtrusive device that conforms to the skin of the patient. The sensor patch(es) may be less from about 0.25 to about 1.5 inches long and wide and have a thin thickness of from about 1 to about 5 mm or less. As such, thesensor patches30 can, in certain particular embodiments, be secured to the patient and allowed to reside thereon for a plurality or all of the successive treatments. For example, thesensor patches30 can be configured to reside on the patient in its desired position for a 1-4 week, and typically about a 1-2 week period. In this manner, thesame sensor patches30 can be used to track cumulative doses (as well as the dose at each treatment session). An adhesive may be applied in a quantity and type so as to be sufficiently strong to withstand normal life functions (showers, etc.) during this time. Of course, selected ones of thesensor patches30 can also be replaced as desired over the course of treatment as needed or desired.
• In certain embodiments of the present invention, it may be important to attach thesensor patch30 to the patient so that it makes and retains snug contact with the patient's skin. Air gaps between thesensor30 and the patient's skin may cause complications with respect to obtaining the estimated dosage data. As illustrated inFIGS. 9D and 9E, some embodiments of the present invention include the placement of an overlay material30f1 over thesensor patch30 to, for example, simulate placement of thesensor patch30 beneath the patient's skin. This type of simulation may help to focus a narrow portion of the radiation beam in proximity to thesensor patch30 and, therefore, increase the reliability of radiation measurement. Radiation measurement using the sensor subsurface electronics may be optimal at from about 0.5 to about 3 cm beneath the patient's skin, but typically is from about 1 to about 1.5 cm beneath the patient's skin. Accordingly, the overlay material30f1 may be from about 0.5 to about 3 cm thick to simulate subsurface depth measurement conditions. The presence of this overlay material30f1 may decrease the influence of air gaps between thesensor30 and the patient's skin.
• The overlay material30f1 may be, for example, a resilient flubber like or flexible material that will conform to the skin such as an elastomeric or the like. As illustrated inFIG. 9D, the overlay material30f1 may be placed between theadhesive coverlay30c1 and thesensor patch30 such that theadhesive coverlay30c1 adheres thesensor patch30 and the overlay material30f1 to the patient's skin. As illustrated inFIG. 9E, the overlay material30f1 may be placed over theadhesive coverlay30c1 and thesensor patch30. In certain embodiments, the overlay material may have adhesive properties such that the overlay30f1 may be adhered to the patient's skin. The overlay material30f1 may also be integrated with thesensor patch30 without departing from the teachings of the present invention.
• Still referring toFIG. 8A, thesensor circuit layer61 can be attached to, and/or formed on, theunderlying substrate layer60. Theupper layer62 can be configured as a moisture inhibitor or barrier layer that can be applied over all, or selected portions of, theunderlying circuit layer61. It is noted that, as shown, the thickness of the layers60-62 are exaggerated for clarity and shown as the same relative thickness, however the thickness of the layers may vary. In certain embodiments, thesensor patch30 is configured as a low profile, thin device that, when viewed from the side, is substantially planar.
• FIG. 8B is a top view of embodiments of asensor patch30. As shown, in certain embodiments, the circuit may layer include two conductiveprobe contacting regions30p.During data readings/acquisitions, theprobe contacting regions30pare configured to provide the connections between the operating circuitry on thecircuit layer61 and the external reader. The probe contacting region(s)30pcan be directly accessible or covered with a protectiveupper layer62. If directly accessible, during operation, thereader75 can merely press against, contact or clip to thesensor patch30 to contact the exposed surface of theconductive probe region30pto obtain the reading. If covered by anupper layer62 that is a protective coating or other non-conductive insulator material, the clinician may need to form an opening into the coating or upper layer over theregion30pso as to be able to penetrate into thesensor patch30′ a certain depth to make electrical contact between theprobe region30pand the probe of thereader75p.
• FIG. 8C illustrates aprobe portion75pof thereader75′ ofFIG. 6. As illustrated, theprobe portion75pmay be configured so that theprobe75pincludes, for example, conductive calipers, pinchers, or other piercing means, that can penetrate to make electrical contact with theprobe contacting region30pof the sensor patch.
