背景:现代放射治疗技术,如调强放射治疗或立体定向放射治疗,需要高剂量输送精度。然而,在患者呼吸过程中肿瘤的精确定位仍然是一个挑战。因此,研究有效的呼吸监测方法以减少潜在的并发症是至关重要的.尽管目前有几种系统在临床上使用,有缺点,包括设置的复杂性,给病人带来的不适,和高成本。
目的:本研究调查了在放射治疗期间使用新型压力传感器阵列(PSA)作为监测呼吸的工具的可行性。PSA位于治疗床和躺在其上的患者背部之间,旨在克服当前方法的一些局限性。主要目标包括评估PSA监测呼吸行为的能力,并研究超出呼吸监测的预期应用。
方法:在12名志愿者中使用了带有31个压力传感元件的PSA。参与者被指示躺在沙发上自然呼吸,没有任何音频或视觉指导。将PSA的性能与基于摄像头的呼吸监测系统(RPM,瓦里安,美国),作为参考。几个指标,包括压力分布,体重敏感度,以及PSA和RPM信号之间的相关性,进行了分析。还研究了PSA提供与患者稳定性相关的潜在应用信息的能力。
结果:本研究证明了施加于PSA的重量与其输出之间的线性关系,确认其对压力变化的敏感性。PSA和RPM曲线的比较显示,平均相关系数为0.9391,表明一致的呼吸周期。PSA还实时有效地测量了志愿者背部的体重分布,这允许在放疗期间监测患者的运动。
结论:PSA是放疗治疗期间有效呼吸监测的有希望的候选药物。它的性能与既定的RPM系统相当,它的额外功能表明了它多方面的效用。本文显示了PSA在放射治疗中用于患者监测的潜在用途,并提出了进一步研究的可能性。包括与其他现有系统的性能比较以及呼吸训练的真实患者应用。
BACKGROUND: Modern radiotherapeutic techniques, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy or stereotactic body radiotherapy, require high-dose delivery precision. However, the precise localization of tumors during patient respiration remains a challenge. Therefore, it is essential to investigate effective methods for monitoring respiration to minimize potential complications. Despite several systems currently in clinical use, there are drawbacks, including the complexity of the setup, the discomfort to the patient, and the high cost.
OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the feasibility of using a novel pressure sensor array (PSA) as a tool to monitor respiration during radiotherapy treatments. The PSA was positioned between the treatment couch and the back of the patient lying on it and was intended to overcome some limitations of current methods. The main objectives included assessing the PSA\'s capability in monitoring respiratory behavior and to investigate prospective applications that extend beyond respiratory monitoring.
METHODS: A PSA with 31 pressure-sensing elements was used in 12 volunteers. The participants were instructed to breathe naturally while lying on a couch without any audio or visual guidance. The performance of the PSA was compared to that of a camera-based respiratory monitoring system (RPM, Varian, USA), which served as a reference. Several metrics, including pressure distribution, weight sensitivity, and correlations between PSA and RPM signals, were analyzed. The PSA\'s capacity to provide information on potential applications related to patient stability was also investigated.
RESULTS: The linear relationship between the weight applied to the PSA and its output was demonstrated in this study, confirming its sensitivity to pressure changes. A comparison of PSA and RPM curves revealed a high correlation coefficient of 0.9391 on average, indicating consistent respiratory cycles. The PSA also effectively measured the weight distribution at the volunteer\'s back in real-time, which allows for monitoring the patient\'s movements during the radiotherapy.
CONCLUSIONS: PSA is a promising candidate for effective respiratory monitoring during radiotherapy treatments. Its performance is comparable to the established RPM system, and its additional capabilities suggest its multifaceted utility. This paper shows the potential use of PSA for patient monitoring in radiotherapy and suggests possibilities for further research, including performance comparisons with other existing systems and real-patient applications with respiratory training.