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At least 73 records · Page 4

MO-FG-BRD-02: Real-Time Imaging and Tracking Techniques for Intrafractional Motion Management: MV Tracking

Intrafraction target motion is a prominent complicating factor in the accurate targeting of radiation within the body. Methods compensating for target motion during treatment, such as gating and dynamic tumor tracking, depend on the delineation of target location as a function of time during delivery. A variety of techniques for target localization have been explored and are under active development; these include beam-level imaging of radio-opaque fiducials, fiducial-less tracking of anatomical landmarks, tracking of electromagnetic transponders, optical imaging of correlated surrogates, and volumetric imaging within treatment delivery. The Joint Imaging and Therapy Symposium will provide an overview of the techniques for real-time imaging and tracking, with special focus on emerging modes of implementation across different modalities. In particular, the symposium will explore developments in 1) Beam-level kilovoltage X-ray imaging techniques, 2) EPID-based megavoltage X-ray tracking, 3) Dynamic tracking using electromagnetic transponders, and 4) MRI-based soft-tissue tracking during radiation delivery. Learning Objectives: Understand the fundamentals of real-time imaging and tracking techniques Learn about emerging techniques in the field of real-time tracking Distinguish between the advantages and disadvantages of different tracking modalities Understand the role of real-time tracking techniques within the clinical delivery work-flow.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

MO-FG-BRD-03: Real-Time Imaging and Tracking Techniques for Intrafractional Motion Management: EM Tracking

Intrafraction target motion is a prominent complicating factor in the accurate targeting of radiation within the body. Methods compensating for target motion during treatment, such as gating and dynamic tumor tracking, depend on the delineation of target location as a function of time during delivery. A variety of techniques for target localization have been explored and are under active development; these include beam-level imaging of radio-opaque fiducials, fiducial-less tracking of anatomical landmarks, tracking of electromagnetic transponders, optical imaging of correlated surrogates, and volumetric imaging within treatment delivery. The Joint Imaging and Therapy Symposium will provide an overview of the techniques for real-time imaging and tracking, with special focus on emerging modes of implementation across different modalities. In particular, the symposium will explore developments in 1) Beam-level kilovoltage X-ray imaging techniques, 2) EPID-based megavoltage X-ray tracking, 3) Dynamic tracking using electromagnetic transponders, and 4) MRI-based soft-tissue tracking during radiation delivery. Learning Objectives: Understand the fundamentals of real-time imaging and tracking techniques Learn about emerging techniques in the field of real-time tracking Distinguish between the advantages and disadvantages of different tracking modalities Understand the role of real-time tracking techniques within the clinical delivery work-flow.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

MO-FG-BRD-04: Real-Time Imaging and Tracking Techniques for Intrafractional Motion Management: MR Tracking

Intrafraction target motion is a prominent complicating factor in the accurate targeting of radiation within the body. Methods compensating for target motion during treatment, such as gating and dynamic tumor tracking, depend on the delineation of target location as a function of time during delivery. A variety of techniques for target localization have been explored and are under active development; these include beam-level imaging of radio-opaque fiducials, fiducial-less tracking of anatomical landmarks, tracking of electromagnetic transponders, optical imaging of correlated surrogates, and volumetric imaging within treatment delivery. The Joint Imaging and Therapy Symposium will provide an overview of the techniques for real-time imaging and tracking, with special focus on emerging modes of implementation across different modalities. In particular, the symposium will explore developments in 1) Beam-level kilovoltage X-ray imaging techniques, 2) EPID-based megavoltage X-ray tracking, 3) Dynamic tracking using electromagnetic transponders, and 4) MRI-based soft-tissue tracking during radiation delivery. Learning Objectives: Understand the fundamentals of real-time imaging and tracking techniques Learn about emerging techniques in the field of real-time tracking Distinguish between the advantages and disadvantages of different tracking modalities Understand the role of real-time tracking techniques within the clinical delivery work-flow.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

