| Entries |
| Document | Title | Date |
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| 20080205597 | RADIATION THERAPY APPARATUS - A radiation therapy apparatus has a multi-leaf collimator device having a pair of collimator components which respectively comprise a plurality of leaves arranged close to one another such that the leaves face one another across an irradiation axis, and configured to set a desired irradiation field by individually moving the leaves. One of the collimator components is arranged with an offset with respect to the other collimator component, within a range of a leaf-width. | 08-28-2008 |
| 20080212737 | Techniques For Compensating Movement of a Treatment Target in a Patient - Techniques for improving treatment delivered to a target site in a patient include delivering a treatment from a treatment delivery device to a target site in a patient supported by a patient support structure. During the delivery of treatment, a state of the patient is measured to produce real-time measurement data. Measuring the state is non-invasive; and the measured state is a correlated surrogate for position of the target site. Compensating movement data is determined based on the real-time measurement data to cause the target site to maintain a particular spatial relationship with the treatment delivery device. Either the treatment delivery device, or the support structure, or both, are moved based on the compensating movement data. When the delivery device alone is moved, the correlation between measured state and target site is based on partial least squares applied to pre-treatment measurements of both. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080212738 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the target tissues inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the target tissues within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080219405 | System and method for patient setup for radiotherapy treatment - Positioning an anatomical feature of a patient during repeated radiotherapy treatments, and accounting for variations in that position between treatments allow a patient to be placed in a substantially repeatable orientation with respect to a treatment device. | 09-11-2008 |
| 20080219406 | Method of Accounting for Tumor Motion in Radiotherapy Treatment - A method and apparatus accounting for tumor motion during radiation therapy is provided. The method allows for radiation therapy treatments based on updated radiation therapy plans. For each fractionate radiation treatment that results in an updated radiation treatment, radiation treatment images are acquired, automatically segmented, and then subject to deformable registration to develop updated contours and an updated radiation therapy plan. | 09-11-2008 |
| 20080219407 | Particle therapy system - A particle therapy system is disclosed, including a treatment chamber and a rotatable gantry with a radiation treatment unit, capable of emitting particles at a variety of angles. A movably supported floor is provided in the treatment chamber, capable of being rotated about the same axis as the gantry, and an imaging modality is disposed on a surface of the movably supported floor. The movably supported floor supports the weight of the imaging modality and is configured so that the imaging modality may be placed in a parked position when the gantry is being rotated. The imaging modality may be a C-arm X-ray device positionable by a robot. | 09-11-2008 |
| 20080226029 | Medical device including scanned beam unit for imaging and therapy - A medical device includes a radiation source assembly having at least two radiation sources, where one or more of the radiation sources is adapted to generate an imaging beam for use in visualization of a scene and one or more of the radiation sources is adapted to generate a therapeutic beam for treatment of a medical condition. An optical fiber for directing radiation energy from the radiation source assembly toward a distal end of the medical device in the form of a beam. A reflector that receives the beam from the optical fiber, the reflector configured to direct the beam onto a field-of-view. A receiving system including a detector arranged and configured to receive radiation from the field-of-view to generate a viewable image. The imaging beam and the therapeutic beam are directed to follow a common path from the at least two radiation sources to the reflector. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20080226030 | Methods and Apparatus For the Planning and Delivery of Radiation Treatments - Methods and apparatus are provided for planning and delivering radiation treatments by modalities which involve moving a radiation source along a trajectory relative to a subject while delivering radiation to the subject. In some embodiments the radiation source is moved continuously along the trajectory while in some embodiments the radiation source is moved intermittently. Some embodiments involve the optimization of the radiation delivery plan to meet various optimization goals while meeting a number of constraints. For each of a number of control points along a trajectory, a radiation delivery plan may comprise: a set of motion axes parameters, a set of beam shape parameters and a beam intensity. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20080240348 | Variable Feathering Field Splitting For Intensity Modulated Fields of Large Size - A method and associated system | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080240349 | Radiation Therapy System and Methods For Planning a Radiation Therapy of a Patient, and For Patient Positioning - The present embodiments relate to a device for obtaining image data for planning a radiation therapy of a patient. The device includes a CT gantry and a patient positioning unit. The patient positioning unit is designed in such a way that the patient can be brought in space into any desired body position in which the radiation therapy is also carried out. The CT gantry is arranged in a freely moveable fashion in such a way that imaging for the purpose of radiation therapy planning can be carried out in this body position of the patient. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080240350 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DELIVERING RADIOTHERAPY | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080240351 | FRACTION SEQUENCE CONCEPT FOR RADIATION THERAPY PLANNING - The present invention relates generally to a method of displaying which treatment plan is administered at each fraction of a complete radiotherapy treatment, comprising displaying treatment plans P | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080240352 | Radiation Modulator - A radiation beam modulator for modulating a radiation beam in a radiation system, includes an array of multiple columns of a radiation modulating fluid or liquid and a height adjuster which adjusts the heights of the multiple fluid columns so that the adjusted columns collectively will form a target radiation modulating profile. In a first embodiment, the modulator includes a bundle of capillaries in which the modulating fluid is conveyed to form the columns. An antagonizing fluid is conveyed into an opposite end of the capillaries to lock the modulating fluid in position between adjustments. In a second embodiment, the modulator includes a bath of the modulating fluid, in which bars can be immersed and retracted to generate the target radiation modulating profile. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080240353 | TREATMENT PLANNING SIMULATION AND VERIFICATION SYSTEM - A treatment planning, simulation, and verification system is described. According to one embodiment, a treatment plan and a fluoroscopy data image of a treatment volume are received and the treatment plan is automatically adjusted based on the movement of the fluoroscopy data image. According another embodiment, a system includes a treatment planning component to generate a treatment plan and a simulation component to simulate the execution of the treatment plan. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080247510 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOSURGERY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the target tissues inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the target tissues within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, an eye is held with force and in alignment with the system. In some embodiments, the device automatically turns off with excessive movement outside of alignment along an axis of the eye. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20080253518 | Reducing Variation in Radiation Treatment Therapy Planning - A method and apparatus are disclosed that reduces variation in radiation therapy treatment planning among plurality of users within the same or different geographic locations. The system includes a method and an apparatus that provide users with the knowledge information and utilizing the knowledge information to contour target volumes for radiation treatment planning. The mode of operation includes utilizing a stand-alone workstation or a server computer connected to the plurality of thin client workstations. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20080253519 | Automatic Control of a Medical Device - System and method for automatic control of processes or application, such as the activation or deactivation of a radiation source for medical purposes. The system comprises an operator tracking system arranged to determine the gesture/posture of a user, an evaluation device arranged to evaluate the determined gesture/posture, and an enabling device arranged to enable and disable the radiation source in response to an output of the evaluation device. The operator tracking system may use a gazing direction analysis that may be based on the output of an eye tracking system, or an emitter-receiver arrangement for a directed signal. | 10-16-2008 |
| 20080260098 | AREAL MODULATOR FOR INTENSITY MODULATED RADIATION THERAPY - A modulator for radiation therapy provides modulation of an area beam to decrease treatment time. Separate channels passing modulated “beamlets” are possible by spacing the channels such that spreading of the beams and multiple angles of treatment eliminate cold spots. The space between the channels allows well-defined channel walls and space for modulator mechanisms. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080260099 | DEVICE FOR EXPOSURE FIELD MONITORING IN A RADIATION THERAPY APPARATUS - In a device for exposure field monitoring of a therapeutic radiation exposure field with diagnostic x-ray image quality with the same or nearly the same projection as in therapeutic radiation, the focal spot from which the diagnostic radiation emanates is designed to cause the diagnostic radiation to penetrate the patient in the same or nearly the same projection as the therapeutic radiation located at the target of the radiation therapy apparatus or in close proximity thereto. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080267351 | Radio-Therapeutic Treatment Planning Incorporating Functional Imaging Information - A radiation therapy planning procedure and device provides a model-based segmentation of co-registered anatomical and functional imaging information to provide a more precise radiation therapy plan. The biology-based segmentation models the imaging information to produce a parametric map, which is then clustered into regions of similar radiation sensitivity or other biological parameters relevant for treatment definition. Each clustered region is prescribed its own radiation prescription dose. | 10-30-2008 |
| 20080267352 | Radiotherapy system for performing radiotherapy with presice irradiation - A radiotherapy system includes: a waveguide, an adjustable waveguide, and a non-reciprocal circuit element. The waveguide transmits a high-frequency wave from a high-frequency power source to an acceleration tube. The adjustable waveguide is included in said waveguide and transforms a part of said waveguide. The non-reciprocal circuit element is provided between said acceleration tube and said adjustable waveguide in said waveguide. Said acceleration tube accelerates charged particles for generating therapeutic radiation by using said high-frequency wave. | 10-30-2008 |
| 20080273659 | Radiation systems - A radiation system includes a first ring, a radiation source capable of providing radiation suitable for treating a patient, the radiation source secured to the first ring, a second ring located behind the first ring, and an imager secured to the second ring. A radiation system includes a first device having a radiation source capable of generating a radiation beam suitable for treating a patient, and a second device having imaging capability, wherein the first device is oriented at an angle that is less than 180° relative to the second device. A radiation system includes a structure having a first opening, a radiation source rotatably coupled to the structure, an imaging device rotatable relative to the structure, and a processor for controlling a rotation of the radiation source and a rotation of the imaging device, wherein the radiation source is rotatable relative to the imaging device. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080273660 | Compositions and Methods for Modulating DNA Repair - Compositions and methods for modulating a DNA repair process in vivo or in vitro are provided. One aspect of the disclosure provides a pharmaceutical composition including a DNA repair modulator. The DNA repair modulator includes, but is not limited to, compositions such as polypeptides, for example antibodies; modified polypeptides; and branched or unbranched aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, substituted aliphatic, aromatic hydrocarbons, or heterocyclic carbon-based compounds that associate with a DNA repair polypeptide, for example, DNA-PKcs. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080292052 | Methods for Assisting Recovery of Damaged Brain and Spinal Cord and Treating Various Diseases Using Arrays of X-Ray Microplanar Beams - A method of assisting recovery of an injury site of the central nervous system (CNS) or treating a disease includes providing a therapeutic dose of X-ray radiation to a target volume through an array of parallel microplanar beams. The dose to treat CNS injury temporarily removes regeneration inhibitors from the irradiated site. Substantially unirradiated cells surviving between beams migrate to the in-beam portion and assist recovery. The dose may be staggered in fractions over sessions using angle-variable intersecting microbeam arrays (AVIMA). Additional doses are administered by varying the orientation of the beams. The method is enhanced by injecting stem cells into the injury site. One array or the AVIMA method is applied to ablate selected cells in a target volume associated with disease for palliative or curative effect. Atrial fibrillation is treated by irradiating the atrial wall to destroy myocardial cells while continuously rotating the subject. | 11-27-2008 |
| 20080292053 | IRRADIATION TREATMENT APPARATUS AND METHOD - The present disclosure provides an irradiation treatment apparatus having a generally vertical patient support surface, a patient securing mechanism arranged to secure a patient in a fixed relation to the patient support surface; a rotation platform secured at one end of the patient support surface and arranged to rotate the patient support surface about a generally vertical axis and optionally translate the patient support surface at least partially about a plane generally orthogonal to the generally vertical axis; an imager exhibiting a first mode in which the imager occlude radiation from a fixed beam irradiation source and a second mode in which the imager enables irradiation from the fixed beam irradiation source; and a vertical translation mechanism in communication with the patient support surface and arranged to translate the patient support surface along the generally vertical axis from a loading position to an irradiation position. | 11-27-2008 |
| 20080298548 | Device for X-Ray Brachytherapy, and Method for Positioning a Probe Introduced Into a Body for X-Ray Brachytherapy - In a method and device for x-ray brachytherapy, a probe is inserted into and moved within a living subject, the probe having a distal end, an x-ray source carried by said probe at said distal end that irradiates an x-ray beam into an exposure area outside of the probe, a mark generator carried by said probe at said distal end that generates a mark that identifies at least a portion of said exposure area, and an optical observation system, having an optical detector carried at said distal of said probe, that generates an optical image of said at least one part of said exposure area that is identified by said marking, the marking being visible in said optical image. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20080298549 | Web-Based Expert System for Educational Therapy Planning - The invention consists of an expert system supporting non-experts in their capacity to develop, implement, monitor and evolve therapy plans. Therapy plans in this application are educational and non-medical. The purpose of the therapy plan is to guide the caregiver or therapist in what to do for a client and how to do it. The client is a person with a previously diagnosed condition (psychological, cognitive, or physical) which responds to a teaching process. The plans are developed based on expert system analysis of user input. This analysis is reflective of decision making processes in the fields of both special needs education and rehabilitative medicine, including speech language pathology, psychology, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20080298550 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR THE PLANNING AND DELIVERY OF RADIATION TREATMENTS - Methods and apparatus are provided for planning and delivering radiation treatments by modalities which involve moving a radiation source along a trajectory relative to a subject while delivering radiation to the subject. In some embodiments the radiation source is moved continuously along the trajectory while in some embodiments the radiation source is moved intermittently. Some embodiments involve the optimization of the radiation delivery plan to meet various optimization goals while meeting a number of constraints. For each of a number of control points along a trajectory, a radiation delivery plan may comprise: a set of motion axes parameters, a set of beam shape parameters and a beam intensity. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20080304623 | CONTROL UNIT AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A RADIATION THERAPY SYSTEM, AND RADIATION THERAPY SYSTEM - A control system for controlling a radiation therapy system is provided. The control system includes a sensor operable to measure a pressure in the interior of a body; and a control unit operable to output a control signal for a beam interruption unit as a function of a pressure status in the interior of the body. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080310590 | AUTOMATED SOFTWARE SYSTEM FOR BEAM ANGLE SELECTION IN TELETHERAPY - A novel approach to generating radiation treatment plans through a nested partitions framework provides an optimization of radiation delivery. The nested partitions approach couples beam angle selection and dose optimization to solve treatment planning problems. An optimal beam angle selection is provided to best treat tumors, while minimizing exposure to the surrounding healthy tissues. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20080317203 | Method and Apparatus for Applying Radiotherapy - A method for positioning a body, such as a living body, includes: measuring a location of a plurality of positioning items; and determining from reference locations of the positioning items and the measured locations if at least one of the positioning items moved with respect to at least another one. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20080317204 | Radiation treatment planning and delivery for moving targets in the heart - Method and systems are disclosed for radiating a moving target inside a heart. The method includes acquiring sequential volumetric representations of an area of the heart and defining a target tissue region and/or a radiation sensitive structure region in 3D for a first of the representations. The target tissue region and/or radiation sensitive structure region are identified for another of the representations by an analysis of the area of the heart from the first representation and the other representation. Radiation beams to the target tissue region are fired in response to the identified target tissue region and/or radiation sensitive structure region from the other representation. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090003522 | Method for radiation therapy delivery at varying source to target distances - A method for providing radiation therapy to target tissue in a patient provides for adjustment of the vertical position of the patient couch to account for errors introduced by the weight supported by the couch at its desired positions for treatment. The method further contemplates determining the initial location of the center of the target tissue with respect to the immobilization frame supporting the patient, to eliminate errors introduced by collateral position sensing equipment. The method is particularly suited for extended distance treatments wherein, in one embodiment, a tare is established based on the actual isocenter of the gantry and then a subsequent adjustment of couch position is made with respect to movement of the couch to position the target tissue at the virtual isocenter. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090003523 | Non-collocated imaging and treatment in image-guided radiation treatment systems - An image-guided radiation treatment system includes a robotic positioning system and a tracking system that enables a radiation target to be imaged and aligned at one location and treated at another location by transferring positional data from the imaging system to the positioning system and the radiation treatment system. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090003524 | STACKED CONFORMATION RADIOTHERAPY SYSTEM AND PARTICLE BEAM THERAPY APPARATUS EMPLOYING THE SAME - A stacked conformation radiotherapy system capable of homogenizing a radiation dose distribution, including an irradiation head and irradiation control means. The irradiation head projects a particle beam accelerated by an accelerator, toward an object to-be-irradiated, and it includes wobbler electromagnets for deflecting and scanning the particle beam. In carrying out stacked conformation radiotherapy by deflecting and scanning the particle beam, the irradiation control means subjects the wobbler electromagnets to magnetization controls so that the particle beam may depict a one-stroke revolving orbit which begins with a start point and returns to the start point, and it performs a control so that the irradiation period of the particle beam to be outputted from the irradiation head may become integral times a wobbler cycle which is required for the particle beam to make one revolution of the revolving orbit. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090003525 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOSURGERY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the target tissues inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the target tissues within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, an eye is held with force and in alignment with the system. In some embodiments, the device automatically turns off with excessive movement outside of alignment along an axis of the eye. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090022274 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOSURGERY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the target tissues inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the target tissues within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, an eye is held with force and in alignment with the system. In some embodiments, the device automatically turns off with excessive movement outside of alignment along an axis of the eye. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090041188 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FOUR DIMENSIONAL INTENSITY MODULATED RADIATION THERAPY FOR MOTION COMPENSATED TREATMENTS - A deliverable four dimensional (4D) intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning method is disclosed, for delivery using a linear accelerator with a dynamic multi-leaf collimator (DMLC). A 4D computed tomography (CT) scan is used for segmenting tumor anatomy on a reference phase of periodic motion of the tumor. Deformable registration of the 4D CT data is used to generate corresponding anatomical structures on other phases. Preferably, the collimator for each beam position is aligned using the gross tumor volume (GTV) centroid motion corresponding to the periodic motion of the tumor, as determined from the two dimensional (2D) projection of a given beam position. A deliverable IMRT plan is created on the 4D CT image set in which the MLC leaf positions and beam on/off status can vary as a function of respiratory phase by solving a four dimensional optimization problem. The mechanical constraints of the MLC leaves are included in the optimization. | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090052623 | Virtual 4D treatment suite - A virtual 4D treatment suite includes a dose calculation module, a gating module, and a dose rate adjustment module. The 4D treatment suite may be used to virtually analyze the impact the motion of a target tissue has on therapy for a particular patient and a proposed treatment plan. For example, for a proposed treatment plan, the dose calculation module may calculate a dose that would be received by a target tissue and an associated dose temporal variation based on an identified movement of the target tissue relative to at least a portion of a treatment field. Based on the calculated expected therapy dose and dose temporal variation, the gating module may determine whether to implement a gating technique for the proposed treatment plan and/or the dose rate adjustment module may determine whether to adjust the dose rate of the proposed treatment plan. | 02-26-2009 |