• FIG. 9A illustrates a top view of embodiments of acircuit layer61. As shown, thecircuit layer61 includes the radiation sensitive operativesensor patch circuitry30cthat is self-contained and devoid of outwardly extending or hanging lead wires that connects to an operational member. Thesensor patch circuitry30cincludes a radiationsensitive device63 that exhibits a detectable operational change when exposed to radiation. In certain embodiments, the radiationsensitive device63 is a miniaturized semiconductor component such as a MOSFET. Suitable MOSFETs include RADFETs available from NMRC of Cork, Ireland. In certain embodiments, the MOSFET may be sized and configured to be about 1-2 mm in width and length. Thecircuitry30calso includes at least one conductive lead or trace64 extending from the radiationsensitive device63 to the conductiveprobe contacting region30p.In the embodiment shown, the conductiveprobe contacting region30pis an annular ring. As also shown there are twotraces64i,64othat connect thedevice63 to thering30p.The traces or leads64′ may be formed, placed, or deposited onto thesubstrate layer60 in any suitable manner including, but not limited to, applying conductive ink or paint or metal spray deposition on the surface thereof in a suitable metallic pattern, or using wires. As desired, anupper layer62 such as described above (such as epoxy) may be formed over the circuit layer61 (or even the entire sensor patch). Thesensor patch30 may include integrated Electro Static Discharge (ESD) protection, thereader75 may include ESD protection components, or the user/operator may use ESD straps and the like during readings.
• In particular embodiments, thesensor patch30 andcircuit30ccan be configured with two or more MOSFETS. In embodiments configured to have two MOSFETS, one may be positioned over the other on opposing sides of the substrate in face-to-face alignment to inhibit orientation influence of the substrate. (not shown). Additionally, other materials, e.g., certain epoxies, can be used to both encapsulate the MOSFETs and provide further scattering influence to facilitate isotropic response of the MOSFETs. In addition, there are well known influences of radiation backscatter from the surface of patients on whom surface-mounted dosimeters are used. The backscatter effect can be taken into account when calculating an entrance or exit dose or sufficient build-up may be provided on the top of the dosimeter to promote the equilibration of scattered electrons. See,Cancer, Principles and Practice of Oncology,3d edition, ed. VT DeVita, S. Hellman, and SA Rosenberg (J B Lippincott Co., Phila., 1989), the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if recited in full herein.
• FIG. 9B is a top view of further embodiments of asensor patch30′ that includes atab portion36 that is adapted to be received by a reader, for example,reader75″ illustrated inFIG. 7. As shown, thecircuit30c′ includes acircuit layer61 that includes at least oneelectrical contact31 shown as a plurality of substantially parallel leads. During data readings/acquisitions, thesensor patch30′ is inserted into thereader port32 of thereader75″ (FIG. 7) and the at least oneelectrical contact31 is configured to provide the electrical connections between the operating circuitry on thecircuit layer61 and theexternal reader75″. The electrical contact(s)31 may be covered with a protective upper layer62 (FIG. 8A). If covered by anupper layer62 that is a protective coating or other non-conductive insulator material, the clinician may need to form an opening into the coating or upper layer over the electrical contact(s)31 so these contact(s)31 may make electrical contact with the reader via sensor port32 (FIG. 7).
• FIG. 9B further illustrates thecircuit layer61 that includes the radiation sensitive operativesensor patch circuitry30c′. Thesensor patch circuitry30c′ includes a radiationsensitive device63 that exhibits a detectable operational change when exposed to radiation and may include amemory device67. In certain embodiments, the radiationsensitive device63 is a miniaturized semiconductor component such as a MOSFET. Suitable MOSFETs include RADFETs available from NMRC of Cork, Ireland. In certain embodiments, the MOSFET may be sized and configured to be about 1-2 mm in width and length. Thecircuitry30c′ also includes at least one conductive lead or trace64′ extending from the radiationsensitive device63 and/or thememory device67 to the at least one electrical contact(s)31. The traces or leads64′ may be formed, placed, or deposited onto thesubstrate layer60 in any suitable manner including, but not limited to, applying conductive ink or paint or metal spray deposition on the surface thereof in a suitable metallic pattern, or using wires. As desired, anupper layer62 such as described above (such as epoxy) may be formed over the circuit layer61 (or even the entire sensor patch). Eachsensor patch30 may be from about 0.25 to about 1.5 inches long and wide and have a thin thickness of from about 1 to about 5 mm or less.