BETO 2021 Peer Review: 2.1.0.100 - Biochemical Platform Analysis

The objective of this project is to perform techno-economic analysis (TEA) to guide Biochemical Platform efforts, utilizing models for purposes of setting future R&D targets and tracking performance progress against those targets. Outcomes of our work are leveraged by BETO to guide program plans, as well as by other NREL/partner projects to quantify the impact of research on key technology barriers and to prioritize future efforts. This project provides high impact and relevance through establishing “bottom-up” TEA models as a basis for understanding the technical feasibility to meet “top-down” BETO cost targets. By providing a framework to translate technical performance to cost reductions in a biorefinery, our TEA models may be leveraged to maximize the efficiency of research funding towards the most economically impactful priorities, ultimately in support of BETO’s 2030 fuel cost targets below $2.5/GGE. In order to mitigate a key risk/challenge to this project in overly-constraining our analyses to a singular technology focus or TEA metric, our approach continuously re-assesses opportunities for better optimization and alternative technology pathway options, while maintaining close interaction with other BETO analysis partners. We have made numerous recent accomplishments rooted around identifying and working with the researchers to solve key technical and TEA/LCA challenges, reflected through notable improvements in State-of-Technology (SOT) updates over prior benchmarks.

biochemical↗

Comparison between target margins derived from 4DCT scans and real-time tumor motion tracking: Insights from lung tumor patients treated with robotic radiosurgery

Purpose: A unique capability of the CyberKnife system is dynamic target tracking. However, not all patients are eligible for this approach. Rather, their tumors are tracked statically using the vertebral column for alignment. When using static tracking, the internal target volume (ITV) is delineated on the four-dimensional (4D) CT scan and an additional margin is added to account for setup uncertainty [planning target volume (PTV)]. Treatment margins are difficult to estimate due to unpredictable variations in tumor motion and respiratory pattern during the course of treatment. The inability to track the target and detect changes in respiratory characteristics might result in geographic misses and local tumor recurrences. The purpose of this study is to develop a method to evaluate the adequacy of ITV-to-PTV margins for patients treated in this manner. Methods: Data from 24 patients with lesions in the upper lobe (n = 12), middle lobe (n = 3), and lower lobe (n = 9) were included in this study. Each patient was treated with dynamic tracking and underwent 4DCT scanning at the time of simulation. Data including the 3D coordinates of the target over the course of treatment were extracted from the treatment log files and used to determine actual target motion in the superior–inferior (S–I), anterior–posterior (A–P), and left–right (L–R) directions. Different approaches were used to calculate anisotropic and isotropic margins, assuming that the tumor moves as a rigid body. Anisotropic margins were calculated by separating target motion in the three anatomical directions, and a uniform margin was calculated by shifting the gross tumor volume contours in the 3D space and by computing the percentage of overlap with the PTV. The analysis was validated by means of a theoretical formulation. Results: The three methods provided consistent results. A uniform margin of 4.5 mm around the ITV was necessary to assure 95% target coverage for 95% of the fractions included in the analysis. In the case of anisotropic margins, the expansion required in the S–I direction was larger (8.1 mm) than those in the L–R (4.9 mm) and A–P (4.5 mm) directions. This margin accounts for variations of target position within the same treatment fraction. Conclusions: The use of bony alignment for CyberKnife lung stereotactic body radiation therapy requires careful considerations, in terms of the potential for increased toxicity or local miss. Our method could be used by other centers to determine the adequacy of ITV-to-PTV margins for their patients.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Modeling error PDF optimization based wavelet neural network modeling of dynamic system and its application in blast furnace ironmaking

In general, the modeling errors of dynamic system model are a set of random variables. The traditional performance index of modeling such as means square error (MSE) and root means square error (RMSE) can not fully express the connotation of modeling errors with stochastic characteristics both in the dimension of time domain and space domain. Therefore, the probability density function (PDF) is introduced to completely describe the modeling errors in both time scales and space scales. Based on it, a novel wavelet neural network (WNN) modeling method is proposed by minimizing the two-dimensional (2D) PDF shaping of modeling errors. First, the modeling error PDF by the tradional WNN is estimated using data-driven kernel density estimation (KDE) technique. Then, the quadratic sum of 2D deviation between the modeling error PDF and the target PDF is utilized as performance index to optimize the WNN model parameters by gradient descent method. Since the WNN has strong nonlinear approximation and adaptive capability, and all the parameters are well optimized by the proposed method, the developed WNN model can make the modeling error PDF track the target PDF, eventually. Simulation example and application in a blast furnace ironmaking process show that the proposed method has a higher modeling precision and better generalization ability compared with the conventional WNN modeling based on MSE criteria. Furthermore, the proposed method has more desirable estimation for modeling error PDF that approximates to a Gaussian distribution whose shape is high and narrow.