| 20090060130 | Inverse Treatment Planning Method - The invention relates to a radiation treatment apparatus and an inverse treatment planning method for intensity modulated particle therapy for the treatment of a target within a biological system using at least two fields, each field comprising a plurality of Bragg peaks, the at least two fields being planned to place a defined number of beam spots j from different directions with certain weights w | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090067576 | Online verification of radiation field, collimator position and/or leakage - A system includes delivery of treatment radiation to a target, acquisition of an image representing the treatment radiation during delivery of the treatment radiation, determination of a position of a leaf of a collimator delivery of the treatment radiation based on the image, and presentation of a notification of an error during delivery of the treatment radiation based on the determined position. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090067577 | PATIENT ALIGNMENT SYSTEM WITH EXTERNAL MEASUREMENT AND OBJECT COORDINATION FOR RADIATION THERAPY SYSTEM - A patient alignment system for a radiation therapy system. The alignment system includes multiple external measurement devices which obtain position measurements of components of the radiation therapy system which are movable and/or are subject to flex or other positional variations. The alignment system employs the external measurements to provide corrective positioning feedback to more precisely register the patient and align them with a radiation beam. The alignment system can be provided as an integral part of a radiation therapy system or can be added as an upgrade to existing radiation therapy systems. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090074140 | RADIOTHERAPY SYSTEM WITH TURNTABLE - A radiotherapy system including a collimator operable to shape and steer a radiation beam in at least one dimension, a turntable for supporting a patient thereupon adapted to rotate the patient about a rotational axis, the patient having a target therein for irradiation by the radiation beam, a detector adapted for measuring a position of the target relative to the radiation beam, and a processor adapted to receive target positional data from the detector, the processor being in communication with the collimator for causing the collimator to steer the radiation beam in a direction to the target. | 03-19-2009 |
| 20090080610 | Radiosurgical Ablation of the Myocardium - The invention provides a non-invasive system and method for treatment of the heart. In a first aspect, a method for treatment of an anatomical site related to arrhythmogenesis of a heart of a patient comprises creating a target shape encompassing the anatomical site, directing particle beam radiation or x-ray radiation from outside the patient toward the target shape wherein one or more doses of radiation ablates the target shape and disregarding at least one orientation of cardiac motion while creating the target shape or directing the particle beam or both. | 03-26-2009 |
| 20090086909 | Radiotherapy Device - The invention involves a rotary focused gamma-ray radiotherapy device. The invention includes a frame, a rotary ring positioned at the frame, and a source carrier and a collimator carrier that can rotate around a rotary axis respectively. The source carrier is equipped inside with multiple radiation sources. The collimator carrier is equipped inside with a corresponding beam channel to the radiation sources, which focus at a shared focus of the rotary axis through the beam channel. The source carrier and the collimator carrier are connected at both ends with the rotary ring and the frame, respectively. The single-layer and double-support structure of the source carrier and the collimator carrier adopted in the invention enlarges the treatment space, lowers manufacturing cost and difficulty, simplifies the mechanical structure, increases support rigidity of the source carrier and the collimator carrier, ensuring long-lasting and steady coaxial rotation of source carrier and collimator carrier, as well as position accuracy of the focusing center in the therapeutic system. Therefore, a precision radiotherapy is realized with improved radiotherapy effect. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090097614 | Radiotherapy Apparatus and parts thereof - A mount for a radiotherapy apparatus comprises a cylindrical bearing surface to allow the mount to be supported in a rotatable manner, a housing extending from the bearing surface and having an extent in a direction along an axis of the cylindrical bearing surface, the mount having an axial through-hole which encompasses the axis of the cylinder, the housing having at least one opening communicating with the through-hole and extending in a direction transverse to the axis of the cylinder. This mount can be used as the basis for a number of different radiotherapy systems. One such system comprises a support having a cylindrical bearing surface on which is mounted the cylindrical bearing surface of such a mount, an arm extending from a side of the mount in a direction in line with the axis of the cylindrical bearing surface, the arm comprising a linear accelerator adapted to emit a beam of therapeutic radiation from an end portion of the arm in a direction transverse to and towards the axis of the cylindrical bearing surface. Another possible system comprises a support having a cylindrical bearing surface on which is mounted the cylindrical bearing surface of such a mount, a source of therapeutic radiation fixed to the mount and adapted to emit a beam transverse to and towards the axis of the cylindrical bearing surface though the at least one opening of the mount. Both systems can further comprise one or more of a source of diagnostic radiation, a detector for diagnostic radiation and a detector for therapeutic radiation. In the former, these can be mounted on retractable arms, so as to be selectively retractable into the mount or extendable alongside the linear accelerator. The latter system can further include a cover around the mount, the cover including a concave region extending into the axial through-hole of the mount. | 04-16-2009 |
| 20090110145 | METHOD FOR ADAPTING FRACTIONATION OF A RADIATION THERAPY DOSE - A system and method of adapting a radiation therapy treatment plan for a patient by varying the fraction size delivered to the patient on any individual day, based at least partially on the use of daily patient registration (i.e., taking images of the patient before each fraction is delivered to see the position and size of the tumor on that day). The fraction size can be dynamically altered based upon the biology of the tumor. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090110146 | HIGHLY SHIELDED RADIATION THERAPY SYSTEM - A shielding system which can be applied to a radiation therapy system and/or diagnostic system includes a scatter shield configured to absorb scattered radiation from a patient, a source shield to absorb unwanted radiation from the radiation source, and an anti-reflective beam dump configured to absorb radiation that is transmitted through a patient. The radiation therapy and/or diagnostic system includes a radiation source positioned in the source shield, and a patient support positioned in the scatter shield. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090116616 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MOTION ADAPTIVE OPTIMIZATION FOR RADIATION THERAPY DELIVERY - A system and method of optimizing delivery of a radiation therapy treatment. The system optimizes treatment delivery in real-time to take into account a variety of factors, such as patient anatomical and physiological changes (e.g., respiration and other movement, etc.), and machine configuration changes (e.g., beam output factors, couch error, leaf error, etc.). | 05-07-2009 |
| 20090129545 | FRAMELESS RADIOSURGERY TREATMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method and apparatus for selectively and accurately localizing and treating a target within a patient are provided. A three dimensional mapping of a region surrounding the target is coupled to a surgical intervention. Two or more diagnostic beams at a known non-zero angle to one another may pass through the mapping region to produce images of projections within the mapping region in order to accurately localize and treat the target wherein the images are captured using one or more image recorders. | 05-21-2009 |
| 20090147916 | REAL-TIME DOSE RECONSTRUCTION USING DYNAMIC SIMULATION AND IMAGE GUIDED ADAPTIVE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiation therapy treatment method comprises imaging a subject and simulating four-dimensional aspects of radiotherapy. A treatment plan based on the simulation is generated to permit real-time, three-dimensional dose reconstruction at the time of treatment. The simulation and treatment plan are used during treatment fractions to achieve real-time image guidance. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090147917 | System and Method for High Resolution Field Shaping - A system and method are provided for a high resolution radiation treatment system which provide for projecting a field of radiation energy at targeted patient tissue. The system uses a multi-leaf collimator, which is positioned such that a significant clearance is provided between the multi-leaf collimator and the isocenter plane where the targeted tissue is located. The leaves of the multi-leaf collimator are designed to provide for high step resolution in the projected radiation energy shape. Additionally, an embodiment of the system and method herein can provide for a high step resolution in the projected radiation energy shape, and for a dose calculation matrix which has matrix units which coincide with the high step resolution in the projected radiation shape. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090154644 | TREATMENT PLANNING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RADIOTHERAPY - A treatment planning method and system for optimizing a treatment plan used to irradiate a treatment volume including a target volume, such as a tumor, is disclosed. According to the method, two dose calculation algorithms are used to develop the optimized treatment plan. A first dose calculation algorithm is used to obtain substantially complete dose calculations and a second, incremental, dose calculation algorithm is used to make more limited calculations. The incremental calculations may be performed, for example, with less precision, less accuracy or less scope (e.g., focused on a specific subvolume within the treatment volume) in order to reduce the time required to achieve an optimized plan. Each of the dose calculation algorithms may be iterated a plurality of times, and different cutoff criteria can be used to limit the number of iterations in a given pass. A treatment planning system of the invention uses software for implementing the complete and incremental dose calculation algorithms. The method and system are especially useful for IMRT and arc therapy where treatment plan optimization is particularly challenging. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090154645 | TELETHERAPY TREATMENT CENTER - A method of teletherapy preparation and treatment comprising: providing at least one treatment area comprising a fixed beam irradiation source; providing a plurality of preparation areas; securing a patient to a patient presentation platform in one of the provided preparation areas; rotating and translating the patient, in the one of the provided preparation areas, to a planned irradiation angle and position in relation to the fixed beam irradiation source of the at least one treatment area; transporting the rotated and translated patient from the one of the provided preparation areas to one of the provided at least one treatment area; and irradiating a target tissue of the rotated and translated patient from the fixed beam radiation source at the planned irradiation angle and position. Preferably, the method further comprises imaging the target tissue in the provided treatment area; and finely adjusting the rotation and translation responsive to the imaging. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090154646 | DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR RADIATION THERAPY - A small tabletop stationary five-degree of freedom device such as a “robot” is used to define the treatment region by tracing the region under direct visualization and then to precisely deliver the treatment plan created by an automatic planning system by positioning a single low energy radiation source, or a plurality of low energy sources connected to each other in a predetermined parallel or similar geometry, each source equipped with blocking and attenuation mechanisms, at a plurality of positions in a planar fashion across or through a selected treatment field, thereby delivering a plurality of parallel overlapping beams indexed on a millimeter or submillimeter grid such that a concentration of dose is achieved at a variable depth in tissue relative to the dose where the radiation first enters the tissue and can be used to treat regions on or below the surface of tissue, in a cavity and underlying region created following a surgical resection, on or below the surface of an internal cavity, hollow viscus, or lumen, or deep in tissue adjacent to an inserted probe or conduit or catheter. By generating a plurality of overlapping beams indexed on a millimeter or submillimeter grid that converge on a target volume loaded with gold nanoparticles, a tumorcidal dose of radiation can be delivered in as little as a single session to tumor cells but not to normal cells within or outside the treatment volume. This approach also makes it possible to deliver serial radiosurgical treatments. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090161826 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ORTHOVOLTAGE OCULAR RADIOTHERAPY AND TREATMENT PLANNING - A method, code and system for planning the treatment a lesion on or adjacent to the retina of an eye of a patient are disclosed. There is first established at least two beam paths along which x-radiation is to be directed at the retinal lesion. Based on the known spectral and intensity characteristics of the beam, a total treatment time for irradiation along each beam paths is determined. From the coordinates of the optic nerve in the aligned eye position, there is determined the extent and duration of eye movement away from the aligned patient-eye position in a direction that moves the patient's optic nerve toward the irradiation beam that will be allowed during treatment, while still maintaining the radiation dose at the patient optic nerve below a predetermined dose level. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090161827 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR DETECTING, CONTROLLING, AND PREDICTING RADIATION DELIVERY - Embodiments provide method and systems for determining alignment of a patient's body part, such as an eye, in an external coordinate system of a treatment or diagnostic device, such as a radiotherapy device, so as to define a reference axis for guiding device operation. Additional embodiments provide image-based methods and systems for aligning, tracking and monitoring motion of a body part and a treatment target in relation to a radiation beam axis. Particular ophthalmic embodiments provide method and systems including an eye-contact guide device and imaging system for aligning and tracking motion of an eye and ocular treatment target in relation to an orthovoltage X-ray beam axis, so as to monitor application of radiation to a lesion, such as a macular lesion of the retina. Particular methods for controlling radiation in response to motion of the target during treatment are described, such as algorithms for gating or interrupting radiation emission, both to ensure treatment goals and to avoid exposure to sensitive structures. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090168960 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR POSITIONING A TARGET VOLUME IN A RADIATION THERAPY APPARATUS - Device for positioning a target volume ( | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090168961 | Radiotherapy system - The invention relates to a radiotherapy system for directing a treatment beam onto an isocenter ( | 07-02-2009 |
| 20090175414 | MOBILE RADIATION THERAPY - A mobile radiation therapy apparatus includes a vehicle cabin including driving controls for the vehicle cabin. A patient treatment compartment is rigidly attached to the vehicle cabin. A high dose rate radiation source configured to emit radiation is disposed within the patient treatment compartment. A patient treatment table is disposed within the patient treatment compartment and in proximity to the radiation source. A radiation shield is disposed around the patient treatment table, the radiation shield including a plurality of radiation shield sections rigidly attached to the patient treatment compartment and configured to substantially impede the radiation emitted from the radiation source. | 07-09-2009 |
| 20090180589 | CARDIAC TARGET TRACKING - Systems and methods for tracking cardiac targets are disclosed. The cardiac targets may be tracked dynamically. The process may include registering a cardiac target at different phases of a cardiac cycle. Movement of the cardiac target can be determined by correlating respiratory motion and cardiac pumping motion. Radiation treatment can then be delivered to the cardiac target taking into account the movement of the cardiac target. | 07-16-2009 |
| 20090202040 | Apparatus for the Production of Electron Beams and X-Ray Beams for Interstitial and Intra-Operatory Radiation Therapy - Apparatus for the production of electron beams and of X-ray beams for interstitial and intra-operatory radiation therapy, characterized in that it comprises:—as a pulsed source of electrons, a head ( | 08-13-2009 |
| 20090213990 | X-ray apparatus - An investigative X-ray apparatus comprises a source of X-rays emitting a cone beam centred on a beam axis, a collimator to limit the extent of the beam, and a two-dimensional detector, the apparatus being mounted on a support which is rotatable about a rotation axis, the collimator having a first state in which the collimated beam is directed towards the rotation axis and the second state in which the collimated beam is offset from the rotation axis, the two-dimensional detector being movable accordingly, the beam axis being offset from the rotation axis by a lesser amount than the collimated beam in the second state. The X-ray source is no longer directed towards the isocentre as would normally be the case; the X-ray source is not orthogonal to the collimators. This is advantageous in that the entire field of the X-ray tube can be utilised. As a result, a lesser field is required of the X-ray tube and the choice of tube designs and capacities can be widened so as to optimise the performance of the X-ray tube in other aspects. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090213991 | Radiotherapeutic apparatus - A radiotherapeutic apparatus comprises a source able to emit a beam of therapeutic radiation along a beam axis, a multi-leaf collimator arranged to collimate the beam to a desired shape, wherein the source is rotateable about a rotation axis that is substantially orthogonal and intersects with the beam axis thereby to describe an arc around that axis, and further comprises a control means able to control the dose/time rate of the source, the rotation speed of the source, and the multi-leaf collimator position. The control means is arranged to receive a treatment plan in which the arc is divided into a plurality of notional arc-segments, and specifying the total dose for the arc-segment and a start and end MLC position. It then controls the source in accordance with that plan over an first arc-segment such that at least one of the rotation speed and dose rate are constant and the multi-leaf collimator changes shape, and a second arc segment such that at least one of the rotation speed and dose rate are constant at a level different to the constant level adopted during the first arc-segment. It achieves this by calculating the total time required for the arc segment for a plurality of factors including an MLC leaf movement from a prescribed position at the start of the arc-segment to a prescribed position at the end of the arc-segment, at a maximum leaf speed, rotation of the source from the start to the end of the arc-segment at a maximum source rotation speed, delivery of the dose at a maximum dose rate per time, selecting the factor dictating the longest time, and controlling the apparatus so that the selected factor operates at its respective maximum and the remaining factors are operated at a reduced rate selected to match that longest time. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090220046 | COLLIMATOR DEVICE FOR RADIOTHERAPY AND RADIOTHERAPY APPARATUS USING THE SAME - Provided is a collimator device for radiotherapy including: a body including a first through unit and disposed on a path of high energy radiation which in use is irradiated toward a patient's treatment part; a frame including a through hole corresponding to the first through unit and slidably installed in the body; a plurality of multi-leaf collimators (MLCs) slidably installed in the through hole and including radiation shields; a servo motor coupled to the body and the frame in a power manner so as to slidingly move the frame with respect to the body; and a motor controller externally receiving position displacement data regarding a motion of the patient's treatment part due to a patient's breathing and generating a signal for controlling the driving of the servo motor so that the MLCs follow the patient's treatment part and continuously apply radiation to the patient's treatment part based on the position displacement data. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20090238338 | RADIOTHERAPEUTIC APPARATUS - A reference phantom includes CT-imageable detail together with light-reflective spheres. This item can be placed on a patient table in a known location, following which the diagnostic source can be activated to detect the phantom position relative to the isocentre and camera employed to detect the PSS position. A synthetic image of the phantom can be used for comparison with the CT dataset. This allows improved correlation of the source and the patient support, enable further steps to be taken in enhancing the clinical effectiveness of the apparatus. In-use variations of the isocentre location can be corrected in real time by adjustment of the patient support. Thus, as the isocentre moves, the patient can be moved so as to track the moving isocentre. The linac arm could also be designed differently, as the existing design constraint (that isocentre movement must be limited as far as possible) could potentially be relaxed in order to achieve other aims. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090252290 | IN BORE CT LOCALIZATION MARKING LASERS - A diagnostic imaging system includes a stationary gantry ( | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090252291 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MOTION ADAPTIVE OPTIMIZATION FOR RADIATION THERAPY DELIVERY - A system and method of optimizing delivery of a radiation therapy treatment. The system optimizes treatment delivery in real-time to take into account a variety of factors, such as patient anatomical and physiological changes (e.g., respiration and other movement, etc.), and machine configuration changes (e.g., beam output factors, couch error, leaf error, etc.). | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090252292 | RADIATION THERAPY PLAN DOSE PERTURBATION SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method of determining a patient dose during or prior to therapy from an external radiation beam includes determining a dose distribution from a patient plan as delivered in a QA phantom at each appropriate beam angle and comparing the dose distribution determined from measurements or calculations to a corresponding treatment planning system (TPS) dose modeled distribution in the QA phantom and providing a correction distribution when applied to the TPS dose modeled distribution results in the dose distribution determined. The correction distribution may optionally be interpolated to non-measured points for each beam angle and geometrically projected toward the source of radiation through a volume that equals a dose volume of the TPS for a patient beam for each beam angle. The correction distribution is applied to the TPS patient dose volume for each beam angle for providing a corrected dose distribution in the patient. | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090252293 | Mobile radiation therapy - The invention provides techniques for diagnosing medical conditions and providing appropriate treatment at a patient's home residence. A mobile x-ray team can be dispatched to the patient's home residence. A technical team reviews patient data to determine a proper therapy plan. A mobile radiation therapy apparatus is dispatched to the patient's home as required by the therapy plan. The mobile radiation therapy apparatus includes a radiation source and shielding, and is capable of superficial radiation therapy and/or High Dose Rate (HDR) implant therapy. For HDR therapy, the mobile radiation therapy apparatus itself is a specialized radiation vault which the patient will enter. The technical team adjusts the therapy plan based on the additional analysis, and the mobile radiation therapy apparatus is dispatched in accordance with adjusted therapy plan. | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090257557 | Radiation Treatment Planning and Delivery for Moving Targets in the Heart - Method and systems are disclosed for radiating a moving target inside a heart. The method includes acquiring sequential volumetric representations of an area of the heart and defining a target tissue region and/or a radiation sensitive structure region in 3D for a first of the representations. The target tissue region and/or radiation sensitive structure region are identified for another of the representations by an analysis of the area of the heart from the first representation and the other representation. Radiation beams to the target tissue region are fired in response to the identified target tissue region and/or radiation sensitive structure region from the other representation. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090262894 | Medical Imaging Processing and Care Planning System - A system automatically compares radiotherapy 3D X-Ray images and subsequent images for update and re-planning of treatment and for verification of correct patient and image association. A medical radiation therapy system and workflow includes a task processor for providing task management data for initiating image comparison tasks prior to performing a session of radiotherapy. An image comparator, coupled to the task processor, in response to the task management data, compares a first image of an anatomical portion of a particular patient used for planning radiotherapy for the particular patient, with a second image of the anatomical portion of the particular patient obtained on a subsequent date, by image alignment and comparison of image element representative data of aligned first and second images to determine an image difference representative remainder value and determines whether the image difference representative remainder value exceeds a first predetermined threshold. An output processor, coupled to the image comparator, initiates generation of an alert message indicating a need to review planned radiotherapy treatment for communication to a user in response to a determination the image difference representative remainder value exceeds a predetermined threshold. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090268870 | Mobile radiation treatment vehicle and method - A mobile radiation treatment vehicle is disclosed including, a patient treatment compartment having at least one radiation shield member, the at least one radiation shield member positioned to prevent at least a portion of radiation emitted from a treatment device from passing through an interior of the patient treatment compartment to an outside area, the treatment device capable of emitting radiation used in connection with radiation therapy and positioned in the patient treatment compartment, and a shielded partition member positioned in the patient treatment compartment and proximate to the treatment device, the shielded partition member positioned to reduce or prevent exposure to a user from radiation emitted from the treatment device during patient treatment. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090274273 | Irradiation Verification Device for Radiotherapy Installations, and Method for Handling Thereof - The present invention relates to an irradiation verification apparatus ( | 11-05-2009 |
| 20090296885 | TREATMENT OF PATIENT TUMORS BY CHARGED PARTICLE THERAPY - A method of irradiating a target in a subject using charged particle therapy includes the steps of positioning a subject on a supporting device, positioning a delivery device adapted to deliver charged particles, and delivering charged particles to a target in the subject wherein the delivery device rotates around the target during delivery of at least a portion of the charged particles. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20090296886 | DIGITAL TOMOSYNTHESIS IN ROBOTIC STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY - Some embodiments include a support movable with at least four degrees of freedom, a therapeutic radiation source coupled to the support, a plurality of radiation sources disposed in a fixed relationship to each other, the plurality of radiation sources movable in the fixed relationship with at least four degrees of freedom, a detector to acquire a projection image based on radiation emitted from one of the plurality of radiation sources, and a processor to perform digital tomosynthesis on the projection image acquired by the detector and a plurality of other projection images to generate a cross-sectional image representing a plane viewed from a perspective of the therapeutic radiation source. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20090304153 | PATIENT POSITIONING IMAGING DEVICE AND METHOD - The present invention is related to a patient positioning imaging device for positioning a patient in a hadron therapy device provided with a rotatable gantry ( | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090304154 | PRODUCING A RADIATION TREATMENT PLAN - The present embodiments relate to producing a radiation treatment plan. In one embodiment, the method may include specifying a dataset in which an object requiring to be irradiated is represented; determining a target volume requiring to be irradiated within the object; ascertaining a metric identifying a density heterogeneity for a region that will be struck by the planned treatment beam; and determining as a function of the ascertained metric a safety margin for the target volume requiring to be irradiated. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090316858 | TREATMENT PLAN OPTIMIZATION METHOD FOR RADIATION THERAPY - A treatment planning method and system for optimizing a treatment plan used to irradiate a treatment volume including a target volume, such as a tumor, is disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, gradients of a cost function that defines a treatment volume are back projected to a surface of interest. The method and system of preferred embodiments of the present invention calculate the gradients with respect to the dose received by the treatment volume. Machine parameters that are associated with the surface of interest may then be optimized based on the back projected gradients. | 12-24-2009 |
| 20100002836 | Imaging systems for ionising radiation - Flat panel images obtained during concurrent radiotherapy typically suffer from artefacts that relate to the pulses of MV energy. For a radiotherapeutic apparatus comprising a pulsed source of therapeutic radiation, a detector comprising control circuitry, an array of pixel elements, each having a signal output and an ‘enable’ input and being arranged to release a signal via the signal output upon being triggered by the enable input, and an interpreter arranged to receive the signal outputs of the pixel elements, the interpreter having a reset control, there are advantages in the control circuitry being adapted to reset the interpreter after a pulse of therapeutic radiation, prior to enabling at least one pixel of the array. Alternatively, the control circuitry can prompt a plurality of pulses by the pulsed source and then enable a plurality of pixels of the array. In effect, the therapeutic pulses are grouped into a short flurry of pulses. It is therefore preferred that the plurality of pixels comprises substantially all the pixels of the array. | 01-07-2010 |
| 20100002837 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the target tissues inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the target tissues within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 01-07-2010 |
| 20100008467 | Methods and Systems for Guiding Clinical Radiotherapy Setups - Radiation beam parameters are determined by manipulating a tool about a patient in order to determine a desired beam entry point and/or beam angle. In certain embodiments, a visual representation of the beam may be displayed along with images of internal and external anatomical features of the patient, and used to determine couch and/or gantry manipulation parameters to move the patient into a desired position with respect to a treatment delivery device. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100008468 | CHARGED PARTICLE CANCER THERAPY X-RAY METHOD AND APPARATUS - The invention comprises an X-ray method and apparatus used in conjunction with charged particle or proton beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. The system uses an X-ray beam that lies in substantially the same path as a proton beam path of a particle beam cancer therapy system. The system creates an electron beam that strikes an X-ray generation source where the X-ray generation source is located proximate to the proton beam path. By generating the X-rays near the proton beam path, an X-ray path that is essentially the proton beam path is created. Using the generated X-rays, the system collects X-ray images of a localized body tissue region about a cancerous tumor. The generated image is usable for: fine tuning body alignment relative to the proton beam path, to control the proton beam path to accurately and precisely target the tumor, and/or in system verification and validation. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100008469 | ELONGATED LIFETIME X-RAY METHOD AND APPARATUS USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CHARGED PARTICLE CANCER THERAPY SYSTEM - The system uses an X-ray imaging system having an elongated lifetime. Further, the system uses an X-ray beam that lies in substantially the same path as a charged particle beam path of a particle beam cancer therapy system. The system creates an electron beam that strikes an X-ray generation source located proximate to the charged particle beam path. By generating the X-rays near the charged particle beam path, an X-ray path running collinear, in parallel with, and/or substantially in contact with the charged particle beam path is created. The system then collects X-ray images of localized body tissue region about a cancerous tumor. Since, the X-ray path is essentially the charged particle beam path, the generated image is usable for precisely target the tumor with a charged particle beam. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20100014637 | Leading-Edge Cancer Treatment - Kits and methods for the treatment of certain types of cancers, specifically various primary brain cancers. In some embodiments, treatment is directed toward the known areas of cancer cell infiltration and along pathways of likely migration ahead of established areas of cancer cell infiltration. In some embodiments, cancer cells are targeted where they have likely spread, but yet remain undetected. Some embodiments relate to a means of automatically directing radiological analysis along likely pathways of cancer cell migration to precisely determine the extent of detectable cancer spread. In some embodiments, treatments are directed to a predetermined distance along such pathways. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100014638 | IRRADIATION SYSTEM INCLUDING AN ELECTRON-BEAM SCANNER - A property of a treatment beam is controlled during a scanning period. A portion of a region is exposed to an imaging x-ray beam during a scanning period, the imaging x-ray beam being generated by an electron-beam scanner. X-ray radiation from the region is detected, the x-ray radiation representing an attenuation of the imaging x-ray beam caused by the portion of the region. A first image of the portion of the region is generated based on the detected x-ray radiation. A characteristic of the portion of the region is determined from the generated first image. An input derived from the characteristic is generated, the input configured to cause a source of a treatment beam to modify a property of the treatment beam. The source of the treatment beam modifies a property of the treatment beam during the scanning period by providing the input to the source of the treatment beam. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100014639 | NEGATIVE ION SOURCE METHOD AND APPARATUS USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CHARGED PARTICLE CANCER THERAPY SYSTEM - The invention comprises a negative ion source method and apparatus used as part of an ion beam injection system, which is used in conjunction with multi-axis charged particle or proton beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. The negative ion source preferably includes an inlet port for injection of hydrogen gas into a high temperature plasma chamber. In one embodiment, the plasma chamber includes a magnetic material, which provides a magnetic field barrier between the high temperature plasma chamber and a low temperature plasma region on the opposite side of the magnetic field barrier. An extraction pulse is applied to a negative ion extraction electrode to pull the negative ion beam into a negative ion beam path, which proceeds through a first partial vacuum system, through an ion beam focusing system, into the tandem accelerator, and into a synchrotron. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100014640 | NEGATIVE ION BEAM SOURCE VACUUM METHOD AND APPARATUS USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CHARGED PARTICLE CANCER THERAPY SYSTEM - The invention comprises a negative ion beam source vacuum method and apparatus used as part of an ion beam injection system, which is used in conjunction with multi-axis charged particle or proton beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. The negative ion beam source contains a vacuum chamber isolated by a vacuum barrier from the vacuum tube of the synchrotron. The negative ion beam source vacuum system preferably includes: a first pump turbo molecular pump, a large holding volume, and a semi-continuously operating pump. By only pumping ion beam source vacuum chamber and by only semi-continuously operating the ion beam source vacuum based on sensor readings about the holding volume, the lifetime of the semi-continuously operating pump is extended. | 01-21-2010 |
| 20100020931 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPTIMIZATION OF ON-LINE ADAPTIVE RADIATION THERAPY - Methods and systems are disclosed for radiation treatment of a subject involving one or more fractional treatments. A fractional treatment comprises: obtaining fractional image data pertaining to a region of interest of the subject; performing a fractional optimization of a radiation treatment plan to determine optimized values of one or more radiation delivery variables based at least in part on the fractional image data; and delivering a fraction of the radiation treatment plan to the region of interest using the optimized values of the one or more radiation delivery variables as one or more corresponding parameters of the radiation treatment plan. A portion of performing the fractional optimization overlaps temporally with a portion of at least one of: obtaining the fractional image data and delivering the fraction of the radiation treatment plan. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100020932 | TREATMENT-SPEED REGULATED TUMOR-TRACKING - A method for delivering therapeutic radiation during a radiation treatment procedure to a tumor moving within a patient due to physiological activity of the patient includes:
| 01-28-2010 |
| 20100027744 | Image-guided multi-source radiotherapy - A highly compact, high-performance volumetric imaging system is proposed, that is integrated with a multi-source Cobalt-60 gamma irradiator for high throughput, high accuracy and minimally invasive fractioned treatments of intracranial, orbital and head-and-neck targets. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100027745 | CHARGED PARTICLE CANCER THERAPY AND PATIENT POSITIONING METHOD AND APPARATUS - The invention comprises a laying, semi-vertical, or seated patient positioning, alignment, and/or control method and apparatus used in conjunction with multi-axis charged particle or proton beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. Patient positioning constraints are used to maintain the patient in a treatment position, including one or more of: a seat support, a back support, a head support, an arm support, a knee support, and a foot support. One or more of the positioning constraints are movable and/or under computer control for rapid positioning and/or immobilization of the patient. The system optionally uses an X-ray beam that lies in substantially the same path as a proton beam path of a particle beam cancer therapy system. The generated image is usable for: fine tuning body alignment relative to the proton beam path, to control the proton beam path to accurately and precisely target the tumor, and/or in system verification and validation. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100034352 | RADIOTHERAPY APPARATUS AND RADIATION IRRADIATING METHOD - A radiotherapy apparatus includes an acceleration unit configured to generate a charged particle beam. A target is configured to generate a radiation when the charged particle beam is irradiated to the target. A sensor is configured to measure an electric current flowing through the target. A dosimeter is configured to measure a dose of the radiation. A control unit is configured to control the acceleration unit based on the measured electric current and the measured dose. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100040197 | LARGE BORE PET AND HYBRID PET/CT SCANNERS AND RADIATION THERAPY PLANNING USING SAME - An imaging system comprises: a ring of positron emission tomography (PET) detectors; a PET housing at least partially surrounding the ring of PET detectors and defining a patient aperture of at least 80 cm; a coincidence detection processor or circuitry configured to identify substantially simultaneous 511 keV radiation detection events corresponding to electron-positron annihilation events; and a PET reconstruction processor configured to reconstruct into a PET image the identified substantially simultaneous 511 keV radiation detection events based on lines of response defined by the substantially simultaneous 511 keV radiation detection events. Radiation planning utilizing such an imaging system comprises: acquiring PET imaging data for a human subject arranged in a radiation therapy position requiring a patient aperture of at least about 80 cm; reconstructing said imaging data into a PET image encompassing an anatomical region to undergo radiation therapy; and generating a radiation therapy plan based on at least the PET image. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100040198 | Integrated Shaping and Sculpting Unit for Use with Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) Treatment - An apparatus for engagement with a LINAC head of a LINAC machine, the LINAC machine generating radiation for intensity modulated radiation therapy of a cancer patient. The apparatus is a member incorporating separately a beam shaping material and a beam sculpting material. The member typically includes a tray and the tray is designed to fit into or adjacent the head of a LINAC machine. When radiation passes through the tray mounted member, it will be modulated and shaped to conform to the tumor of the cancer patient, which patient is radiated by the modified radiation beam. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100046706 | TREATMENT OPTIMIZATION - A treatment planning and delivery system includes a treatment planner ( | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100054408 | Irradiation Device and Collimator - An irradiation device for radiation treatment and a collimator ( | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100054409 | PATIENT SETUP ERROR EVALUATION AND ERROR MINIMIZING SETUP CORRECTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH RADIOTHERAPY TREATMENT - In some embodiments, a method includes receiving, in a processor, information indicative of (i) a treatment plan defining planned treatment beams, (ii) a patient volume relative to a reference, (iii) ideal intersections of the planned treatment beams with the patient volume at the time the patient is to be treated, (iv) any constraints that prevent achievement of the recommended repositioning using only the patient support, (v) an allowable change to a gantry position from a planned value and an allowable change to a collimator position from a planned value; defining, in the processor, a plurality of alternatives based at least in part on the information indicative of any constraints of the patient support and the information indicative of allowable movement of the gantry and collimator, each alternative defining a modified patient support position and modified beams, each modified beam being based at least in part on a respective one of the planned treatment beams, the change to the position of the gantry for the respective planned treatment beam and the change to the position of the collimator for the respective planned treatment beam; determining, in the processor, for each modified beam of each alternative, an intersection of the patient volume and the modified beam, with the patient volume positioned on the patient support and the patient support having the modified patient support position defined by the alternative; and defining, in the processor, for each alternative, a measure of difference between the ideal intersections and the intersections for the modified beams of the alternative. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100054410 | Trajectory optimization method - A method for determining a radiation treatment plan includes defining a part of a treatment using control points, defining dose calculation points, calculating dose in the dose calculation points, and changing a number of the dose calculation points. A method for determining a radiation treatment plan includes modeling a first part of a treatment plan using a fluence map, and modeling a second part of the treatment plan using a first machine parameter. A method for determining a radiation treatment plan includes determining a plurality of dose calculation points, determining a level of complexity of fluence for one of the plurality of dose calculation points, and converting a fluence map to one or more machine parameters for the one of the plurality of dose calculation points based on the determined level of complexity. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100054411 | Interactive Treatment Plan Optimization for Radiation Therapy - An interactive method for radiation treatment planning is disclosed. The method applies to staged treatment planning algorithms, as used, for example, with arc therapy. It allows the user to hold the optimization algorithm at a stage in order to make adjustments to the objective function before advancing to the next stage. If adjustments are made, the user can revert to an earlier stage and re-run the optimization process using the adjusted objective function. While a hold is imposed, the treatment planning software may continue optimization at the current stage. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100054412 | MOTION ESTIMATION IN TREATMENT PLANNING - An apparatus includes a scanner ( | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100054413 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CALCULATING DOSE UNCERTAINTY - A dose calculation tool operable to generate a variance map that represents a dose uncertainty. The variance map illustrates on a point-by-point basis where high uncertainty in the dose may exist and where low uncertainty in the dose may exist. The dose uncertainty is a result of an error in one or more data parameters related to a delivery parameter or a computational parameter. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100054414 | MEDICAL RADIOTHERAPY ASSEMBLY - The invention relates to a radiotherapy assembly comprising a particle emitter with an exit window for a fixed particle stream and a patient support device comprising a patient couch, which can be brought into an irradiation position that is suitable for irradiating a patient in front of the exit window. An X-ray diagnostic device determines or verifies the position of a tumor that is to be irradiated, said device comprising an X-ray source and a detector, which can be displaced in the area around the patient couch that has been placed in the irradiation position. The assembly permits the location of a tumor to be verified in the irradiation position, thus rendering a relocation of the patient unnecessary. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100061510 | Apparatus and Method to Facilitate Adapting a Radiation Treatment Plan - An existing radiation treatment plan is accessed for a given patient as well as first information (such as automatically generated updated information) regarding at least one physical characteristic as corresponds to the radiation treatment of this patient. One then initiates, prior to receiving second information (such as user input) regarding the first information, an automatic adaptation process to adapt the treatment plan to accommodate the first information. Upon later receiving second information regarding the first information, one then modifies the automatic adaptation process itself to incorporate the second information regarding the first information. | 03-11-2010 |