• As discussed above with respect toFIG. 8A, the underside or bottom of thesensor patch30bmay include a releasable adhesive30aso as to be able to attach to the skin of the patient. The adhesive30acan be a medical grade releasable adhesive to allow thesensor patch30 to be secured to the skin during the treatment session and then easily removed without harming the skin. The adhesive30acan be applied to portions, or all, of the bottom surface of thesubstrate layer60. Referring now toFIG. 9C, in certain embodiments, the underside of thesensor patch30bmay be free of the adhesive. As illustrated, anadhesive coverlay30c1 may be placed over the entire body of thesensor patch30 to secure thesensor patch30 to the patient. As further illustrated, theadhesive coverlay30c1 may be sized to extend beyond the outer perimeter of thesensor substrate60 and leave thetab portion36 of thesensor30′ exposed. The adhesive provided on the underside of thecoverlay30c1 may be provided on a portion of thecoverlay30c1, for example, the portion of thecoverlay30c1 contacting the patient's skin outside the perimeter of thesensor substrate60, or on the entire underside of thecoverlay30c1.
• Sensor patches30 according to embodiments of the present invention may be provided individually or in sheets containingmultiple sensor patches30. In particular, thesensor patches30 may be fabricated in high-density sheets. As used herein, “high density” refers to multiple sensor patches provided on a unitary sheet. High density is intended to encompass very large sheets containing, for example, hundreds or thousands of sensors, as well as, for example, 3×3 regions of these very large sheets typically including6 or more sensors per region. Providing thesensor patches30 includingmemory devices67, for example EEPROMs, onhigh density sheets200 as illustrated inFIGS. 10A and 10B provide the capability of calibrating and/or pre-dosing the entire sheet ofsensor patches30 at one time. As shown inFIG. 10A, thesheets200 may include perforations for subsequent separation of theindividual sensor patches30 from thehigh density sheet200. In certain embodiments, the sheet ofsensor patches200 may include from about 30 to about 100sensor patches30 per sheet. In other embodiments,multiple patches30 may be provided per square inch of thehigh density sheet200 and/ormultiple patches30, typically at least 6 patches, may be provided in a 3 by 3 inch region of the high density sheet.
• Thesensor patches30 may be calibrated at the factory or OEM. Each of thesensor patches30 or theentire sheet200 ofsensor patches30 may be calibrated by providing a wire(s)205 illustrated inFIG. 10B that electrically couples each of thesensor patches30 on thesheet200. For ease of reference, only a single electrical line to one sensor is shown onFIG. 10B. The calibration data may be provided to thesensor patches30 through the wire(s)205 and may be stored in thememory storage device67 of thesensor patch30. The ability to calibrate a plurality ofsensor patches30 simultaneously may provide more precision in the dosimetry process and, therefore, possibly more reliable results. It will be understood that thesensor patches30 may each have a dedicated wire or the sheet can have a calibration line all connected to acommon lead206 as shown inFIG. 10C that may be used to calibrate and/or pre-dose thesensor patches30 individually.
• As discussed above, thesensor patches30 may be pre-dosed, i.e. dosed prior to placement on the patient. Dosing a sensor patch may include, for example, setting the amount of radiation to be delivered to a patient and the particular region(s) on the patient to which the radiation should be delivered. This process is typically performed by a physicist and can be very time consuming. The possibility of accurately pre-dosing asensor patch30 may significantly reduce the need for a physicist to be involved in the dosimetry confirmation process. In other words, using reliable dose patches can reduce the time a physicist expends to confirm the treatment beam and path dose.
• It will be understood thatsensor patches30 adapted to be received by areader75 are not limited to the configuration illustrated in the figures provided herein. These figures are provided for exemplary purposes only and are not meant to limit the present invention. For example, thesensor patch30′ ofFIG. 9B can be configured with a geometry that allows it (entirely or partially) to be received by areader75″. The insertable geometry may take the form of an elongated tab, one end of the tab containing the radiation sensitive circuitry as well as the memory and the other end of the tab containing the electrical contacts for insertion into the reader device (not shown).
• As shown inFIG. 11, in certain embodiments, the radiationsensitive device63 is a RADFET. The RADFET can be biased with a gate/drain short so that it acts as a two-terminal device.FIG. 11 illustrates a portion of thecircuit30cwith aRADFET63 and two associatedreader75 interface or contact points63I₁,63I₂.FIG. 12A illustrates a reader75 (upper broken line box) and thecircuit30c(lower broken line box) with theRADFET63 configured with a gate to drain short. As shown, thereader75 can include aRADFET bias circuit75bthat includes a controlled current source to allow a voltage reading to be obtained corresponding to the threshold voltage of the RADFET.