Modelling↗

Estimation and Fusion for Tracking Over Long-Haul Links Using Artificial Neural Networks

In a long-haul sensor network, sensors are remotely deployed over a large geographical area to perform certain tasks, such as tracking and/or monitoring of one or more dynamic targets. A remote fusion center fuses the information provided by these sensors so that a final estimate of certain target characteristics – such as the position – is expected to possess much improved quality. In this paper, we pursue learning-based approaches for estimation and fusion of target states in longhaul sensor networks. In particular, we consider learning based on various implementations of artificial neural networks (ANNs). Finally, the joint effect of (i) imperfect communication condition, namely, link-level loss and delay, and (ii) computation constraints, in the form of low-quality sensor estimates, on ANN-based estimation and fusion, is investigated by means of analytical and simulation studies.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

SU-F-T-634: Feasibility Study of Respiratory Gated RapidArc SBRT Using a 6MV FFF Photon Beam

Purpose: To conduct a feasibility study on retrospective respiratory gating and marker tracking for lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) with a gated RapidArc delivery using a 6MV flattened filter free photon mode. Methods: A CIRS dynamic thorax phantom Model 008A with different inserts was used for treatment planning and respiratory gating. 4D CT had a free breathing simulation followed by a respiration gated, ten phased CT using a Philips Brilliance CT with a Varian RPM respiratory gating system. The internal target volume was created from the ten phase gated CT images, followed by exporting to a Varian Eclipse TPS v11 for treatment planning on the free breath images. Both MIP and AIP were also generated for comparison of planning and target motion tracking. The planned dose was delivered with a 6MV FFF photon beam from a Varian TrueBeam accelerator. Gated target motion was also verified by tracking the implanted makers during delivery using continuous kV imaging in addition to CBCT, kV and MV localization and verification. Results: Gating was studied in three situations of lower, normal, and faster breathing at a respiratory cycle of 5, 15 and 25 breaths per minute, respectively. 4D treatment planning was performed at a normal breathing of 15 breaths per minute. The gated patterns obtained using the TrueBeam IR camera were compared with the planned ones while gating operation was added prior to delivery . Gating was realized only when the measured respiratory patterns matched to the planned ones. The gated target motion was verified within the tolerance by kV and MV imaging. Either free breathing CT or averaged CT images were studied to be good for image guidance to align the target. Conclusion: Gated RapidArc SBRT delivered with a 6MV FFF photon beam is realized using a dynamic lung phantom.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

"Hierarchical Speed Planner for Automated Vehicles: A Framework for Lagrangian Variable Speed Limit in Mixed Autonomy Traffic"

This paper introduces a novel control framework for Lagrangian variable speed limits in hybrid traffic flow environments utilizing automated vehicles (AVs). The framework was validated using a fleet of 100 connected automated vehicles as part of the largest coordinated open-road test designed to smooth traffic flow. The framework includes two main components: a high-level controller deployed on the server side, named Speed Planner, and low-level controllers called vehicle controllers deployed on the vehicle side. The Speed Planner designs and updates target speeds for the vehicle controllers based on real-time Traffic State Estimation (TSE) [1]. The Speed Planner comprises two modules: a TSE enhancement module and a target speed design module. The TSE enhancement module is designed to minimize the effects of inherent latency in the received traffic information and to improve the spatial and temporal resolution of the input traffic data. The target speed design module generates target speed profiles with the goal of improving traffic flow. The vehicle controllers are designed to track the target speed meanwhile responding to the surrounding situation. The numerical simulation indicates the performance of the proposed method: the bottleneck throughput has increased by 5.01%, and the speed standard deviation has been reduced by a significant 34.36%. We further showcase an operational study with a description of how the controller was implemented on a field-test with 100 AVs and its comprehensive effects on the traffic flow.

Wang, Han↗

SU-G-BRA-03: PCA Based Imaging Angle Optimization for 2D Cine MRI Based Radiotherapy Guidance