| 20100061511 | Modulatable Radiation Collimator - The invention specifies a radiation collimator, in particular an x-ray collimator, which can be arranged between a radiation source outputting radiation and an object. The radiation collimator includes absorber channels arranged adjacent to one another which form a two-dimensional collimator aperture in the form of a matrix and a first absorber element arranged in the absorber channel. The first absorber element blocks the radiation in a first position and allows the radiation at least partially through the absorber channel in at least one second position. The first absorber element is rod-shaped and can be moved in the absorber channel by a rotation about its longitudinal axis and/or by a longitudinal and/or transverse displacement from the first into the at least one second position. This is advantageous in that the two-dimensional collimator aperture can be modulated easily, rapidly and with high resolution. | 03-11-2010 |
| 20100067656 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the target tissues inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the target tissues within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilised in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100067657 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the target tissues inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the target tissues within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilised in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100067658 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the target tissues inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the target tissues within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilised in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100074407 | Treatment of lesions or imperfections in skin, near-skin or in other anatomic tissues, including under direct visualization - An apparatus and method for treatment of lesions or imperfections in or near exposed anatomic surfaces using low-level ionizing radiation includes a substantially transparent applicator to administer radiation from an energy source to a surface area with the lesion. The applicator is positioned over the lesion to be treated, a treatment plan is created to achieve the desired therapeutic effect to the lesion, and execution of the treatment plan is executed by the energy source. Verification of the treatment to plan and safety methods are disclosed. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100074408 | DETERMINATION OF A PLANNING VOLUME FOR IRRADIATION OF A BODY - A system for irradiating a predetermined target volume in a body with a particle beam is constructed to direct the particle beam at a multiplicity of target points in the body in succession, in order to produce at each of the target points a predetermined dose distribution. For the system there is determined a planning target volume by first determining, in a fictive homogeneous body, a target volume equivalent to the minimum target volume in the body. The equivalent target volume is extended by a safety margin, in order to determine the planning target volume. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100074409 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING NEURODEGENERATION - A method for treating, preventing and/or reducing neurodegeneration in subjects with neurodegenerative disease, such as those neurodegenerative diseases that affect the eye, including glaucoma, using radiation, such as gamma radiation or X-ray radiation, either alone or together with a bone marrow transfer treatment. The method includes irradiating a targeted area of an animal, such as the eye region, with radiation, either alone or followed by injection with T-cell depleted bone marrow cells. Also a method for screening and/or selecting agents and/or treatment methods for inhibiting, treating and/or reducing neurodegeneration, particularly the neurodegeneration of the eye that occurs as a consequence of glaucoma. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100080354 | SUBTRACTION OF A SEGMENTED ANATOMICAL FEATURE FROM AN ACQUIRED IMAGE - A system, method and apparatus for subtracting a synthetically-generated image, including a segmented anatomical feature, from an acquired image. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100091948 | PATIENT IMMOBILIZATION AND REPOSITIONING METHOD AND APPARATUS USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH CHARGED PARTICLE CANCER THERAPY - This invention relates generally to treatment of solid cancers. More particularly, the invention relates to a computer controlled patient positioning, immobilization, and repositioning method and apparatus used in conjunction with multi-field charged particle cancer therapy coordinated with patient respiration patterns and further in combination with charged particle beam injection, acceleration, extraction, and/or targeting methods and apparatus. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100098214 | Methods and Systems for Treating Breast Cancer Using External Beam Radiation - A radiation apparatus includes a radiation source movable in translational and/or rotational degrees of freedom, and a structure adapted to support a body. The structure is provided with an opening to allow a portion of the body passing through to be exposed to at least a portion of the therapeutic radiation while in use. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100104068 | SEQUENTIAL OPTIMIZATIONS FOR TREATMENT PLANNING - A method and apparatus for radiation treatment planning are described. The method includes receiving a plurality of radiation treatment-planning parameters, and sequentially optimizing the plurality of radiation treatment-planning parameters. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100142677 | DYNAMIC TUMOR RADIATION TREATMENT APPARATUS AND PROGRAM - It is intended to provide a dynamic tumor radiation treatment apparatus and program for detecting the position of a tumor with high accuracy without imposing a burden on the patient, continuously detecting a tumor with high detection efficiency, and effectively irradiating only a malignant tumor with radiation to reduce the radiation exposure dose. A computer functioning by a dynamic tumor radiation treatment program includes gamma ray detecting means | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100142678 | MINIMALLY INVASIVE PARTICLE BEAM CANCER THERAPY APPARATUS - A minimally invasive particle beam cancer therapy apparatus that can be inserted into the body and deliver a particle beam onto a cancer cell generated in the body. The minimally invasive particle beam cancer therapy apparatus may include: a particle beam delivery system delivering a particle beam onto a diseased part formed inside a therapy subject, the particle beam delivery system being partially inserted into the therapy subject when delivering the particle beam; a medical apparatus body shaped like a pipe having a predetermined length and physically connected to the particle beam delivery system, the medical apparatus being partially inserted into the therapy subject in a longitudinal direction along with the particle beam delivery system being partially inserted into the therapy subject to help the insertion of the particle beam delivery system into the therapy subject; and a control system controlling a driving operation of the particle beam delivery system. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100150309 | REAL TIME TREATMENT PARAMETER ALGORITHM FOR MOVING TARGETS - A method of determining a treatment parameter, includes determining an accumulated dose at a target region that undergoes motion, determining an accumulated dose at a critical region, and determining the treatment parameter based on the determined accumulated dose at the target region and the determined accumulated dose at the critical region, wherein the act of determining the treatment parameter is performed during a treatment session. A method of determining a treatment parameter, includes tracking a position of a target, delivering radiation to the target based on the tracked position, and compensating for an inaccuracy of the tracked position by using information regarding a delivered dose to determine a treatment parameter for a next beam delivery. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100166148 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the target tissues inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the target tissues within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilised in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 07-01-2010 |
| 20100172473 | OCULAR RADIOSURGERY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, the ocular structures are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the ocular structures inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the ocular structures within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, the position of the ocular structure is tracked and related to the status of the radiosurgery system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, the structure is an eye and the eye is tracked by the system. In some embodiments, the eye is held in place and in some embodiments, the eye is fixed by the patient. In some embodiments, a fiducial is placed on the eye to aid in positioning. In some embodiments, a reflection off the eye is used to aid in positioning. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 07-08-2010 |
| 20100177870 | TREATMENT PLANNING USING MODULABILITY AND VISIBILITY FACTORS - A method for use in a treatment planning process includes determining a modulability factor, and determining a treatment parameter using the modulability factor. A system for use in a treatment planning process includes a processor, wherein the processor is configured for determining a modulability factor, and determining a treatment parameter using the modulability factor. A method for use in a treatment planning process includes determining a visibility factor, and determining a treatment parameter using the visibility factor. A system for use in a treatment planning process includes a processor, wherein the processor is configured for determining a visibility factor, and determining a treatment parameter using the visibility factor. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100177871 | RADIATION TREATMENT PLANNING AND EXECUTION THAT CONSIDER THE TYPE OF CRITICAL ORGAN - A method for use in a treatment planning process or in a treatment process includes determining a type of critical organ for healthy tissue, and accumulating dose for the healthy tissue based on the type of critical organ. A method for use in a treatment planning process or in a treatment process includes determining a type of critical organ for healthy tissue, and determining a constraint for the healthy tissue, wherein the constraint is determined based on different movement trajectories and the type of critical organ. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100177872 | Method and Device For Online IMRT Verification - A method is provided for monitoring and/or signalling errors of a radiation therapy apparatus during delivery of a radiation treatment to a target, the radiation therapy apparatus being configurable for a given radiation treatment by means of a beam shaping device. The method includes providing a radiation array detector between the beam shaping device and the target, capable of providing a measured detector response of the radiation treatment; determining a predicted detector response for successive times of the radiation treatment; measuring the measured detector response caused by the radiation beams for corresponding successive times of the radiation treatment; performing a comparison between the measured detector response and the corresponding predicted detector response; signalling in a short reaction time, an error when the comparison results in a difference which exceeds a given threshold. The disclosure also relates to a device comprising electronic 2-dimensional detectors, processor device and a main software. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100183120 | Gated Radiation Procedure Using Packages - A method of delivering radiation in a session includes delivering radiation towards a patient using a radiation system, wherein the radiation is delivered based at least in part on a physiological phase or a position of the patient, after the radiation is delivered, changing a configuration of the radiation system, wherein the act of changing the configuration is performed independent of at least one motion of the patient, and delivering additional radiation towards the patient after the configuration of the radiation system is changed, wherein the acts of delivering radiation and the act of changing the configuration are performed in response to a processor executing a treatment plan that prescribes a plurality of packages and a transition, the transition prescribing the act of changing the configuration of the radiation system when no radiation is being delivered by the radiation system. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100183121 | PLANNING SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONFORMAL RADIATION THERAPY - A system and associated methods to determine an optimal radiation beam arrangement are provided. The system includes a computer planning apparatus which includes a treatment plan optimization computer having a memory and an input device in communication with the treatment plan optimization computer to provide user access to control functions of plan optimization software. An image gathering device is in communication with the treatment plan optimization computer through a communications network to provide an image slice of the tumor target volume and the non-target structure volume. The plan optimization software computationally obtains and then optimizes a proposed radiation beam arrangement iteratively based on constraints to form an optimized radiation beam arrangement. A conformal radiation therapy delivery device in communication with the treatment plan optimization computer through the communications network then applies the optimized radiation beam arrangement to the patient. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100189219 | Diagnostic delivery service - Systems, methods, and other modalities are described for (a) obtaining an indication relating to an emission module (which may be dangerous, e.g.) or its user (who may be untrained, e.g.) and for (b) configuring the module or causing an irradiation (for imaging, e.g.) in response to the indication. | 07-29-2010 |
| 20100189220 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZATION OF A RADIATION THERAPY PLAN IN THE PRESENCE OF MOTION - A computer-implemented method for optimizing a radiation treatment plan for a radiotherapy machine providing independently controlled radiation along a plurality of rays j directed toward a patient and configured to account for the effects of patient motion. The method includes generating a probability distribution function quantitatively expressing patient motion, identifying a prescribed total dose D | 07-29-2010 |
| 20100195792 | RADIATION THERAPY DEVICE WITH FREELY CUSTOMIZABLE SOURCE AND IMAGER MOTION TRAJECTORY - Embodiments of the claimed subject matter provide a radiation therapy system for the acquisition of volumetric imaging with advanced trajectories. Embodiments include a device for applying diagnostic and therapeutic radiation to a target volume disposed in a patient subject, wherein volumetric imaging is acquired with advanced trajectories without displacing the patient subject. In one embodiment, a radiation therapy device is provided comprising: a gantry with a radiation source and a plurality of independent robotic arms mounted to the gantry, wherein an X-ray source is attached to an end of one robotic arm; and an imager attached to an end of another second robotic arm. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100195793 | RADIATION THERAPY USING BEAM MODIFIERS PLACED AGAINST A PATIENT'S SKIN - A method for making a beam modifier to be used in radiation therapy includes defining a region of interest in a patient that is to receive radiation, with the region of interest being defined using an anatomy coordinate system format. Radiation treatment parameters are defined for the defined region of interest, and correspond to an initial type beam modifier to be coupled to an output of a radiation device. Design data on a beam modifier to be placed on the skin of the patient is generated, with the design data being based on the defined region of interest and the defined radiation treatment parameters for the defined region of interest. The design data is in the same anatomy coordinate system format as the defined region of interest that is to receive the radiation. The design data is treated as a new region of interest, and the radiation dosage to be applied to the new region of interest is re-calculated while taking into account the beam modifier to be placed on the skin of the patient. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100195794 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, the ocular structures are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the ocular structures inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the ocular structures within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, the position of the ocular structure is tracked and related to the status of the radiosurgery system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, the structure is an eye and the eye is tracked by the system. In some embodiments, the eye is held in place and in some embodiments, the eye is fixed by the patient. In some embodiments, a fiducial is placed on the eye to aid in positioning. In some embodiments, a reflection off the eye is used to aid in positioning. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100202588 | RADIOTHERAPY APPARATUS CONTROLLER AND IRRADIATION METHOD - A radiotherapy apparatus controller includes: a portal image taking unit; a gantry position collector; a marker position calculator; and a marker position table generator. The portal image taking unit takes a first transmission image, in which a marker member positioned at a predetermined position is shown, by using therapeutic radiation and an imager. The gantry position collector collects a first gantry position at which a gantry is positioned when the first transmission image is taken from a sensor measuring a position at which the gantry is positioned, the gantry supporting the imager and a therapeutic radiation radiating device which radiates the therapeutic radiation. The marker position calculator calculates a first marker position at which the marker member is shown in the first transmission image. The marker position table generator updates a marker position table, which correlates a plurality of gantry positions with a plurality of marker positions, so that the first gantry position corresponds to the first marker position. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100208867 | APPARATUS AND METHOD TO FACILITATE GENERATING A TREATMENT PLAN FOR IRRADIATING A PATIENT'S TREATMENT VOLUME - One provides ( | 08-19-2010 |