• As shown by the graph inFIG. 12B, changes in surface state charge density induced by ionizing radiation causes a shift in threshold voltage in the RADFET.FIG. 12B illustrates a radiation response of a standard P210W2 400 nm implanted gate oxide RADFET with lines for 0V (the -0-marked line) and 5V (the line with the -*-markings) irradiation bias responses. To obtain the amount of threshold voltage (“Vth”) shift, the Vth value (zero dose) can be subtracted from the post-irradiation value and the calibration curve used to determine radiation dose. The calibration curve can be pre-loaded into the controller of the reader or a computer to provide the dose data. In certain embodiments, when obtaining the readings, the clinician may wear grounding straps to reduce static sensitivity of the circuitry. In certain embodiments, such as where contact points are exposed, ESD protection may be integrated into thesensor patch30 itself.
• As shown inFIG. 12A, the Vth change can be measured by determining the change in applied gate voltage necessary to induce a set current flow. As noted above, the RADFET characterization data can be obtained prior to exposure to radiation (zero dose). Thus, the starting threshold voltage of thesensor patch30 will be known from a priori information (or can be obtained by the clinician prior to placing on the patient or after on the patient but before radiation exposure) and can be placed in thereader75 or computer associated or in communication therewith.
• FIG. 13 illustrates the threshold voltage relationship between output voltage (voltage) and current Ids (the electrical current, drain-to source, in microamps) as measured using the output voltage of the reader circuit shown inFIG. 12A. In operation, the reader circuit is configured to contact the sensor to provide a constant current source to the circuit so as to be able measure Vth at a substantially constant or fixed bias condition.
• FIGS. 14A and 14B illustrate alternate embodiments of MOSFET basedcircuits30c.Eachcircuit30cemploys aRADFET pair63p(FIG. 14A),63p′ (FIG. 14B) as the radiationsensitive device63. The configuration on the left of each of these figures illustrates the irradiation configuration and the configuration on the right illustrates the read dose configuration. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 14A, theRADFET pair63pare differentially biased during irradiation to create different voltage offsets. Each of the RADFETs in thepair63p₁,63p₂can be differentially biased during radiation to generate different voltage offsets when exposed to radiation. Using a pair of RADFETS can reduce the influence of temperature in the detected voltage shift value. In particular embodiments, the RADFET pair can be matched (such as taken from the same part of the substrate during fabrication) to reduce drift effects (Vth drift). In certain embodiments, the voltage reading can be obtained with a zero bias state, and/or without requiring wires during radiation, and/or without requiring a floating gate structure.
• In the embodiment shown inFIG. 14B, one of theRADFETs63p₁′ in thepair63pis selectively implanted with dopant ions to shift the threshold voltage (Vth) of that RADFET with respect to theother RADFET63p₂′. The ion implantation can be carried out in various manners as known to those of skill in the art, such as by masking one of the FETs with photoresist to inhibit ions from entering into the gate region. As is well known, using the proper implant species and/or dopant material can increase the FET sensitivity to radiation effects. In certain embodiments of the present invention, a MOSFET (RADFET) pair is used to effectively provide “differential biasing” without the need to apply an external voltage and without the need for a floating gate structure. That is, the MOSFETs can be configured to be individually unbiased and readings of the two MOSFETs (one at a different threshold voltage value) generates the differential biasing. In particular embodiments, this radiation sensitive MOSFET pair configuration that does not require floating gate structures and/or external voltage can be used in implantable as well as skin mounted sensors, such as in implantable sensors used as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,689 to Scarantino et al.
