Development of optical process for accessing three-dimensional patient topology.

A commercial optical system developed by Solid Photography, Inc., has been used to generate precise paraffin--polyethylene tissue compensators. A program with the objective of constructing a medical facility has been undertaken to access patient topology for treatment planning, tissue-compensator fabrication, and patient positioning verification on the treatment table. Currently, patients are taken to a specially equipped studio where a series of microprocessor-controlled reticles are projected on the surface to be analyzed and photographs are taken automatically for computer processing. The topology data then drives a machine tool to sculpt the tissue compensators and may be transmitted via acoustic-coupled terminals to a treatment-planning computer at the Medical Center. The tissue compensators have been found to conform accurately to patient contours. At present, data bases can be generated to accommodate volumes of approximately 70,000 cm3.