| 20100215147 | Method and Device For IMRT Verification - The present invention relates to a method and device for verification of the quality of a radiation beam in conformal radiation therapy, and in particular for IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) applications. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100232572 | USE OF PLANNING ATLAS IN RADIATION THERAPY - A method for determining a radiation treatment plan for a patient includes determining a reference plan, the reference plan including information regarding a reference region that has a different configuration from that of a region in the patient, and using the reference plan to determine the treatment plan for the patient. A method for use in a treatment planning process includes determining a reference plan that includes information regarding a reference region, determining a deformation field that registers the reference region in the reference plan with a region for a patient, and determining a result of using the reference plan as it applies for the patient. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100239066 | Configurations for integrated MRI-linear accelerators - The present invention provides a radiotherapy treatment apparatus that includes a treatment beam, a magnetic field disposed parallel collinear to the treatment beam, and a target that is disposed along the treatment beam. The treatment beam can be a charged particle beam, a proton beam, an electron beam, or a linear accelerator (Linac) beam. The magnetic field is from a magnetic resonance imager (MRI), a megavolt x-ray imager, or a kilovolt x-ray imager and is disposed to operate in coordination with operation of the treatment beam and to narrow the beam. The tumor is disposed to rotate with respect to the treatment beam and the magnetic field, or the treatment beam and the magnetic field are disposed to rotate up to 360° with respect to the target when mounted to a ring gantry. The apparatus can include a rotation angle dependent shim disposed to account for Earth's magnetic field. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100239067 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOSURGERY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the target tissues inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the target tissues within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, an eye is held with force and in alignment with the system. In some embodiments, the device automatically turns off with excessive movement outside of alignment along an axis of the eye. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100246766 | MINIATURE X-RAY SOURCE DEVICE FOR EFFECTING RADIATION THERAPY - A miniature X-ray source device for effecting radiation therapy at least comprising a vacuum tube containing a cathode and an anode spaced apart at some distance from each other; emitting means for emitting free electrons from the cathode; electric field generating means for applying during use a high-voltage electric field between the cathode and the anode for accelerating the emitted free electrons towards the anode, as well as an exit window for X-ray radiation being generating at the anode. The present invention provides an improved miniature X-ray source device, that can also properly be used in treating skin cancer and which is easy to handle. The anode is provided with a flat X-ray emitting surface. In particular, the cathode exhibits a concave shaped surface having a center part surrounded by an upright circumferential edge, wherein the center part of the concave shaped surface is provided with an electron emitting material. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100246767 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR X-RAY TREATMENT - An X-ray treatment apparatus comprises a low energy X-ray generator for detecting a marker, a marker sensor detecting a position of the marker fixed in the patient to a couch, and both low energy X-ray generator and the marker sensor are installed in the couch, a high energy X-ray generator for treatment, a X-ray sensor for treatment detecting the high energy X-ray for treatment. An X-ray treatment method using the X-ray treatment apparatus comprises the steps of detecting a position of a marker by the marker sensor, irradiating to a lesion the high energy X-ray for treatment, detecting the penetrated high energy X-ray for treatment by the X-ray sensor for treatment, modifying the beam profile, the dosage or/and the radiation direction of the X-ray for treatment according to the latest data of the sensors, performing the next radiation for the lesion. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100254513 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, the ocular structures are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the ocular structures inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the ocular structures within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, the position of the ocular structure is tracked and related to the status of the radiosurgery system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, the structure is an eye and the eye is tracked by the system. In some embodiments, the eye is held in place and in some embodiments, the eye is fixed by the patient. In some embodiments, a fiducial is placed on the eye to aid in positioning. In some embodiments, a reflection off the eye is used to aid in positioning. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100260319 | STEREOTACTIC RADIOTHERAPY WITH ROTATING ATTENUATOR - A radiotherapy system including a radiation source operable to produce a radiation beam towards a target, an orientation changer operable to change a relative position of the radiation source with respect to the target, and a multileaf attenuator including attenuating leaves including respective spatially varying attenuation properties and a positioner in communication with the orientation changer, each of the attenuating leaves having a leaf length, leaf thickness, leaf center and leaf direction, wherein the leaf direction is a line intersecting the leaf center along the leaf thickness, wherein the radiation beam includes one or more beam segments, wherein a beam segment is the part of the beam intercepted by one of the attenuating leaves, and wherein the target includes one or more target segments, wherein a target segment is that part of the target that intercepts a corresponding one of the beam segments, wherein each of the attenuating leaves is operative to modulate an intensity of a corresponding beam segment by selective attenuation of the leaf thickness along the leaf length, and wherein the positioner is operable to vary at least one of a leaf center position and a leaf direction relative to the radiation source in accordance with positions of the corresponding target segment and the radiation source. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100260320 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, the ocular structures are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the ocular structures inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the ocular structures within the coordinate system. In some embodiments, the position of the ocular structure is tracked and related to the status of the radiosurgery system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, the structure is an eye and the eye is tracked by the system. In some embodiments, the eye is held in place and in some embodiments, the eye is fixed by the patient. In some embodiments, a fiducial is placed on the eye to aid in positioning. In some embodiments, a reflection off the eye is used to aid in positioning. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100266099 | MOTION COMPENSATION IN QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS AND THERAPY - An apparatus includes a diagnostic scanner ( | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100266100 | CHARGED PARTICLE CANCER THERAPY BEAM PATH CONTROL METHOD AND APPARATUS - The invention comprises a charged particle beam path coupling an injector, synchrotron accelerator, beam transport system, targeting system, and/or patient interface method and apparatus. Preferably, the injector comprises: a negative ion beam source, a two phase ion source vacuum system, an ion beam focusing lens, and/or a tandem accelerator. Preferably, the synchrotron comprises turning magnets, edge focusing magnets, magnetic field concentration magnets, winding and correction coils, flat magnetic field incident surfaces, and/or extraction elements. Preferably, the synchrotron, beam transport system, targeting system, and patient interface combine to allow multi-axis/multi-field irradiation, where multi-axis control comprises control of horizontal and vertical beam position, beam energy, and/or beam intensity and multi-field control comprises control of patient rotation and distribution of delivered energy in and about the tumor in a time controlled, targeted, accurate, precise, dosage controlled, and/or efficient manner. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100266101 | MINIATURE X-RAY UNIT - A miniaturized x-ray apparatus for delivering x-rays to a selected site within a body cavity includes a catheter having at least one lumen and an x-ray transparent window at a distal end thereof; an x-ray source in the lumen adjacent said x-ray transparent window; a movable x-ray shield positioned to direct x-rays from the source through the x-ray transparent window to the selected site. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100272237 | NON-RECUMBENT RADIOTHERAPY - A method for radiotherapy of a non-recumbent patient, including immobilizing a region containing a target determining a spatial position of the target in a non-recumbent treatment position by applying a formula to images acquired by recumbent-only imaging in a recumbent position and by general imaging in a non-recumbent position, the formula calculating the non-recumbent treatment position as a function of the target position relative to anatomical and/or other markers as calculated from recumbent-only imaging, and the position of the markers relative to a treatment device as calculated from general imaging in the non-recumbent position, positioning the patient for treatment in the non-recumbent treatment position according to the markers' position, and irradiating the target with a radiation beam while the target is in the non-recumbent treatment position. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100278305 | MACHINE FOR INTRAOPERATIVE RADIATION THERAPY - Machine for intraoperative radiation therapy or IORT (Intra Operative Radio Therapy), comprising a body, a radiating head ( | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100278306 | Apparatus for Respiration State Gated Brachytherapy - During treatment by brachytherapy, radiation passes beyond the target volume and delivers radiation dose to adjacent tissue such as the lungs and, especially in the case of treatment of the left breast, to the heart. The heart is particularly vulnerable to radiation; to minimise the dose it receives in such circumstances, we propose an apparatus for treatment by brachytherapy comprising an X-ray source sized for insertion into a patient, a respiration state monitor, and a control apparatus adapted to receive respiration state information from the respiration state monitor and control the output of the X-ray source; the control apparatus being arranged to operate the X-ray source at a first output level when the respiration state monitor indicates a degree of lung inflation above a first preset threshold and operate the X-ray source at a second and lower output level when the respiration state monitor indicates a degree of lung inflation below a second preset threshold. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20100303205 | System and Method for Radiation Therapy Imaging and Treatment Workflow Scheduling and Optimization - External beam radiotherapy treatment workflow scheduling and optimization. The system and method provides for determining a workflow metamodel, receiving a treatment plan, determining a treatment schedule corresponding to the workflow metamodel and treatment plan, taking into account saftety by determining alternative treatment schedules, computing a safety index, and selecting one alternative treatment schedule that satisfies a safety threshold and that provides an optimal schedule. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20100322381 | System and Method for Dynamic Strobe Arc Therapy - Embodiments may include receiving a radiation treatment plan for delivering at least a portion of a prescribed radiation dose to a target volume in a series of individual treatment beams, each individual treatment beam defined by a segment including start angle and a stop angle, and delivering a portion of the prescribed radiation dose to the target volume over each of the segments, the segments arranged in a contiguous manner on an arc. | 12-23-2010 |
| 20100329422 | Radiotherapeutic apparatus - A radiotherapeutic apparatus comprises a source able to emit a beam of therapeutic radiation along a beam axis, a multi-leaf collimator arranged to collimate the beam to a desired shape, wherein the source is rotateable about a rotation axis that is substantially orthogonal and intersects with the beam axis thereby to describe an arc around that axis, and further comprises a control means able to control the dose/time rate of the source, the rotation speed of the source, and the multi-leaf collimator position. The control means is arranged to receive a treatment plan in which the arc is divided into a plurality of notional arc-segments, and specifying the total dose for the arc-segment and a Start and end MLC position. It then controls the source in accordance with that plan over an first arc-segment such that at least one of the rotation speed and dose rate are constant and the multi-leaf collimator changes shape, and a second arc segment such that at least one of the rotation speed and dose rate are constant at a level different to the constant level adopted during the first arc-segment. It achieves this by calculating the total time required for the arc segment for a plurality of factors including an MLC leaf movement from a prescribed position at the start of the arc-segment to a prescribed position at the end of the arc-segment, at a maximum leaf speed, rotation of the source from the start to the end of the arc-segment at a maximum source rotation speed, delivery of the dose at a maximum dose rate per time, selecting the factor dictating the longest time, and Controlling the apparatus so that the selected factor operates at its respective maximum and the remaining factors are operated at a reduced rate selected to match that longest time, wherein the total time required for the arc segment for at least one factor relating to a moving geometry item is the greater of (a); a time required to complete the segment at a continuous defined upper speed for the geometry item and (b) a time required to accelerate the geometry item until it is travelling at the defined upper speed. Generally, the time required to accelerate the geometry item to the defined upper speed will include a time to accelerate the geometry item to that speed, and a further time to accelerate the geometry item beyond that speed and subsequently decelerate it until travelling at that speed. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20100329423 | IRRADIATION SYSTEM INCLUDING AN ELECTRON-BEAM SCANNER - A property of a treatment beam is controlled during a scanning period. A portion of a region is exposed to an imaging x-ray beam during a scanning period, the imaging x-ray beam being generated by an electron-beam scanner. X-ray radiation from the region is detected, the x-ray radiation representing an attenuation of the imaging x-ray beam caused by the portion of the region. A first image of the portion of the region is generated based on the detected x-ray radiation. A characteristic of the portion of the region is determined from the generated first image. An input derived from the characteristic is generated, the input configured to cause a source of a treatment beam to modify a property of the treatment beam. The source of the treatment beam modifies a property of the treatment beam during the scanning period by providing the input to the source of the treatment beam. | 12-30-2010 |
| 20110033028 | Unfiltered Radiation Therapy - This is a new technique in IMRT and 3D conformal gamma radiation dose delivery using a linear accelerator with no flattening filter. The technique improves patient radiation therapy by reducing radiation scattered to surrounding normal tissue and reducing electron contamination. It increases dose rate to shorten treatment time. Linear accelerators have for decades come with a photon flattening filter to make the photon profile of planar fluence to make the dose distribution more uniform. These filters, however, resulted in fluence attenuation and contamination of the beam. Now in the age of techniques such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) the function of the flattening filter becomes redundant. The flattening filter now merely reduces the efficiency of the beam by reducing the fluence and increasing scattered radiation. Our technique involves removal of the flattening filter for complex treatments. It uses inverse planning along with multi-leaf collimators to shape the dose distribution. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110038456 | PORTABLE ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A portable orthovoltage radiotherapy system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, the ocular structures are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the ocular structures inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the ocular structures within the coordinate system. | 02-17-2011 |
| 20110044429 | RADIATION THERAPY PLANNING APPARATUS AND RADIATION THERAPY PLANNING METHOD - A radiation therapy planning apparatus is provided with; a three-dimensional data collection part collecting three-dimensional data representing a plurality of positions where a plurality of portions of a subject are positioned; a marker position measurement part measuring a motion of a marker; and a dose calculation part calculating, when the subject is irradiated with therapeutic radiation changing on the basis of the motion of the subject, the dose of the therapeutic radiation with which each of the plurality of portions is irradiated, based on the motion and the three-dimensional data. The radiation therapy planning apparatus thus constructed can calculate the dose of the therapeutic radiation with which each of the respective portions of the subject is irradiated, more accurately, and reduce the dose of radiation with which the subject is irradiated in calculating the motions of the plurality of portions of the subject. | 02-24-2011 |
| 20110051890 | RADIATION THERAPY WITH LOCAL FIELD ENHANCEMENT - Aspects of the invention relate to radiotherapy methods and devices that use local field enhancements induced by metal particles in order to irradiate a target volume with a lower intensity as compared to conventional treatment methods. The metal particles may be coupled to vehicles and administered to a patient's body. As vehicles may have a higher affinity to the target volume than to the rest of the body, metal particles may concentrate within the target volume. When in irradiating the target volume, the metal particles cause local field enhancements of the treatment radiation, thus allowing irradiating the body with a lower overall intensity. Local field enhancements may be determined and used to control a radiation therapy device. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110051891 | COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY EXAMINATION AND PARTICLE THERAPY TREATMENT - An operation room may comprise both an object scanning apparatus for examining an object using x-ray radiation and an irradiation component for treating an object using particle radiation. A support article upon which the object may reside during (both) the examination and treatment may be configured to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to a plane through which x-ray radiation travels, may be configured to tilt with respect to the axis, and/or may be configured to yaw with respect to the axis. In this way, the relative orientation of the support article and the object remain substantially constant during the examination and treatment to facilitate treating a desired area of the object. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110051892 | RADIATION THERAPY SKIN MARKER - Radiation therapy skin markers used to delineate radiation therapy portal areas of a patient to be treated with radiation are described. The radiation therapy skin marker includes comprises a substrate having a first surface and a second surface. The first surface of the substrate is lined with an ink to facilitate the outlining of the treatment field. The second surface is coated with an adhesive layer which is protected by release liner. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110051893 | REAL-TIME DOSE COMPUTATION FOR RADIATION THERAPY USING GRAPHICS PROCESSING UNIT ACCELERATION OF THE CONVOLUTION/SUPERPOSITION DOSE COMPUTATION METHOD - A system for radiation therapy including a radiation planning system, wherein the radiation planning system comprises a parallel processor adapted to receive input information concerning a body having an intended radiation treatment region and to output information for providing radiation treatment to the intended radiation treatment region of the body, wherein the parallel processor is adapted to perform a plurality of reverse ray tracing calculations based on the input information concerning the body in determining the output information for providing radiation treatment, each of the plurality of reverse ray tracing calculations comprising: calculating a first physical property corresponding to a first sub-region of the intended radiation treatment region of the body that is intersected by a ray traced between a source position and the intended radiation treatment region; and calculating, subsequent to the first-mentioned calculating, a second physical property corresponding to a second sub-region of the intended radiation treatment region that is intersected by the ray at a location closer to the source position than is the first sub-region. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110069815 | Method and Apparatus to Facilitate Supplementing a Dose-Volume Histogram Constraint Using an Adaptive Dose-Volume Histogram Constraint - One provides a first dose-volume histogram (DVH) constraint as pertains to controlling localized excessive-radiation dosage with respect to a particular treatment volume. One then automatically determines whether to supplement this constraint by using an adaptive DVH constraint. These teachings will accommodate determining whether to supplement the first DVH constraint, at least in part, by determining whether a user has specified such supplementation (using, for example, a corresponding user interface) by, for example, placing at least one DVH constraint such that the constraint corresponds to a volume fraction at a range boundary. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110075806 | Treatment Plan Optimization Method For Radiosurgery - Systems and methods for providing radiosurgery treatment to a patient by combining methods from both traditional radiosurgery and radiotherapy are disclosed. A dose sufficient to kill tissue is applied to a target area while a steep drop off, or gradient, is provided at the border between the target area and adjacent areas so that other portions of the brain or nearby structures or organs are not damaged. The treatment plan is optimized by using both measures known in the art along with a new gradient index or curve that indicates the amount of the drop off at the border between the target area and the surrounding tissues. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110075807 | Intrafraction motion management using a rough to accurate monitoring strategy - An adaptive imaging method of monitoring intrafraction target motion during radiation therapy is provided that includes using a simultaneous Mega-Voltage (MV) imaging process and Kilo-Voltage (KV) imaging process to determine an initial 3D target position. 2D target position is monitored using the MV imaging process during a radiation therapy treatment delivery, and is in combination with an online-updated characterization of target motion that are disposed to estimate if the target has moved beyond a 3D threshold distance. The simultaneous MV imaging and KV imaging processes are for accurately determining a new 3D target position for intrafraction motion compensation and for further 2D imaging by the MV imaging process, where another simultaneous MV and KV imaging process is initiated when the target has potentially moved beyond the threshold distance as measured by the MV imaging process. The intrafraction target motion monitoring is achieved at the cost of ultralow patient imaging dose. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110081000 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR DETECTING, CONTROLLING, AND PREDICTING RADIATION DELIVERY - Embodiments provide method and systems for determining alignment of a patient's body part, such as an eye, in an external coordinate system of a treatment or diagnostic device, such as a radiotherapy device, so as to define a reference axis for guiding device operation. Additional embodiments provide image-based methods and systems for aligning, tracking and monitoring motion of a body part and a treatment target in relation to a radiation beam axis. Particular ophthalmic embodiments provide method and systems including an eye-contact guide device and imaging system for aligning and tracking motion of an eye and ocular treatment target in relation to an orthovoltage X-ray beam axis, so as to monitor application of radiation to a lesion, such as a macular lesion of the retina. Particular methods for controlling radiation in response to motion of the target during treatment are described, such as algorithms for gating or interrupting radiation emission, both to ensure treatment goals and to avoid exposure to sensitive structures. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110081001 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ORTHOVOLTAGE OCULAR RADIOTHERAPY AND TREATMENT PLANNING - A method, code and system for planning the treatment a lesion on or adjacent to the retina of an eye of a patient are disclosed. There is first established at least two beam paths along which x-radiation is to be directed at the retinal lesion. Based on the known spectral and intensity characteristics of the beam, a total treatment time for irradiation along each beam paths is determined. From the coordinates of the optic nerve in the aligned eye position, there is determined the extent and duration of eye movement away from the aligned patient-eye position in a direction that moves the patient's optic nerve toward the irradiation beam that will be allowed during treatment, while still maintaining the radiation dose at the patient optic nerve below a predetermined dose level. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110081002 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FOUR DIMENSIONAL INTENSITY MODULATED RADIATION THERAPY FOR MOTION COMPENSATED TREATMENTS - A deliverable four dimensional (4D) intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning method is disclosed, for delivery using a linear accelerator with a dynamic multi-leaf collimator (DMLC). A 4D computed tomography (CT) scan is used for segmenting tumor anatomy on a reference phase of periodic motion of the tumor. Deformable registration of the 4D CT data is used to generate corresponding anatomical structures on other phases. Preferably, the collimator for each beam position is aligned using the gross tumor volume (GTV) centroid motion corresponding to the periodic motion of the tumor, as determined from the two dimensional (2D) projection of a given beam position. A deliverable IMRT plan is created on the 4D CT image set in which the MLC leaf positions and beam on/off status can vary as a function of respiratory phase by solving a four dimensional optimization problem. The mechanical constraints of the MLC leaves are included in the optimization. | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110085643 | Radiation therapy inverse treatment planning using a regularization of sparse segments - A method of reducing a total number of beam segments in a dose distribution for a radiation therapy field is provided. The method includes providing a multiobjective radiation therapy treatment plan using a suitably programmed computer, where the multiobjective radiation therapy treatment plan includes a radiation beam dose performance objective and a fluence map sparsity objective in a given fluence function domain, and providing a Pareto frontier of tradeoff criteria between the beam dose performance and a total number of radiation segments (or sub-fields) of the multiobjective radiation therapy treatment plan using the suitably programmed computer, where an achieved set of radiation beam dose distributions associated with efficiency points of the Pareto frontier are evaluated using a clinical acceptance criteria, where a clinically acceptable radiation beam dose distribution having a smallest number of the multileaf collimator segments is a final solution for the multiobjective radiation therapy treatment plan. | 04-14-2011 |