• FIG. 15A illustrates embodiments of a radiationdose evaluation system15 according to embodiments of the present invention. As shown, thesystem15 includes areader75 and a set ofradiation sensor patches130′. Thereader75 may include, for example, thereader75′ ofFIG. 15B or thereader75″ ofFIG. 15C. Thesensor patches30 can be arranged as a strip ofpatches30 held in a single-patientsized package130p.As before, thepackage130pmay also include bar coded radiation calibration characterizingdata labels132 for thesensor patches30 and/or amemory167 in each or selectedmemory patches30. Thereader75′ as shown inFIG. 15B can include theprobe75p,anoptical wand75wand adisplay screen75d.Thereader75″ as shown inFIG. 15C can include asensor port32 and adisplay screen75d.Thereader75 can also include aRADFET bias circuit75b.In certain embodiments, thereader75 is a portable flat pocket or palm size reader that a clinician can carry relatively non-obtrusively in his/her pocket or a similar sized casing.
• As shown by the dotted line boxes inFIG. 15A, thereader75 may hold apower source78 and plurality of operational software modules including: an optical barcode reader module76, a zero-dose thresholdvoltage data module77, a radiation dose conversion module (based on a predetermined voltage threshold to radiation dose response curve)79, and a threshold voltage postradiation data module80.
• In operation, thereader75 can be configured to supply a bias current to the RADFET by attaching to thesensor patch30 and electrically contacting theconductive probe region30por theelectrical contacts31. Thereader75 can measure the voltage shift response of the RADFET on thesensor patch30 and calculate radiation dose based on the shift and the dose conversion algorithm. Thereader75 can display the results to the clinician (such as on anintegrated LCD screen75dincorporated into the body of the reader) and may be configured to download or upload the data to another device (such as a computer or computer network) for electronic record generation or storage.
• The dose amount can be calculated for eachsensor patch30 used. In particular embodiments, the system can be configured to generate an average or weighted average of the dose amount determined over a plurality of the patches. In certain embodiments, where there is a large variation in values (or if it departs from a statistical noun or predicted value) the system can be configured to discard that sensor value or to alert the clinician of potential data corruption. Of course, much smaller values are predicted in sensitive areas away from the targeted zone and the system can be configured to evaluate whether the sensor is in a primary location or in a secondary zone as regards the radiation path.
• It is noted that features described with respect to one embodiment of the sensor, reader and/or system may be incorporated into other embodiments and the description and illustrations of such features are not be construed as limited to the particular embodiment for which it was described.
• As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the present invention may be embodied as a method, data or signal processing system, or computer program product. Accordingly, the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable storage medium having computer-usable program code means embodied in the medium. Any suitable computer readable medium may be utilized including hard disks, CD-ROMs, optical storage devices, or magnetic storage devices.
• The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). Note that the computer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.
• Computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may be written in an object oriented programming language such as LABVIEW, Java®, Smalltalk, Python, or C++. However, the computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or even assembly language. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).
• FIG. 16 is a block diagram of exemplary embodiments of data processing systems that illustrate systems, methods, and computer program products in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Theprocessor310 communicates with thememory314 via an address/data bus348. Theprocessor310 can be any commercially available or custom microprocessor. Thememory314 is representative of the overall hierarchy of memory devices containing the software and data used to implement the functionality of the data processing system. Thememory314 can include, but is not limited to, the following types of devices: cache, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, SRAM, and DRAM.
• As shown inFIG. 16, thememory314 may include several categories of software and data used in the data processing system305: theoperating system352; theapplication programs354; the input/output (I/O)device drivers358; aradiation estimator module350; and thedata356. Thedata356 may include threshold voltage data340 (zero dose and post irradiation dose levels) which may be obtained from a readerdata acquisition system320. As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, theoperating system352 may be any operating system suitable for use with a data processing system, such as OS/2, AIX, OS/390 or System390 from International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y., Windows CE, Windows NT, Windows95, Windows98, Windows2000 or Windows XP from Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash., Unix