ADJUSTABLE RADIATION BRASSIERE

Abstract

The present invention provides an adjustable radiation brassiere for carcinoma of breast patients to provide better simulation compared to conventional techniques and adjust the shape of both breasts according to the treatment planning requirements. The brassiere features a supportive base structure, adjustable breast cups, and strap mechanisms tailored to conform to patient-specific anatomical requirements. It incorporates radiation-shielding materials to reduce unintended exposure to the contralateral breast and position markers compatible with imaging systems for accurate alignment. The design is compatible with advanced radiotherapy techniques, such as deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) and respiratory gating, with optional integration of breathing pattern trackers. Additionally, the brassiere allows for modular attachments, including neck and arm supports, to ensure upper body immobilization. By providing a comfortable, patient-centric solution, the invention addresses challenges in breast movement, thoracic breathing motion, and patient flexibility, ensuring consistent target volume alignment and effective radiation delivery. Figure 1

Specification

Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[001] The present invention relates to the field of medical science, and more particularly, the present invention relates to the adjustable radiation brassiere for carcinoma of breast patients to provide better simulation compared to conventional techniques and adjust the shape of both breasts according to the treatment planning requirements.
BACKGROUND FOR THE INVENTION:
[002] The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known, or part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction as of the priority date of the application. The details provided herein the background if belongs to any publication is taken only as a reference for describing the problems, in general terminologies or principles or both of science and technology in the associated prior art.
[003] Carcinoma breast is the most common carcinoma in the female according to world cancer statistics. Carcinoma of breast is treated with the surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is given by the using different beams from different angles. Challenge comes to simulate and reproduce the same position on the treatment couch every day for the patients having the heavy and pendulous breast.
- To immobilize the heavy and pendulous breast
- Avoid the opposite breast from the exit and entrance of the radiation beam
- Avoid low dose radiation to the opposite breast
[004] Currently for patient setup simulation of carcinoma of breast cases different types of immobilizing devices are used i.e. Thermoplastic cast, VAC Lock, Alpha cradle. One commercial company named CQ Medical (CIVCO RT and Qfix) provide the breast cups of different sizes for different patient. While making the design of this breast simulation brassiere it was kept in mind that the brassiere should be comfortable and can be utilized for all shapes and sizes of carcinoma breast patients.
[005] In light of the foregoing, there is a need for the Adjustable radiation brassiere that overcomes problems prevalent in the prior art.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:
[006] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfies, are as follows.
[007] The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing the Adjustable radiation brassiere.
[008] Another object of the present invention is to provide the Adjustable radiation brassiere that is easy to wear.
[009] Another object of the present invention is to provide the adjustable radiation brassiere, wherein fabric is clothing so no irritation or rashes.
[010] Another object of the present invention is to provide the adjustable radiation brassiere that can take any shape and size of breast.
[011] Another object of the present invention is to provide the adjustable radiation brassiere, wherein design for mass population, not for individual patient
[012] Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
[013] The present invention provides an adjustable radiation brassiere.
[014] Radiotherapy plays major role in the treatment of carcinoma of breast patient. Before starting the radiation therapy each patient should go through simulation process which is required to be reproduced daily for each fraction consistently throughout his/her treatment.
[015] Simulation is the mock-up process of treatment delivery. Patient is immobilized with the help of immobilizing devices to make sure minimum moments while positioning the patient on the treatment couch and treatment delivery.
[016] For carcinoma of breast patients especially the patients underwent for breast conservative surgery (BCS) have the following problems -
[017] Management of pendulous breast - Breast is a pendulous movable organ. For BCS patients, it is hard to manage the movement of breast in each fraction. Thermoplastic cast is used for immobilization but the breathing motion of the patient, hand and neck position can't be managed alone with it. Thermoplastic cast in breast cases were used in three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), even in IMRT and VMAT for some year ago but today we are dealing with advanced technique named deep inspiration breath hold technique (DIBH) or respiratory gating in which patient breathing motion is managed by the respiratory gating system with the advanced immobilization unit called VACLOCK.