| 20110091014 | Dose Calculation Method for Multiple Fields - Systems and methods for developing a treatment plan for irradiating a treatment volume within a patient are disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, control points used to calculate a dose of radiation delivered to the treatment volume may be combined to result in a smaller number of control points. The smaller number of control points may allow more efficient calculation of dose distributions resulting in a treatment plan that can be delivered to the patient earlier or may allow additional iterations of treatment plan optimization resulting in a more accurate dose distribution being delivered to the patient. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110091015 | Single-arc dose painting for precision radiation therapy - Provided herein are methods and systems for designing a radiation treatment for a subject using single arc dose painting. The methods and systems comprise an algorithm or a computer-readable product having the same, to plan the radiation treatment. The algorithm converts pairs of multiple leaf collimation (MLC) leaves to sets of leaf aperture sequences that form a shortest path single arc thereof where the pairs of MLC leaves each aligned to an intensity profile of densely-spaced radiation beams, and connects each single arc of leaf apertures to form a final treatment single arc. Also provided is a method for irradiating a tumor in a subject using single arc dose painting. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110091016 | POTENTIATOR FOR RADIATION THERAPY COMPRISING PYRIDINE DERIVATIVE AS ACTIVE INGREDIENT - The present invention relates to a radiotherapy enhancer that can reduce the radiation dose and adverse drug reactions when used in combination with a cancer radiotherapy. There is provided a radiotherapy enhancer comprising, as an active ingredient, a pyridine derivative represented by general formula (1): | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110103551 | Radiotherapeutic Treatment Plan Adaptation - In a radiation therapy method, one or more planning images are acquired ( | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110110491 | Mixed-Energy Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy - A system includes determination of a plurality of radiation beams for a radiation treatment fraction, each of the plurality of beams associated with a respective intensity, beam aperture and beam energy, and at least two of the plurality of beams respectively associated with two different beam energies, and determination of a forward dose associated with the plurality of input beams. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110110492 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR THE PLANNING AND DELIVERY OF RADIATION TREATMENTS - Methods and apparatus are provided for planning and delivering radiation treatments by modalities which involve moving a radiation source along a trajectory relative to a subject while delivering radiation to the subject. In some embodiments the radiation source is moved continuously along the trajectory while in some embodiments the radiation source is moved intermittently. Some embodiments involve the optimization of the radiation delivery plan to meet various optimization goals while meeting a number of constraints. For each of a number of control points along a trajectory, a radiation delivery plan may comprise: a set of motion axes parameters, a set of beam shape parameters and a beam intensity. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110122997 | NON-VOXEL-BASED BROAD-BEAM (NVBB) ALGORITHM FOR INTENSITY MODULATED RADIATION THERAPY DOSE CALCULATION AND PLAN OPTIMIZATION - A method of calculating a dose distribution for a patient for use in a radiation therapy treatment plan. The method includes acquiring an image of a volume within the patient, defining a radiation source, and defining a reference plane oriented between the radiation source and the patient. The method also includes generating a radiation therapy treatment plan, wherein the plan includes a plurality of rays that extend between the radiation source and the patient volume, and calculating a three-dimensional dose volume for the patient volume from the plurality of rays that intersect the reference plane without first having to independently calculate a dose distribution on each of the plurality of rays. The method can also include displaying the three-dimensional dose volume. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110135058 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ADMINISTERING INTERNAL RADIONUCLIDE THERAPY (IRT) AND EXTERNAL RADIATION THERAPY (XRT) - A computerized method and system for determining an optimum amount of Internal Radionuclide Therapy (IRT) and External Radiation Therapy (XRT) to administer, comprising: obtaining activity image information for an imaged object from a detector; running a Monte Carlo simulation for the activity image information to obtain absorbed dose-rate image information at multiple times; adding the absorbed dose-rate image information from each time to obtain IRT total absorbed dose image information; and utilizing the IRT total dose image information to obtain total dose image information that is equivalent to XRT dose image information in terms of dose-rate, wherein the IRT dose information is converted to equivalent XRT dose information without having to generate BED dose maps. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110142202 | Radiotherapy Apparatus - It is desirable to achieve a co-incident investigative kV source for a therapeutic MV source—a so-called “beams-eye-view” source. It has been suggested that bremsstrahlung radiation from an electron window be employed; we propose a practical structure for achieving this which can switch easily between a therapeutic beam and a beam-eye-view diagnostic beam capable of offering good image resolution. Such a radiation source comprises an electron gun, a pair of targets locatable in the path of a beam produced by the electron gun, one target of the pair being of a material with a lower atomic number than the other, and an electron absorber insertable into and withdrawable from the path of the beam. In a preferred form, the electron gun is within a vacuum chamber, and the pair of targets are located at a boundary of the vacuum chamber. The lower atomic number target can be Nickel and the higher atomic number target Copper and/or Tungsten. The electron absorber can be Carbon, and can be located within the primary collimator, or within one of a plurality of primary collimators interchangeably locatable in the path of the beam. Such a radiation source can be included within a radiotherapy apparatus, to which the present invention further relates. A flat panel imaging device for this source can be optimised for low energy x-rays rather than high energy; Caesium Iodide-based panels are therefore suitable. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110150180 | X-RAY METHOD AND APPARATUS USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CHARGED PARTICLE CANCER THERAPY SYSTEM - The invention comprises an X-ray method and apparatus used in conjunction with charged particle radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. The system uses an X-ray beam that lies in substantially the same path as a charged particle beam path of a particle beam cancer therapy system, has an elongated lifetime, and/or that is synchronized with patient respiration. The system creates an electron beam that strikes an X-ray generation source where the X-ray generation source is located proximate to the proton beam path. By generating the X-rays near the proton beam path, an X-ray path that is essentially the proton beam path is created. Using the generated X-rays, the system collects X-ray images of a localized body tissue region about a cancerous tumor, which are usable for: fine tuning body alignment relative to the proton beam path and/or to control the proton beam path to accurately and precisely target the tumor. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110170664 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOSURGERY - A radiosurgery system is described that delivers a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, ocular structures are placed in a global coordinate system, based on ocular imaging, which leads to direction of an automated positioning system. In some embodiments, the position of an ocular structure is tracked and related to a radiosurgery system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial aids in positioning the system. In some embodiments, a reflection off the eye is used to aid in positioning. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 07-14-2011 |
| 20110170665 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiosurgery system is described that delivers a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, ocular structures are placed in a global coordinate system, based on ocular imaging, which leads to direction of an automated positioning system. In some embodiments, the position of an ocular structure is tracked and related to a radiosurgery system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial aids in positioning the system. In some embodiments, a reflection off the eye is used to aid in positioning. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 07-14-2011 |
| 20110182409 | Method and Apparatus to Facilitate Treating a Target Portion of a Patient's Body with Radiation - One accesses information regarding the functionality of portions of the patient's body and then uses that information to optimize a radiation-treatment plan to treat a target portion of the patient's body while minimizing at least some collateral radiation-based damage to non-targeted functional portions of the patient's body. By one approach, the aforementioned information can comprise a functionality model as pertains to at least some portions of the patient's body. As one example in these regards, this can comprise optimizing the radiation-treatment plan such that the planned radiation beams tend to pass through non-targeted less-functional portions of the patient's body rather than through non-targeted portions of the patient's body of greater functionality. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110182410 | CHARGED PARTICLE CANCER THERAPY BEAM PATH CONTROL METHOD AND APPARATUS - The invention comprises a charged particle beam path coupling an injector, synchrotron accelerator, beam transport system, targeting system, and/or patient interface method and apparatus. Preferably, the injector comprises: a negative ion beam source, a two phase ion source vacuum system, an ion beam focusing lens, and/or a tandem accelerator. Preferably, the synchrotron comprises turning magnets, edge focusing magnets, magnetic field concentration magnets, winding and correction coils, flat magnetic field incident surfaces, and/or extraction elements. Preferably, the synchrotron, beam transport system, targeting system, and patient interface combine to allow multi-axis/multi-field irradiation, where multi-axis control comprises control of horizontal and vertical beam position, beam energy, and/or beam intensity and multi-field control comprises control of patient rotation and distribution of delivered energy in and about the tumor in a time controlled, targeted, accurate, precise, dosage controlled, and/or efficient manner. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110182411 | PARTICLE BEAM TREATMENT APPARATUS AND IRRADIATION NOZZLE APPARATUS - A particle beam treatment apparatus and an irradiation nozzle apparatus achieve a beam with a small diameter by a beam scanning irradiation method, and ensure a space for installation of a beam transport chamber in the irradiation nozzle apparatus. An X-ray tube is located outside the scanning type irradiation nozzle apparatus that includes scanning magnets, while an X-ray tube is located in an irradiation nozzle apparatus in a conventional structure. An X-ray detector is located inside the irradiation nozzle apparatus. The thickness of the X-ray detector in the direction of a beam axis is smaller and the structure thereof is simpler than that of the X-ray tube. This makes it possible to ensure the space for installation of the beam transport chamber in the irradiation nozzle apparatus and to increase the length of the beam transport chamber that is included in the irradiation nozzle apparatus. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110200170 | Method and System for Treating Moving Target - A method and system for providing intensity modulated radiation therapy to a moving target is disclosed. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a treatment plan for providing radiotherapy using a multi-leaf collimator (“MLC”) comprises a plurality of sub-plans, each of which is optimized for a different phase of target movement. Movements of the treatment target are tracked in real time, and the choice of which sub-plan to implement is made in real time based on the tracked position of the target. Each of the sub-plans is preferably formulated to minimize interplay effects between target movements and MLC leaf movements, consistent with other planning goals. In addition, the sub-plans preferably include a predicted region corresponding to the next anticipated position of the target, in order to facilitate the transition to the next position. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20110200171 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR RENAL NEUROMODULATION VIA STEREOTACTIC RADIOTHERAPY - The present disclosure describes methods and apparatus for renal neuromodulation via stereotactic radiotherapy for the treatment of hypertension, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, insulin resistance, metabolic disorder or other ailments. Renal neuromodulation may be achieved by locating renal nerves and then utilizing stereotactic radiotherapy to expose the renal nerves to a radiation dose sufficient to reduce neural activity. A neural location element may be provided for locating target renal nerves, and a stereotactic radiotherapy system may be provided for exposing the located renal nerves to a radiation dose sufficient to reduce the neural activity, with reduced or minimized radiation exposure in adjacent tissue. Renal nerves may be located and targeted at the level of the ganglion and/or at postganglionic positions, as well as at pre-ganglionic positions. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20110216885 | Applicator means for x-ray radiation therapy, fastening means as well as radiation therapy device - Among other things, an applicator means ( | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110222660 | RADIATION SCULPTING BY COORDINATING ROTATION OF FIXED BEAMS AND MOTION OF PATIENT SUPPORT SYSTEM - A method of irradiating a target tissue in a patient comprising positioning the patient on a patient support system so that the target tissue in the patient is within irradiating distance of at least one source of a beam of radiation and moving the patient support system relative to the at least one source of a beam of radiation and, coordinately with movement of the patient support system, rotating the at least one source of radiation relative to the target tissue, which comprises and/or is adjacent to a non-target tissue, so that the center of rotation of the beam of radiation is placed at one or more desired locations within the target tissue, while simultaneously and/or sequentially irradiating the target tissue; a collimator; a method of making such a collimator; a system for irradiating a target tissue in a patient; and a method of planning irradiation of a target tissue in a patient. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110222661 | DEVICE, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR GENERATION OF AN EXPOUSRE PLAN - In a device, method and computer program product for generation of an exposure plan for irradiating a patient, at least one reference data set independent of the patient is provided, from which an attenuation of high-energy radiation upon passage through a reference body can be determined. A patient magnetic resonance image of the patient is adapted using the reference data set and an exposure plan is generated based on the patient magnetic resonance image and the patient-specific attenuation of high-energy radiation upon passage through the patient. The patient-specific attenuation of high-energy radiation upon passage through the patient is determined using the adaptation of the patient magnetic resonance image with the reference data set. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110228906 | CONE BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY WITH A FLAT PANEL IMAGER - A radiation therapy system that includes a radiation source that moves about a path and directs a beam of radiation towards an object and a cone-beam computer tomography system. The cone-beam computer tomography system includes an x-ray source that emits an x-ray beam in a cone-beam form towards an object to be imaged and an amorphous silicon flat-panel imager receiving x-rays after they pass through the object, the imager providing an image of the object. A computer is connected to the radiation source and the cone beam computerized tomography system, wherein the computer receives the image of the object and based on the image sends a signal to the radiation source that controls the path of the radiation source. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110228907 | HEAD AND NECK RADIATION LOCALIZATION USING ORAL APPLIANCE - In various embodiments, methods, apparatuses, and systems for accurate patient positioning and motion tracking before and/or during head and neck radiation therapy, such as intensity modulated radiation therapy, are provided. In exemplary embodiments, a computing system may be endowed with one or more components of the disclosed apparatuses and/or systems and may be employed to perform one or more methods as disclosed herein. Exemplary embodiments provide head and neck radiation localization using, in part, an oral appliance. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110228908 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOSURGERY - A radiosurgery system is described that delivers a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. Some embodiments provide that, among other targets, ocular structures are treated. In some embodiments, the position of an ocular structure is tracked and related to a radiosurgery system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110243304 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - Radiosurgery systems are described that are configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, and in some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110249797 | RADIATION TREATMENT SYSTEM - A radiation treatment system that can apply radiation to a respiratory moving organ (such as, a lung, a liver or the like) with high precision is provided. A radiation treatment system according to the present invention as solving means is characterized in that when medical treatment target position information obtained by executing pattern matching processing on the inside of each frame of a fluoroscopic X-ray image for detecting a medical treatment target position achieved under medical treatment on the basis of a template image of an area containing a medical treatment target position of a patient, which is achieved in advance, is within a predetermined error range with respect to the medical treatment target position information based on the template image, and also a timing is an application timing of medical treatment radiation which is set on the basis of motion information of a body surface, a signal for applying medical treatment radiation is generated; and in the other cases, a signal for stopping the application is generated, whereby the application of the medical treatment radiation is controlled on the basis of these signals. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20110255665 | Planning for adaptive radiotherapy - The present invention provides a method for updating and optimizing a treatment plan for radiotherapy. An initial treatment plan, calculated using a constraint-driven method, may be updated using a weighted-sum method, where Lagrange multipliers generated in the constraint method are reused as the weights for the weighted sum. This method results in acceptable updated treatment plans that are generated in a small fraction of the time taken to generate an entirely new treatment plan, reducing patient discomfort and ensuring the radiotherapy facility can treat more patients. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20110268249 | TREATMENT PLAN OPTIMIZATION METHOD FOR RADIOTHERAPY - Systems and methods for providing radiosurgery treatment to a patient by combining methods from both traditional radiosurgery and radiotherapy are disclosed. A dose sufficient to kill tissue is applied to a target area while a steep drop off, or gradient, is provided at the border between the target area and adjacent areas so that other portions of the brain or nearby structures or organs are not damaged. The treatment plan is optimized by using both measures known in the art along with a new gradient index or curve that indicates the amount of the drop off at the border between the target area and the surrounding tissues. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110268250 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110274248 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110280372 | Method for Determining Paths of Particle Beams Through 3D Tissue Volumes - A path of a particle beam is determined through a 3D planning treatment volume (PTV), wherein the PTV includes a set of slices in a depth order, and each slice includes a set of locations. For each slice, the set of locations are grouped into a set of lines along a selected direction, wherein each line is a straight line and includes a starting location and an ending location, and each line is connected to one or two other lines, and the connecting connects two lines to either the starting location or the ending location of the lines to form a tour, and the tours are connected through the slices in the depth order to form the path of the particle beam. | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110280373 | Apparatus and Method to Facilitate Generating a Treatment Plan for Irradiating a Patient's Treatment Volume - One provides ( | 11-17-2011 |