or Linux or FreeBSD, Palm OS from Palm, Inc., Mac OS from Apple Computer, or proprietary operating systems. The I/O device drivers358 typically include software routines accessed through theoperating system352 by theapplication programs354 to communicate with devices such as I/O data port(s),data storage356 andcertain memory314 components and/or theimage acquisition system320. Theapplication programs354 are illustrative of the programs that implement the various features of the data processing system305 and preferably include at least one application that supports operations according to embodiments of the present invention. Finally, thedata356 represents the static and dynamic data used by theapplication programs354, theoperating system352, the I/O device drivers358, and other software programs that may reside in thememory314.
• While the present invention is illustrated, for example, with reference to theradiation estimator module350 being an application program inFIG. 16, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, other configurations may also be utilized while still benefiting from the teachings of the present invention.
• For example, theradiation estimation module350 may also be incorporated into theoperating system352, the I/O device drivers358 or other such logical division of the data processing system. Thus, the present invention should not be construed as limited to the configuration ofFIG. 16, which is intended to encompass any configuration capable of carrying out the operations described herein.
• In certain embodiments, theradiation estimation module350 includes computer program code for estimating radiation dose based on the measured threshold voltage shift. The I/O data port can be used to transfer information between the data processing system and the readerdata acquisition system320 or another computer system or a network (e.g., the Internet) or to other devices controlled by the processor. These components may be conventional components such as those used in many conventional data processing systems that may be configured in accordance with the present invention to operate as described herein.
• While the present invention is illustrated, for example, with reference to particular divisions of programs, functions and memories, the present invention should not be construed as limited to such logical divisions. Thus, the present invention should not be construed as limited to the configurations illustrated in the figures but is intended to encompass any configuration capable of carrying out the operations described herein.
• The flowcharts and block diagrams of certain of the figures herein illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of probe cell estimation means according to the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flow charts or block diagrams represents a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved.
• FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustration of one embodiment of areader75 according to the present invention. As shown, thereader75 includes anoperating system422, aprocessor410, apower source456, and a user activation/input module460. Thereader75 can also include aRADFET interface module475 and a sensor patchmemory interface module478. In certain embodiments, thesensor patch30 may be configured to communicate wirelessly with thereader75. In these embodiments, theinterface module475 may be configured to receive wireless signals from thesensor patch30. Thereader75 may optionally include a sensorpatch identifier module428 to track whichsensor patch30 has a particular radiation dose result. Theidentifier module428 may allow the user to input via an input keypad associated with the reader, an alphanumeric identifier (F1, B1, etc.) for a particular sensor patch prior to obtaining the reading, or a bar code identifier or other automated identifier means can be used (such as scanning a bar code label on the sensor and the like).
• Thereader75 also includes pre-radiation (zero dose)threshold voltage data440, post radiationthreshold voltage data441, and aradiation estimation module458. Theradiation estimation module458 may also be configured to extrapolate to arrive at the radiation dose delivered to the tumor site. As shown, thereader75 may also include an optical barcode scanner module476 to allow the reader to input the characterizing zero dose threshold voltage values by optically reading same. Similarly, calibration data can be entered via the bar thebar code scanner476 ormemory67 from thepatches30. Alternatively, the clinician can enter the desired data in situ as desired.
• The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses, where used, are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications to the disclosed embodiments, as well as other embodiments, are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. The invention is defined by the following claims, with equivalents of the claims to be included therein.