Purpose: To develop an imaging angle optimization methodology for orthogonal 2D cine MRI based radiotherapy guidance using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of target motion retrieved from 4DCT. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 4DCT of 6 patients with lung tumor. A radiation oncologist manually contoured the target volume at the maximal inhalation phase of the respiratory cycle. An object constrained deformable image registration (DIR) method has been developed to track the target motion along the respiration at ten phases. The motion of the center of the target mass has been analyzed using the PCA to find out the principal motion components that were uncorrelated with each other. Two orthogonal image planes for cineMRI have been determined using this method to minimize the through plane motion during MRI based radiotherapy guidance. Results: 3D target respiratory motion for all 6 patients has been efficiently retrieved from 4DCT. In this process, the object constrained DIR demonstrated satisfactory accuracy and efficiency to enable the automatic motion tracking for clinical application. The average motion amplitude in the AP, lateral, and longitudinal directions were 3.6mm (min: 1.6mm, max: 5.6mm), 1.7mm (min: 0.6mm, max: 2.7mm), and 5.6mm (min: 1.8mm, max: 16.1mm), respectively. Based on PCA, the optimal orthogonal imaging planes were determined for cineMRI. The average angular difference between the PCA determined imaging planes and the traditional AP and lateral imaging planes were 47 and 31 degrees, respectively. After optimization, the average amplitude of through plane motion reduced from 3.6mm in AP images to 2.5mm (min:1.3mm, max:3.9mm); and from 1.7mm in lateral images to 0.6mm (min: 0.2mm, max:1.5mm), while the principal in plane motion amplitude increased from 5.6mm to 6.5mm (min: 2.8mm, max: 17mm). Conclusion: DIR and PCA can be used to optimize the orthogonal image planes of cineMRI to minimize the through plane motion during radiotherapy guidance.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Production of diverse PET probes with limited resources: 24 18 F-labeled compounds prepared with a single radiosynthesizer

Significance Molecular imaging with PET can provide a dynamic, whole-body picture of the rate of biological processes or distribution of biological targets by tracking the distribution of radiolabeled molecules or particles in the body over time. Continual efforts to develop new PET probes are expanding the variety of processes and targets that can be visualized, facilitating basic research, drug development, and patient care. However, access to these probes at all stages of their development is hindered by high costs arising, in large part, from the significant resources that are typically dedicated to production of a single probe. Emerging technologies with increased synthesis flexibility are allowing increased probe diversity with fewer resources and could significantly increase access to new molecular imaging agents.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

SU-G-BRA-05: Application of a Feature-Based Tracking Algorithm to KV X-Ray Fluoroscopic Images Toward Marker-Less Real-Time Tumor Tracking

Purpose: To detect target position on kV X-ray fluoroscopic images using a feature-based tracking algorithm, Accelerated-KAZE (AKAZE), for markerless real-time tumor tracking (RTTT). Methods: Twelve lung cancer patients treated with RTTT on the Vero4DRT (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Japan, and Brainlab AG, Feldkirchen, Germany) were enrolled in this study. Respiratory tumor movement was greater than 10 mm. Three to five fiducial markers were implanted around the lung tumor transbronchially for each patient. Before beam delivery, external infrared (IR) markers and the fiducial markers were monitored for 20 to 40 s with the IR camera every 16.7 ms and with an orthogonal kV x-ray imaging subsystem every 80 or 160 ms, respectively. Target positions derived from the fiducial markers were determined on the orthogonal kV x-ray images, which were used as the ground truth in this study. Meanwhile, tracking positions were identified by AKAZE. Among a lot of feature points, AKAZE found high-quality feature points through sequential cross-check and distance-check between two consecutive images. Then, these 2D positional data were converted to the 3D positional data by a transformation matrix with a predefined calibration parameter. Root mean square error (RMSE) was calculated to evaluate the difference between 3D tracking and target positions. A total of 393 frames was analyzed. The experiment was conducted on a personal computer with 16 GB RAM, Intel Core i7-2600, 3.4 GHz processor. Results: Reproducibility of the target position during the same respiratory phase was 0.6 +/− 0.6 mm (range, 0.1–3.3 mm). Mean +/− SD of the RMSEs was 0.3 +/− 0.2 mm (range, 0.0–1.0 mm). Median computation time per frame was 179 msec (range, 154–247 msec). Conclusion: AKAZE successfully and quickly detected the target position on kV X-ray fluoroscopic images. Initial results indicate that the differences between 3D tracking and target position would be clinically acceptable.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Autonomous Selective Parts-Based Tracking