| 20110293067 | System and Method for Dynamic Strobe Arc Therapy - Aspects may include movement of at least one device along a path to change an orientation of a target volume with respect to a radiation beam emitter, determination that the at least one device has reached a start position of a first path section associated with a first radiation treatment beam, emission, while the at least one device moves along the first path section, of the first radiation treatment beam from the radiation beam emitter toward a target volume, determination that the at least one device has reached a stop position of the first path section, ceasing emission of the first radiation treatment from the radiation beam emitter in response to the determination that the at least one device has reached a stop position of the first path section, determination that the at least one device has reached a start position of a second path section associated with a second radiation treatment beam, the start position of the second path section being different from the stop position of the first path section, and emission, while the at least one device moves along the second path section, of the second radiation treatment beam from the radiation beam emitter toward the target volume. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110299657 | Gantry Rolling Floor - The present invention relates to an irradiation unit for emitting a particle beam, a gantry including the irradiation unit, a squirrel cage structure located within and supported by the gantry, a frame arranged so as to be motionless, a moving floor including a plurality of elongated members forming a primary caterpillar, two moving floor guide units having a truncated circle shape, facing each other, attached to said squirrel cage structure and the motionless frame, respectively. Each of the two moving floor guide units includes at least a first rail, the primary caterpillar being slidably arranged on the first rail. Each moving floor guide unit includes at least a second rail having a truncated circle shape and the moving floor includes at least one secondary caterpillar including elongated members flexibly connected to each other. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110305316 | Apparatus and methods for radiation treatment of tissue surfaces - A device, system and method for administering radiation therapy to a tissue surface of a patient utilizes an applicator capable of controlled movement and repositioning over a selected area of tissue, under the control of a computer or controller. A servo-controlled manipulator can effect a raster scan of the desired area, such as an area of the skin, and this can be in any desired pattern such as serpentine, spiral, parallel but unidirectional, or irregular patterns. Preferably a third direction of control is included, i.e. a depth direction, with an appropriate form of depth sensor, a signal from which can be used to adjust the radiation source so that radiation of the tissue surface is consistent over varied contoured. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20120002786 | RADIATION TREATMENT OF MOVING TARGETS - Some aspects include a system, apparatus, means and method for configuring a radiotherapy beam shaping device to define a treatment field of view, acquiring images of a patient area within the treatment field of view based on an imaging radiation beam, determining a treatment motion model that predicts, based on the acquired images, a prediction treatment period during which the patient area will be within the treatment field of view of the radiotherapy beam shaping device, and delivering a treatment radiation beam to the patient area for a time period equal to the prediction treatment period. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120008743 | CASCADED MODULATION SYSTEM - A modulation system for modulating a radiation beam, including a plurality of cascaded modulators, a positioner operable to change positions of each of the modulators between in-beam and out-of-beam positions, wherein in the in-beam position the modulator is in a path of a radiation beam for at least a majority of a total cross-section of the beam and in the out-beam position the modulator is not in the path of the radiation beam, and a processor in communication with a beam modifier and with the positioner operative to determine operating times or motion speed for changing the respective positions of the modulators between the in-beam and out-of-beam positions, wherein the beam modifier is operable to change during irradiation an aperture of the radiation beam and the positioner is operative to change during irradiation a relative position of the target and the radiation beam. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120008744 | Rotational Radiation Treatment of Moving Targets - Some aspects include a system, apparatus, and method for determining that a motion of a patient area of a patient due to breathing is substantially periodic according to a treatment plan, moving a radiotherapy gantry towards a first treatment gantry angle, moving a radiotherapy beam shaping device towards a first treatment shape corresponding to the first treatment gantry angle, determining when a next treatment window is to begin based on a predictive model derived from the motion of the patient area, where the treatment window is a period of time designated for delivery of treatment radiation to the patient area according to the treatment plan, adjusting the moving of the radiotherapy gantry such that the radiotherapy gantry will reach the first treatment angle during the determined next treatment window, and delivering a treatment radiation beam to the patient area during the determined next treatment window. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120008745 | Gated Burst Mode Radiation Treatment of Moving Targets - Some aspects include a system, apparatus, and method for obtaining a burst mode treatment plan to be administered by a radiotherapy device, the burst mode treatment plan prescribing parameters for one or more dynamic axes, parameters for one or more static axes, and position parameters for the one or more dynamic axes corresponding to a prescribed delivery period of burst mode irradiation; receiving an indication of occurrences of a substantially periodic treatment opportunity for a target volume of a patient from a gating device, the treatment opportunity being a period of time the target volume is in a position to be irradiated according to the burst mode treatment plan; synchronizing the treatment opportunity and the prescribed delivery period of burst mode irradiation; and irradiating the target volume during the synchronization of the treatment opportunity and the prescribed delivery period of burst mode irradiation. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120008746 | IRRADIATION SYSTEM INCLUDING AN ELECTRON-BEAM SCANNER - A property of a treatment beam is controlled during a scanning period. A portion of a region is exposed to an imaging x-ray beam during a scanning period, the imaging x-ray beam being generated by an electron-beam scanner. X-ray radiation from the region is detected, the x-ray radiation representing an attenuation of the imaging x-ray beam caused by the portion of the region. A first image of the portion of the region is generated based on the detected x-ray radiation. A characteristic of the portion of the region is determined from the generated first image. An input derived from the characteristic is generated, the input configured to cause a source of a treatment beam to modify a property of the treatment beam. The source of the treatment beam modifies a property of the treatment beam during the scanning period by providing the input to the source of the treatment beam. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20120014507 | Automatic Generation of Patient-Specific Radiation Therapy Planning Parameters - An apparatus and method for automatically generating radiation treatment planning parameters are disclosed. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, a database is constructed that stores: (i) patient data and past treatment plans by expert human planners for these patients, and (ii) optimal treatment plans that are generated using multi-objective optimization and Pareto front search and that represent the best tradeoff opportunities of the patient case, and a predictive model (e.g., a neural network, a decision tree, a support vector machine [SVM], etc.) is then trained via a learning algorithm on a plurality of input/output mappings derived from the contents of the database. During training, the predictive model is trained to identify and infer patterns in the treatment plan data through a process of generalization. Once trained, the predictive model can then be used to automatically generate radiation treatment planning parameters for new patients. | 01-19-2012 |
| 20120020460 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RADIATION THERAPY TREATMENT PLANNING USING A MEMETIC OPTIMIZATION ALGORITHM - A method for the optimization of radiation therapy treatment plans is disclosed. The disclosed method is equally-applicable to robotic radiosurgery as well as other types of radiosurgical delivery, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT). A population-based heuristic approximation is used to perform a global search, and subsequently, a deterministic local trajectory search is employed to further refine the initial solution. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120033789 | Radiation therapy using predictive target tracking and control points - A system includes determination of a model of a trajectory of a target volume, determination of a treatment plan identifying a portion of the trajectory of the target volume and an irradiation field corresponding to the portion of the trajectory, the portion of the trajectory commencing at a control point of the trajectory, control of a collimator to restrict a treatment beam to the irradiation field, monitoring of the trajectory of the target volume until it is determined that the trajectory is at the control point, and delivery of the treatment beam to the irradiation field in response to determining that the trajectory of the target volume is at the control point. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120033790 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RADIATION RESISTANT IMAGING - The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for radiation resistant medical imaging. A scanning beam x-ray source and x-ray detector are used. A detector shield is utilized to shield the x-ray detector from radiation. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120045035 | Apparatus and Method Pertaining to Radiation-Treatment Planning Optimization - A radiation-treatment planning apparatus accesses information regarding a treatment target and at least one operational parameter pertaining to a physical characteristic of a given radiation-treatment platform. The apparatus also accesses information regarding a candidate treatment plan using the given platform. The apparatus then optimizes the candidate treatment plan by permitting, temporarily, discontinuities of the at least one operational parameter as between adjacent ones of a plurality of control points to thereby yield an optimized treatment plan. By one approach, this operational parameter can comprise a speed at which a collimator aperture can be changed. In such a case, the aforementioned discontinuities can comprise discontinuities with respect to the speed at which this aperture can be changed. So configured, these teachings will accommodate temporarily permitting speeds that are too fast to be actually performed by the given radiation-treatment platform. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120057675 | PORTABLE ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A portable orthovoltage radiotherapy system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, the ocular structures are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the ocular structures inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the ocular structures within the coordinate system. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120069962 | REAL-TIME DOSE RECONSTRUCTION USING DYNAMIC SIMULATION AND IMAGE GUIDED ADAPTIVE RADIOTHERAPY - A radiation therapy treatment method comprises imaging a subject and simulating four-dimensional aspects of radiotherapy. A treatment plan based on the simulation is generated to permit real-time, three-dimensional dose reconstruction at the time of treatment. The simulation and treatment plan are used during treatment fractions to achieve real-time image guidance. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120076269 | Radiotherapy Apparatus - The present invention provides a radiotherapy apparatus for applying therapeutic radiation to a target region of a patient, comprising a patient support, a source of radiation, a collimator comprising a plurality of leaves, a sensing system and control circuitry. The position of a target region is determined and resolved into two components orthogonal to the radiation beam axis. One component is assigned to the patient support, and the other to the collimator leaves, such that movement of the target region is compensated for and the radiation beam intersects is correctly targeted. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120076270 | Method for reducing diagnostic radiation dose in image guided radiotherapy - A method of minimizing radiation toxicity in image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) is provided that includes using a probabilistic prediction algorithm that is operated on a suitably programmed computer and includes multimodality inputs and provides real-time geometric and topological target estimates to compensate for system latency, using an online adaptive imaging system that provides radiographic images of the target when the geometric and topological target estimates are in a region of predefined uncertainty, and using an image dose control algorithm, operating on a suitably programmed computer, that includes parameters for controlling dose per image, where instances for image acquisition are optimized according to a planned dose pattern and delivery result. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120076271 | Portal and Real Time Imaging For Treatment Verification - A system for radiotherapy includes a first imaging system and a second imaging system. The first imaging system generates projection images of an area of interest of an object, and the second imaging system generates portal images of the area of interest of the object synchronously with the generation of the projection images. The radiotherapy system further includes a processing system that receives data associated with the projection images and data associated with the portal images and reconstructs 3D and 4D portal images from the projection images and the portal images. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120076272 | OCULAR RADIOSURGERY - A radiosurgery system is described that delivers a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, ocular structures are placed in a global coordinate system, based on ocular imaging, which leads to direction of an automated positioning system. In some embodiments, the position of an ocular structure is tracked and related to a radiosurgery system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial aids in positioning the system. In some embodiments, a reflection off the eye is used to aid in positioning. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 03-29-2012 |
| 20120093293 | DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR RADIATION THERAPY - A device is used to precisely deliver the treatment plan created by an automatic planning system by positioning a single low energy radiation source, or a plurality of low energy sources connected to each other, in a predetermined parallel, planar, or similar geometry, each source equipped with blocking and attenuation mechanisms, thereby delivering a plurality of parallel overlapping beams indexed on a millimeter or submillimeter grid such that a concentration of dose is achieved at a variable depth in tissue relative to the dose where the radiation first enters the tissue. A plurality of overlapping beams indexed on a millimeter or submillimeter grid can converge on a target volume loaded with gold nanoparticles to deliver a tumorcidal dose of radiation in as little as a single session to tumor cells but not to normal cells or to deliver serial radiosurgical treatments. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120099704 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REAL-TIME DMLC-BASED TARGET TRACKING WITH OPTIMAL MOTION COMPENSATING LEAF ADAPTATION - A method of multileaf collimator (MLC) leaf positioning in tracking-based adaptive radiotherapy is provided. The method includes determining a radiotherapy beam pattern by transforming a treatment beam plan into radiotherapy beam coordinates, determining a dose discrepancy between the radiotherapy beam pattern and a deliverable MLC aperture, where the dose discrepancy includes a sum of an overdose cost and an underdose cost to a treatment volume, and minimizing the dose discrepancy, where the dose discrepancy minimization provides a determined deliverable MLC aperture for the radiotherapy beam. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120106703 | Technique to Enhance the Clinical Efficiency of Radiotherapy and Radiosurgery Using Perturbative Beaming and Tissue-Specific Radiobiology - This invention relates to a technique to enhance the clinical efficiency of radiotherapy and readiosurgery using perturbative beaming and tissue specific radiobiology, comprising, Considering the normal steady beam dose rate, then increasing the temporal stochastic fluctuation of the output intensity of the radiation beam from a medical linear accelerator or cobalt gamma knife beam setup, developing a computer-based methodology by considering the tumor specific radiobiology and magnitude of the tailor made dose rate fluctuation using an embedded system device consisting of requisite hardware and software as described herein. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120106704 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING A TARGET'S PARTIAL MOTION RANGE - A computing system determines a full motion range of a target, wherein the full motion range of the target defines an internal target volume (ITV). The computing system identifies a partial motion range of the target, wherein the partial motion range is a subset of the full motion range of the target. The computing system generates a partial-ITV based on the identified partial motion range, wherein the partial-ITV is a volume swept by the target as the target moves through the partial motion range, the partial-ITV being smaller than the ITV. The computing system generates a treatment plan to deliver treatment to the partial-ITV. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120134470 | CONTROL APPARATUS OF RADIOTHERAPY SYSTEM AND OPERATION METHOD OF RADIOTHERAPY SYSTEM - A control apparatus of a radiotherapy system of the present invention includes an irradiation object detecting section configured to calculate a target position based on a position of a specific part of a sample; and a swing position control section configured to control a drive unit to drive a radiation irradiating unit which irradiates a therapeutic radiation, such that the radiation irradiating unit directs to a post-correction target position at a control time after the measurement time. The post-correction target position indicates a position near a position to which the radiation irradiating unit directs rather than the target position in the preparation period before a therapy period, and the target position in the therapy period. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120134471 | DEVICES AND METHODS RELATED TO RADIATION DELIVERY - Devices and methods are disclosed which relate to the calibration and quality assurance of motion tracking enabled radiation therapy machines. A phantom, capable of mimicking human breathing through inflation and deflation of the lungs, houses an independently moving target (tumor) that detects the amount of radiation received from the radiation therapy machine. This amount can be compared with a desired amount to determine if adjustment or repositioning is necessary. The servo-mechanism(s) of the motion tracking enabled radiation therapy machine(s) are adjusted in comparison of detected versus programmed motion of the respiring phantom having incorporated independently moving target that incorporated radiation dose detector(s). In the invention, motion tracking and irradiation mechanisms of the radiation therapy machine are adjusted to calibrate with reference to performance specifications of the radiation therapy machine. | 05-31-2012 |
| 20120140887 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DOSE VERIFICATION RADIOTHERAPY - A system and method for performing dose verification during radiation therapy. The system images photons created by Compton scatter events in the patient receiving treatment using a Compton camera imager (CCI). A dose reconstruction method is provided to reconstruct acquired Compton scatter photon data to produce an image showing dose deposition in the subject. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120155611 | ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FOR GANTRY TRAJECTORY - A method including irradiating a target, which is located in a patient supported by a movable table, with a radiation beam emanating from a radiation source located in a movable gantry, and positioning the gantry and the table so as to maintain adequate clearance, wherein a clearance is defined as a distance between the gantry and the patient or the table, whichever is smaller, and wherein adequate clearance is defined as a clearance that alleviates a risk of a collision between the gantry and the patient or the table during movement of the gantry. | 06-21-2012 |
| 20120163538 | Mobile X-Ray Unit - One embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a mobile X-ray unit. The mobile X-ray unit may include a base for accommodating a control unit, a power supply, and a cooler. The mobile X-ray unit further including an articulated arm associated with the base and coupled to an X-ray applicator. The X-ray applicator including an X-ray tube having an anode for generating an acceleration field and a target element for generating an X-ray beam, wherein a longitudinal axis of the anode is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the X-ray tube. | 06-28-2012 |
| 20120163539 | MOBILE X-RAY UNIT - One embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a mobile X-ray unit. The mobile X-ray unit may include a base for accommodating a control unit for controlling an X-ray applicator and a power supply for supplying power to the X-ray applicator. The mobile X-ray unit may further include an articulated arm associated with the base and coupled to the X-ray applicator. The X-ray applicator may have an X-ray tube configured to emit an X-ray beam through an exit window to irradiate an object. The mobile X-ray unit may further include a dosimetry system adapted for real time dosimetry. | 06-28-2012 |
| 20120163540 | MOBILE X-RAY UNIT - One embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a mobile X-ray unit. The mobile X-ray unit may include a base for accommodating a control unit configured to control an X-ray applicator and a power supply configured to supply power to the X-ray applicator. The mobile X-ray unit may further include an articulated arm associated with the base. The arm may be configured to support the X-ray applicator. The X-ray applicator may have an X-ray tube for emitting an X-ray beam for irradiating an object. The mobile X-ray unit may further include a phantom-based dosimetry system configured to perform a dosimetry check of the X-ray beam. | 06-28-2012 |
| 20120177179 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - Methods described herein include selecting a target disease having an associated therapeutic dose of radiation, determining a maximal energy in an x-ray radiation beam to be emitted from a radiotherapy system to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation associated with the target disease to target tissue in a patient, the selected disease of the plurality of diseases requiring differing maximal energies of the x-ray radiation beam to achieve the associated therapeutic dose of radiation than the maximal energy required to achieve the associated therapeutic dose of radiation for another disease, and outputting to an output module an indication of the determined maximal energy. Methods carried out in a system that can include a processing module that receives an input including a selection of a target disease, and an output module, coupled to the processing module, that outputs, an indication of the determined maximal energy. | 07-12-2012 |