Claims (17)

1. A computer program product for evaluating a radiation dose delivered to a patient, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code comprising:

computer readable program code for receiving pre-irradiation threshold voltage data associated with a plurality of disposable sensor patches;

computer readable program code for accepting data from a reader configured to electrically serially contact each of the plurality of disposable sensors; and

computer readable program code for determining the voltage threshold shift of the disposable sensor patches after radiation to determine the radiation exposure.

2. A computer program product according toclaim 1, further comprising computer readable program code for extrapolating the determined radiation exposure obtained from the sensor patches to estimate a radiation dose delivered to a tumor site of a patient.

3. A computer program product according toclaim 1, further comprising computer readable program code for averaging the dose amount over a plurality of the patches to determine a representative radiation dose.

4. A computer program product according toclaim 3, further comprising computer readable program code for discarding statistically incorrect radiation exposure values.

5. A computer program product according toclaim 4, further comprising computer readable program code for alerting of potential data corruption or discarding dose values that substantially depart from predicted values.

6. A hand-held dose reader device with a circuit having the computer program product ofclaim 1.

7. A dosimeter radiation sensor for quantifying radiation exposure or dose, comprising a sensor circuit that includes a MOSFET pair configuration that does not require floating gate structures and/or external voltage applied during radiation.

8. A dosimeter according toclaim 7, wherein one of the MOSFET pair is selectively implanted with ions to shift the threshold voltage relative to the other MOSFET.

9. A dosimeter according toclaim 8, wherein the threshold voltages of the two MOSFETs in the MOSFET pair are compared to determine the radiation dose.

10. A dosimeter according toclaim 7, wherein the dosimeter is configured as a surface mounted patch.

11. A dosimeter according toclaim 7, wherein the dosimeter is configured to wirelessly communicate with a reader device to obtain measured radiation data.

12. A dosimeter according toclaim 7, wherein the MOSFET pair is configured to be unbiased.

13. A dosimeter according toclaim 7, wherein the dosimeter is configured to be inserted into a reader and electrically couple the reader to the dosimeter.

14. A dose-reader device comprising a sensor port that is adapted to receive a sensor patch, the sensor patch having a tab portion adapted to be inserted into the sensor port and electrically couple the sensor patch to the reader device to provide data associated with an operational parameter in the sensor patch to the reader device.

15. A dose-reader device according toclaim 14, wherein the dose reader device includes a circuit for transferring the associated data to a remote computer and/or a computer application.

16. A dose-reader device according toclaim 14, further comprising a circuit programmably configured to evaluate a radiation dose delivered to a patient using the associated data of the operational parameter of the sensor patch, wherein the circuit is configured to: (a) obtain pre-irradiation threshold voltage data of a respective sensor patch; and (b) calculate radiation exposure of the patient using a voltage threshold shift of at least one sensor patch after radiation.

17. A dose-reader device according toclaim 14, wherein the dose-reader device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

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