[018] Position of hand and neck while simulation- Due to the surgery the flexibility of hand movement of patient is impacted and in some cases it can't be extended as desired. The neck bending direction also a challenge to re-simulate in each fraction. Extended thermoplastic cast with new breast boards for hand and neck positioning are available in the market but each patient can't be comfortable with it and again breathing motion and deep inspiration breath hold or respiratory gating (DIBH) technique can't be used with it.
[019] Management of thoracic breathing motion DIBH technique- In DIBH technique the patient is lie down on the immobilization device called VAC-LOCK filled with small styrofoam balls inside. The patient is positioned carefully upon the bag and patient's body is given the shape. Being assured for the position of the patient with the help of vacuum pump the air is sucked and the vacuum bag takes the form of the patient body. While taking the CT simulation a tracker is placed to observe the breathing pattern and this breathing pattern is attached with the patient's CT simulation.
[020] CT stimulation images are transferred to the treatment planning system (TPS) for treatment planning. Using different treatment techniques as 3DCRT, IMRT and VMAT are used for the treatment of carcinoma of breast.
[021] In each technique different beam angles or arcs are used which covers the planning target volume of breast. The beam covers some volume of opposite breast, ipsi-lateral lung and heart. Using advanced (DIBH or gating) techniques this volume can be reduced.
[022] Even using the advanced techniques the shape and size of breast is tough to manage in same position in each fraction. The movement causes mismatch of the target volume and results in under dosing of tumor.
[023] To find the solution for breast position simulation each day a radiation brassiere is thought to be designed in such a way that it could comfortably wear by the patient without any difficulty and the breast (target volume) can be immobilize easily in same position each day and the opposite breast can be make away from the treatment beam.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:
[024] Reference will be made to embodiments of the invention, examples of which may be illustrated in accompanying figures. These figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Although the invention is generally described in the context of these embodiments, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these particular embodiments.
[025] Fig 1. Beam arrangement in Left breast case in 3DCRT;
[026] Fig 2. Beam arrangement in Left breast case in VMAT showing the heart and lung volume that comes inside the beam;
[027] Fig 3. Showing difference in PTV margin for Mastectomy case of carcinoma left breast in CT scan image (A) and during treatment CBCT images (B). [PTV: Blue line]; and
[028] Fig 4. Shows brassier of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:
[029] While the present invention is described herein by way of example using embodiments and illustrative drawings, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the embodiments of drawing or drawings described and are not intended to represent the scale of the various components. Further, some components that may form a part of the invention may not be illustrated in certain figures, for ease of illustration, and such omissions do not limit the embodiments outlined in any way. It should be understood that the drawings and the detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.
[030] As used throughout this description, the word "may" is used in a permissive sense (i.e. meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense, (i.e. meaning must). Further, the words "a" or "an" mean "at least one" and the word "plurality" means "one or more" unless otherwise mentioned. Furthermore, the terminology and phraseology used herein are solely used for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as limiting in scope. Language such as "including," "comprising," "having," "containing," or "involving," and variations thereof, is intended to be broad and encompass the subject matter listed thereafter, equivalents, and additional subject matter not recited, and is not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers, or steps. Likewise, the term "comprising" is considered synonymous with the terms "including" or "containing" for applicable legal purposes. Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles, and the like are included in the specification solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not suggested or represented that any or all these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention.
[031] In this disclosure, whenever a composition or an element or a group of elements is preceded with the transitional phrase "comprising", it is understood that we also contemplate the same composition, element, or group of elements with transitional phrases "consisting of", "consisting", "selected from the group of consisting of, "including", or "is" preceding the recitation of the composition, element or group of elements and vice versa.
[032] The present invention is described hereinafter by various embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein reference numerals used in the accompanying drawing correspond to the like elements throughout the description. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, the embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the following detailed description, numeric values and ranges are provided for various aspects of the implementations described. These values and ranges are to be treated as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. In addition, several materials are identified as suitable for various facets of the implementations. These materials are to be treated as exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
