The radiological department of a local
hospital approached Controlled Motion Dynamics with an unusual
idea. They needed to be able to track tumors on the lungs of
patients while the patients were breathing. Having this data
would allow for more precise radiation treatment applications.
With the existing system the operator would estimate when to
apply the radiation based on spirometer readout (a spirometer is
a device that measures the airflow in and out of a lung). The
operator would watch the spirometer and decide when the lung was
still or at rest and then would apply the treatment. The
radiology department asked CMDI to design and build a device
that would simulate a person’s breathing based on actual
patients’ spirometer files. Lung simulation machines already
exist for anesthesiologist training, but the cost was outside
the budget of the department.