Object tracking from videos is still a challenging task due to various changes throughout a video sequence including occlusions, motion blur, scale and other deformation changes. In this paper, we propose a selective parts-based approach, using correlation filters, that makes choices based on a consensus of the parts and global tracking. Moreover, we further enhance our parts-based approach by introducing a segmentation-assisted parts initialization. In addition, we present a genetic algorithm-based method to autonomously select various parameters of the tracking algorithm, as opposed to the common practice of manually tuning those parameters. In contrast to existing part-based methods, the proposed method does not dilute accurate tracking by averaging results over multiple parts at every frame. Instead, we take a selective approach based on the relative weight of the responses across parts. Moreover, we only make location corrections when a part diverges, and rely on these location corrections to maintain an accurate appearance model. In the case of occlusions, which are among the main reasons for using a parts-based approach, our proposed approach consistently achieves the best performance. It is due to the ability to handle occlusion and not dilute decisions with incorrect parts, that our proposed approach enables state-of-the-art performance. The approach we propose was evaluated on videos from three different challenging benchmark datasets. Our approach has resulted in better overall precision and success rates for three different base tracking approaches.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Measurement, reporting and Verification (MRV) of non-CO 2 greenhouse gases: International Best Practices and Suggestions for China

Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) is a systematic approach to tracking and documenting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and emission reductions. MRV can be used across all sectors and for all GHGs to track emissions patterns, evaluate programs, and promote transparency. As methane and other short-lived climate pollutants become critical to mitigating near-term climate change impacts, MRV systems become critical in improving emission inventories; facilitating the development of climate change policies and targets, and tracking and demonstrating progress towards sustainable development. This report focuses on current sectoral issues – including the emerging roles for satellites and remote sensing technologies - and international best practices in MRV policies and programs for non-carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) GHGs including methane, nitrous oxide (N 2 O), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in specific sectors. Based on international best practices and a review of China’s current MRV system, we offer suggestions for a possible path forward for developing and implementing a stronger non-CO 2 MRV system.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Tracking Error Learning Control for Precise Mobile Robot Path Tracking in Outdoor Environment

This article presents a Tracking-Error Learning Control (TELC) algorithm for precise mobile robot path tracking in off-road terrain. In traditional tracking error-based control approaches, feedback and feedforward controllers are designed based on the nominal model which cannot capture the uncertainties, disturbances and changing working conditions so that they cannot ensure precise path tracking performance in the outdoor environment. In TELC algorithm, the feedforward control actions are updated by using the tracking error dynamics and the plant-model mismatch problem is thus discarded. Therefore, the feedforward controller gradually eliminates the feedback controller from the control of the system once the mobile robot has been ontrack. In addition to the proof of the stability, it is proven that the cost functions do not have local minima so that the coefficients in TELC algorithm guarantee that the global minimum is reached. The experimental results show that the TELC algorithm results in better path tracking performance than the traditional tracking error-based control method. The mobile robot controlled by TELC algorithm can track a target path precisely with less than 10 cm error in off-road terrain.

42 ENGINEERING↗

SU-E-J-42: Evaluation of Fiducial Markers for Ultrasound and X-Ray Images Used for Motion Tracking in Pancreas SBRT

Purpose Ultrasound tracking of target motion relies on visibility of vascular and/or anatomical landmark. However this is challenging when the target is located far from vascular structures or in organs that lack ultrasound landmark structure, such as in the case of pancreas cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate visibility, artifacts and distortions of fusion coils and solid gold markers in ultrasound, CT, CBCT and kV images to identify markers suitable for real-time ultrasound tracking of tumor motion in SBRT pancreas treatment. Methods Two fusion coils (1mm × 5mm and 1mm × 10 mm) and a solid gold marker (0.8mm × 10mm) were embedded in a tissue–like ultrasound phantom. The phantom (5cm × 12cm × 20cm) was prepared using water, gelatin and psyllium-hydrophilic-mucilloid fiber. Psylliumhydrophilic mucilloid acts as scattering medium to produce echo texture that simulates sonographic appearance of human tissue in ultrasound images while maintaining electron density close to that of water in CT images. Ultrasound images were acquired using 3D-ultrasound system with markers embedded at 5, 10 and 15mm depth from phantom surface. CT images were acquired using Philips Big Bore CT while CBCT and kV images were acquired with XVI-system (Elexta). Visual analysis was performed to compare visibility of the markers and visibility score (1 to 3) were assigned. Results All markers embedded at various depths are clearly visible (score of 3) in ultrasound images. Good visibility of all markers is observed in CT, CBCT and kV images. The degree of artifact produced by the markers in CT and CBCT images are indistinguishable. No distortion is observed in images from any modalities. Conclusion All markers are visible in images across all modalities in this homogenous tissue-like phantom. Human subject data is necessary to confirm the marker type suitable for real-time ultrasound tracking of tumor motion in SBRT pancreas treatment.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