[033] The present invention provides an adjustable radiation brassiere.
[034] Radiotherapy plays major role in the treatment of carcinoma of breast patient. Before starting the radiation therapy each patient should go through simulation process which is required to be reproduced daily for each fraction consistently throughout his/her treatment.
[035] Simulation is the mock-up process of treatment delivery. Patient is immobilized with the help of immobilizing devices to make sure minimum moments while positioning the patient on the treatment couch and treatment delivery.
[036] For carcinoma of breast patients especially the patients underwent for breast conservative surgery (BCS) have the following problems -
[037] Management of pendulous breast - Breast is a pendulous movable organ. For BCS patients, it is hard to manage the movement of breast in each fraction. Thermoplastic cast is used for immobilization but the breathing motion of the patient, hand and neck position can't be managed alone with it. Thermoplastic cast in breast cases were used in three dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), even in IMRT and VMAT for some year ago but today we are dealing with advanced technique named deep inspiration breath hold technique (DIBH) or respiratory gating in which patient breathing motion is managed by the respiratory gating system with the advanced immobilization unit called VACLOCK.
[038] Position of hand and neck while simulation- Due to the surgery the flexibility of hand movement of patient is impacted and in some cases it can't be extended as desired. The neck bending direction also a challenge to re-simulate in each fraction. Extended thermoplastic cast with new breast boards for hand and neck positioning are available in the market but each patient can't be comfortable with it and again breathing motion and deep inspiration breath hold or respiratory gating (DIBH) technique can't be used with it.
[039] Management of thoracic breathing motion DIBH technique- In DIBH technique the patient is lie down on the immobilization device called VAC-LOCK filled with small styro foam balls inside. The patient is positioned carefully upon the bag and patient's body is given the shape. Being assured for the position of the patient with the help of vacuum pump the air is sucked and the vacuum bag takes the form of the patient body. While taking the CT simulation a tracker is placed to observe the breathing pattern and this breathing pattern is attached with the patient's CT simulation.
[040] CT stimulation images are transferred to the treatment planning system (TPS) for treatment planning. Using different treatment techniques as 3DCRT, IMRT and VMAT are used for the treatment of carcinoma of breast.
[041] In each technique different beam angles or arcs are used which covers the planning target volume of breast. The beam covers some volume of opposite breast, ipsi-lateral lung and heart. Using advanced (DIBH or gating) techniques this volume can be reduced.
[042] Even using the advanced techniques the shape and size of breast is tough to manage in same position in each fraction. The movement causes mismatch of the target volume and results in under dosing of tumor.
[043] To find the solution for breast position simulation each day a radiation brassiere is thought to be designed in such a way that it could comfortably wear by the patient without any difficulty and the breast (target volume) can be immobilize easily in same position each day and the opposite breast can be make away from the treatment beam.
[044] The disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein.
[045] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully revealed the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the scope of the embodiments as described herein.
, Claims:1) An adjustable radiation brassiere for immobilizing a patient's breast during radiotherapy, the brassiere comprising:
- a supportive base structure conforming to the shape of the patient's thoracic region;
- adjustable breast cups designed to securely encase each breast and maintain a consistent position relative to the thoracic region;
- at least one adjustable strap mechanism configured to align the brassiere with patient-specific anatomical features, enabling consistent placement during each fraction of radiotherapy;
- a radiation-opaque or radiation-shielding material integrated into the brassiere to minimize unintended exposure of the contralateral breast;
- an attachment mechanism to securely fasten the brassiere to immobilization devices used during treatment, ensuring positional stability.
2) The brassiere as claimed in claim 1, wherein the breast cups further comprise breathable, hypoallergenic materials to enhance patient comfort during extended use.
3) The brassiere as claimed in claim 1, wherein the brassiere further comprising position markers integrated into the surface of the brassiere, wherein the markers are compatible with imaging systems for treatment alignment and verification.
4) The brassiere as claimed in claim 1, wherein the straps are made of elastic materials with locking mechanisms to ensure precise tension and positional reproducibility during treatment fractions.
5) The brassiere as claimed in claim 1, wherein the brassiere includes integrated sensors or trackers to monitor and record breathing patterns during deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) or respiratory gating techniques.
6) The brassiere as claimed in claim 1, wherein the design allows modular attachment of additional immobilization accessories, such as neck and arm supports, to facilitate consistent positioning of the entire upper body.

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