Real-time 3D imaging to track breathing tumors during radiation
Real-time Volumetric Imaging for Motion Management and Dose Delivery Verification
This project will use real-time 3D imaging to follow tumors that move with breathing so radiation can be aimed more precisely for people receiving high-dose SBRT.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11301850 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
SBRT delivers very high radiation doses to small tumors, so precise targeting is essential, especially when tumors move with respiration. Current approaches often rely on external markers or implanted fiducials and can miss unexpected motion during treatment. This project aims to create in-treatment, markerless volumetric 3D imaging and AI-driven algorithms to directly track anatomy during delivery and enable adaptive motion management like MLC tracking and 4D delivery. The goal is to detect motion changes in real time and adjust dose delivery to keep radiation on target and protect nearby organs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People receiving stereotactic body radiation therapy for tumors that move with breathing (for example in the lung, liver, or upper abdomen) would be the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with immobile tumors (such as many brain or bone tumors) or those receiving conventional fractionated radiation where SBRT is not used are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make high-dose radiation treatments more accurate and safer, reducing exposure to healthy tissue and lowering side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Conventional image-guided radiation and surrogate-based gating have improved accuracy, but fully real-time, markerless volumetric 3D imaging during treatment is relatively novel and still being developed.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Xiaofeng — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Yang, Xiaofeng
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.