| 20120189102 | Ring Gantry Radiation Treatment Delivery System With Dynamically Controllable Inward Extension Of Treatment Head - Systems, methods, and related computer program products for image-guided radiation treatment (IGRT) are described. For one preferred embodiment, an IGRT apparatus is provided comprising a ring gantry having a central opening sufficiently large to accommodate a body of a patient positioned along a longitudinal axis and extending therethrough, and a gantry tilting mechanism configured to tilt the ring gantry to a plurality of different tilt angles relative to the longitudinal axis. A radiation treatment head is coupled to the ring gantry and is rotatable around said central opening in at least a 180 degree arc. The radiation treatment head is mechanically coupled to the ring gantry such that a distance by which the radiation treatment head extends inwardly toward the central opening relative to the ring gantry is dynamically controllable. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20120195405 | Mobile X-Ray Unit - One embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a mobile X-ray unit. The mobile X-ray unit may include a base accommodating a control unit for controlling an X-ray applicator and a power supply for supplying power to the X-ray applicator. The mobile X-ray unit may further include an arm associated with the base. The arm may be configured to support an X-ray applicator having an X-ray tube. The arm may be articuable. The X-ray tube may include a target element configured to generate an X-ray beam and a collimator configured to shape the X-ray beam. The target element may be disposed at a set distance from the collimator. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20120213334 | RADIATION GENERATION UNIT - The present embodiments relate to a radiation generation unit for a therapy system. The radiation generation unit has a radiation source and support components for the radiation source. The radiation generation unit includes a power source and has a mechanical interface, with which the radiation generation unit may be attached to a stand. Degrees of freedom of movement may easily be implemented using a corresponding movement of the radiation generation unit. | 08-23-2012 |
| 20120250824 | VALIDATING A COMPENSATOR FOR USE IN A RADIATION THERAPY MACHINE TO TREAT A CANCER PATIENT - A method of validating a compensator for use in a radiation therapy machine to treat a cancer patient involves determining a radiation treatment plan based on a compensator description file that includes data representative of an actual machined surface of the compensator. The plan includes operating parameters of the radiation therapy machine, and this plan is compared against actual radiation measurements taken during a non-patient test of the radiation therapy machine with the compensator mounted to the machine. If the comparison results in a match, the compensator is validated for use in the radiation therapy machine to treat the cancer patient. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120294422 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CARGO SCANNING AND RADIOTHERAPY USING A TRAVELING WAVE LINEAR ACCELERATOR BASED X-RAY SOURCE USING CURRENT TO MODULATE PULSE-TO-PULSE DOSAGE - Provided herein are systems and methods for operating a traveling wave linear accelerator to generate stable electron beams at two or more different intensities by varying the number of electrons injected into the accelerator structure during each pulse by varying the electron beam current applied to an electron gun. The electron beams may be used to generate x-rays having selected doses and energies, which may be used for cargo scanning or radiotherapy applications. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20120294423 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CARGO SCANNING AND RADIOTHERAPY USING A TRAVELING WAVE LINEAR ACCELERATOR BASED X-RAY SOURCE USING PULSE WIDTH TO MODULATE PULSE-TO-PULSE DOSAGE - Provided herein are systems and methods for operating a traveling wave linear accelerator to generate stable electron beams at two or more different intensities by varying the number of electrons injected into the accelerator structure during each pulse by varying the width of the beam pulse, i.e., pulse width. The electron beams may be used to generate x-rays having selected doses and energies, which may be used for cargo scanning or radiotherapy applications. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20120294424 | Method And Apparatus for Radioablation of Regular Targets such as Sympathetic Nerves - Techniques for radioablation of sympathetic nerves include positioning a subject on a support in view of a volume imaging system and an ionizing radiation source; and collecting volume image data. Location of a treatment portion of a sympathetic nerve in the subject is determined based on the volume image data. Movement of the source is determined to apply a therapeutic radiation dose to the treatment portion based on the location of the treatment portion and relative location of the source to the volume imaging system. The source is operated to deliver the therapeutic radiation dose. An apparatus includes a mounting structure, an X-ray source and a shield. The source produces an X-ray beam with photon energy above one million electron volts (MeV) and not above six MeV. The shield is mounted in opposition to the source to block the X-ray beam with photon energies not greater than about six MeV. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20120314840 | RADIATION THERAPY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A RESOLUTION ENHANCEMENT IN IRRADIATED RADIATION-EXPOSURE FIELDS - A radiation therapy device may include: a radiation source that directs a beam to a target volume from at least two opposite directions, a collimator having multiple elements for localizing the treatment beam to generate a radiation-exposure field, wherein an expansion of the collimator elements predetermines a resolution of the radiation-exposure field, and an offset unit affects the irradiation of opposing radiation-exposure fields at an offset such that the two opposing radiation-exposure fields are offset from each other by a fraction of the resolution. Furthermore, a method for generating a resolution enhancement in irradiated radiation-exposure fields may include: generating a first radiation-exposure field using a collimator which delimits a beam emitted from a first spatial direction; and generating a second radiation-exposure field using the collimator which delimits a further beam emitted from a second spatial direction, the second radiation-exposure field being offset from the first radiation-exposure field by a fraction of the resolution. | 12-13-2012 |
| 20120314841 | MEDICAL DEVICE OPERATING WITH X-RAYS AND METHOD FOR OPERATING SAME - The invention relates to a medical device operating with X-rays, comprising: an X-ray source, from which an X-ray beam that has an intensity maximum along a central ray can be emitted, a rotation unit, with which the X-ray source can be rotated about an isocentre, wherein the central axis of the X-ray beam is oriented eccentrically to the isocentre such that, in particular upon rotation about the isocentre, the central rays emitted from different spatial directions are tangential to an imaginary circle around the isocentre. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating a medical device, comprising the following steps: providing an X-ray source, from which an X-ray beam that has an intensity maximum along a central ray is emitted, rotating the X-ray source about an isocentre. | 12-13-2012 |
| 20130003930 | COMBINED IMAGING AND RADIATION THERAPY - One or more techniques and/or systems described herein provide for examining an object (e.g., a tumor in a patient) and subsequently treating the object. The examination and treatment generally occur very close to one another in time, with the patient remaining on a support article (e.g., on a bed or in a chair) during both the examination and the treatment. In this way, a position of the tumor and/or orientation of the tumor relative to the patient is substantially fixed during both the examination and the treatment. In one embodiment, a support article is configured to rotate during the examination and/or treatment. In this way, the object can be examined (e.g., and volumetric data related to the object can be acquired) and/or treated without moving portions of the imaging and/or treatment apparatus, for example. | 01-03-2013 |
| 20130003931 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOCALIZED X-RAY RADIATION TREATMENT - The present invention pertains to a system for electronic brachytherapy wherein a layer of target material can produce reflection and transmission X-rays when struck by electrons from a cathode. An alternative system can have a fixed-size containment structure around a miniature X-ray source, with X-ray attenuating coolant fluid between the source and containment structure. A balloon can be around the fixed-size containment structure and can be inflated with an X-ray inert gas. | 01-03-2013 |
| 20130034211 | Radiotherapy - Radiotherapy apparatus is disclosed, comprising a radiation source capable of emitting a beam of therapeutic radiation along a beam axis, collimation apparatus for delimiting the beam and comprising (i) a block of sufficient width to extend across the width of the beam, selectively movable into the beam from a first side of the beam axis, and (ii) an array of individually moveable elongate narrow leaves arranged side-by-side in a direction perpendicular to the beam, each being moveable longitudinally into the beam from a second and opposing side of the beam axis, in which there is no array of individually moveable elongate narrow leaves arranged side-by-side in a direction perpendicular to the beam moveable longitudinally into the beam from the first side of the beam axis. Thus, there is in effect a single bank of MLC leaves on one side of the aperture and a block collimator on the other. | 02-07-2013 |
| 20130044863 | Radiotherapy and Imaging Apparatus - A radiotherapy apparatus is described which includes a source of radiation for generating a therapeutic beam towards a target region of a patient. A collimation apparatus is configured to act on the beam in a plane transverse to the beam axis. An imaging apparatus is configured to obtain imaging data of the target region. A control apparatus is configured to receive the imaging data from the imaging apparatus and control the collimation apparatus in dependence thereon. The imaging data includes at least one two-dimensional slice image including only a single two-dimensional slice image oriented in any one direction and which includes the target region. | 02-21-2013 |
| 20130058460 | METHOD OF GENERATING AND/OR PROVIDING DATA FOR TISSUE TREATMENT - A method of generating and/or providing data ( | 03-07-2013 |
| 20130064348 | Systems, devices, and methods including implants for managing cumulative x-ray radiation dosage - Systems, devices, and methods are described including implantable radiation sensing devices having exposure determination devices that determines cumulative exposure information based on the at least one in vivo measurand. | 03-14-2013 |
| 20130064349 | Systems, Devices, and methods including implants for managing cumulative x-ray radiation dosage - Systems, devices, and methods are described including implantable radiation sensing devices having exposure determination devices that determines cumulative exposure information based on the at least one in vivo measurand. | 03-14-2013 |
| 20130064350 | PHOTO-GUIDING DEVICE FOR A RADIOTHERAPY APPARATUS - A photon-guiding device for a radiotherapy apparatus, consists of a central frustum, made up of a plurality of metal channels, and an outer casing that encloses the central frustum and consists of microchannels. The channels and microchannels have a frusto-conical shape and a common apex. | 03-14-2013 |
| 20130070898 | Prediction-based breathing control apparatus for radiation therapy - Some aspects include a system, medium, and method for receiving an indication of occurrences of a substantially periodic treatment opportunity for a target volume of a patient from a motion detection device, the treatment opportunity being a period of time the target volume is in a position to be irradiated according to a burst mode treatment plan to be administered by a radiotherapy device; determining a future treatment opportunity for a target volume of a patient; beginning synchronization of a prescribed delivery period of burst mode irradiation and the future treatment opportunity; presenting, to the patient, an indication of timing data indicative of a time until the prescribed delivery period of burst mode irradiation will occur; and irradiating the target volume during the synchronization of the future treatment opportunity and the prescribed delivery period of burst mode irradiation. | 03-21-2013 |
| 20130077751 | System and Method for Intensity Modulated Arc Therapy Treatment Planning - A system and method for producing an intensity modulated arc therapy (“IMAT”) treatment plan are provided. A plurality of segmentations are generated, from which the IMAT treatment plan is determined. Apertures within each segmentation are ordered by minimizing the total leaf movement between pairs of segmentations in adjacent angles, during which corresponding minimum total leaf movement values between such pairs are calculated. From these segmentations, a network model is used to select those segmentations to be used in the IMAT treatment plan. The apertures in the selected segmentations are then modified by minimizing total leaf movement relative to the selected segmentations, and subject to physical constraints such as a maximum leaf movement constraint or interdigitation constraint. Segmentation errors in the modified segmentations are then locally minimized using a network model and a row-non-convexity measure to determine the order in which apertures are to be optimized. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130077752 | RADIATION THERAPY TREATMENT PLAN IMPROVEMENT THROUGH USE OF KNOWLEDGE BASE - A radiation therapy dose distribution method starts with selecting a treatment type. Then an organ at risk (OAR) distance to target map is determined. The OAR distance to target map comprises distances to a target organ for portions of an OAR. The OAR distances are determined from at least one segmented patient organ image. A cohort average dose distance to target histogram is selected. A dose value to the portions of the OAR are assigned to form a first 3D dose distribution map. The dose values are from the selected cohort average dose distance to target histogram. A second 3D dose distribution map is determined based on a field arrangement determined by the treatment type and the first 3D dose distribution map. A dose distance to target histogram is calculated using the second 3D dose distribution map and the distance to target map. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130121469 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CALCULATING DOSE UNCERTAINTY - A dose calculation tool operable to generate a variance map that represents a dose uncertainty. The variance map illustrates on a point-by-point basis where high uncertainty in the dose may exist and where low uncertainty in the dose may exist. The dose uncertainty is a result of an error in one or more data parameters related to a delivery parameter or a computational parameter. | 05-16-2013 |
| 20130142310 | DYNAMIC MULTI-AXES TRAJECTORY OPTIMIZATION AND DELIVERY METHOD FOR RADIATION TREATMENT - Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for improved radiation treatment and imaging of solid cancers utilizing radiation beam trajectory optimization techniques to obtain conformal radiation coverage of tissue that is targeted to receive radiation, while minimizing exposure of healthy tissue and organs to harmful, unnecessary radiation. | 06-06-2013 |
| 20130156159 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR RADIATION TREATMENT OF TISSUE SURFACES - A device, system and method for administering radiation therapy to a tissue surface of a patient utilizes an applicator capable of controlled movement and repositioning over a selected area of tissue, under the control of a computer or controller. A servo-controlled manipulator can effect a raster scan of the desired area, such as an area of the skin, and this can be in any desired pattern such as serpentine, spiral, parallel but unidirectional, or irregular patterns. Preferably a third direction of control is included, i.e. a depth direction, with an appropriate form of depth sensor, a signal from which can be used to adjust the radiation source so that radiation of the tissue surface is consistent over varied contoured. | 06-20-2013 |
| 20130163723 | Method for Correctively Adjusting a Beam for Irradiating a Moving Target Volume - A radiotherapy device includes a therapeutic radiation source for providing a beam for irradiating a moving target volume and a beam correcting apparatus for directing the beam onto the target volume. The beam correcting apparatus includes a collimator having a collimator aperture for delimiting the beam, a positioning apparatus for positioning the target volume relative to the beam, and a controller for selecting a position of the collimator aperture relative to the beam and for selecting a position of the positioning apparatus such that when the beam is correctively adjusted, the movement of the target volume in a first movement direction is compensated for by displacing the collimator aperture, and the movement of the target volume in a second movement direction is compensated for by repositioning the target volume with the positioning apparatus. | 06-27-2013 |
| 20130177135 | Method for Determining a 4D Plan for Carrying out Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy - A method for determining a 4D plan for carrying out intensity-modulated radiation therapy of a target volume subject to irregular periodic motion, with a radiation therapy apparatus is provided. The method includes selecting positions of a radiation source. The number of positions is selected to be identical in all 3D radiation therapy plans. The method also includes selecting a number of respective aperture settings assigned to a respective position of the radiation source to be identical in all 3D radiation therapy plans. A geometrical, temporal, and/or dynamic restriction that restricts a change of the aperture from one aperture setting to another aperture setting is predetermined, and the 3D radiation therapy plans are determined such that the 3D radiation therapy plans fulfill predetermined restrictions for aperture settings in each case. | 07-11-2013 |
| 20130195247 | IRRADIATION PLANNING AND IRRADIATION FOR A QUASI-CYCLICALLY MOVING TARGET VOLUME - A method for irradiation planning for a quasi-cyclically moving target volume includes defining a first movement phase within a movement period of the target volume and carrying out a first irradiation planning using a first position of the target volume during the first movement phase. The method also includes defining a second movement phase within the movement period of the target volume, and carrying out a second irradiation planning for the second movement phase using a second position of the target volume during the second movement phase. An apportionment of a total dose to be applied is provided to a first partial dose that is allocated to the first movement phase and to a second partial dose that is allocated to the second movement phase. | 08-01-2013 |
| 20130208865 | LOW DOSE-RATE RADIATION FOR MEDICAL AND VETERNARY THERAPIES - Various embodiments relate to a method of performing microbeam radiation therapy on a subject, including: affixing a collimator to the subject at a first location; producing a first high energy radiation fan beam, wherein the width of the first fan beam in a first direction is greater than the width of the first fan beam in a second direction; and moving the subject in the second direction so that the first fan beam irradiates the subject through the collimator to produce first high dose regions alternating with first low dose regions. | 08-15-2013 |
| 20130208866 | Methods and Apparatus for Providing Accessories to a Patient During Radiation Treatment - An apparatus is provided for performing radiation therapy on a patient. In certain embodiments, the apparatus includes a patient support surface, a gantry having a radiation source rotatable around the patient support surface, a supply arm extending through the central bore, a supply interface disposed on the supply arm, and a supply line connecting the supply interface to a supply source. The apparatus delivers radiation therapy accessories to the patient while minimally interfering with access to the patient by radiation therapy personnel. | 08-15-2013 |
| 20130208867 | Radiation Therapy Techniques Using Targeted Wave Superposition, Magnetic Field Direction and Real-Time Sensory Feedback - New techniques for radiotherapy and radiosurgery are provided. In one aspect of the invention, multiple sources of radiation are provided in a planned frequency and in the same superposable period and polarization, from the same side of a treatment target, focused on a leading structure in the target. In another aspect, refractive models, updated by live feedback, are used to improve dosage distribution by, among other things, optimizing the number, angle and nature of radiation beams. Interstitial beacons and radiation path diversion structures are inserted to improve dosage distribution to a target and avoid critical neighboring structures. In particle therapy, regionally actuable external magnetic fields are used as well, to improve dosage accuracy and avoid collateral damage. | 08-15-2013 |
| 20130216026 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TREATING MOVING TARGET - A method and system for providing intensity modulated radiation therapy to a moving target is disclosed. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a treatment plan for providing radiotherapy using a multi-leaf collimator (“MLC”) comprises a plurality of sub-plans, each of which is optimized for a different phase of target movement. Movements of the treatment target are tracked in real time, and the choice of which sub-plan to implement is made in real time based on the tracked position of the target. Each of the sub-plans is preferably formulated to minimize interplay effects between target movements and MLC leaf movements, consistent with other planning goals. In addition, the sub-plans preferably include a predicted region corresponding to the next anticipated position of the target, in order to facilitate the transition to the next position. | 08-22-2013 |
| 20130230145 | LOW DOSE-RATE RADIATION FOR MEDICAL AND VETERINARY THERAPIES WITH THREE DIMENSIONALLY SHAPED PROFILES - Various embodiments relate to a method of performing microbeam radiation therapy (microbeam radiosurgery) for a subject, including: producing a high-energy radiation beam; shaping, attenuating, strengthening, hardening and/or otherwise appropriately modifying the high-energy radiation beam using a low-Z, high-Z, or variable-Z filter; passing the beam before or after it has been so modified through a collimator to produce high-dose regions alternating with low-dose regions; and irradiating the subject with the collimated beam so modified. | 09-05-2013 |
| 20130243157 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VERIFYING AN IRRADIATION FIELD - A radiation therapy device includes an irradiation field limiting apparatus. The irradiation field limiting apparatus includes a collimator for adjusting the irradiation field, and a verification apparatus for visually verifying the irradiation field. The verification apparatus is configured such that the irradiation field is optically displayed on a patient that is positioned at a distance from the isocenter of the radiation therapy device. | 09-19-2013 |
| 20130243158 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOSURGERY - A radiosurgery system is described that delivers a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, ocular structures are placed in a global coordinate system, based on ocular imaging, which leads to direction of an automated positioning system. In some embodiments, the position of an ocular structure is tracked and related to a radiosurgery system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial aids in positioning the system. In some embodiments, a reflection off the eye is used to aid in positioning. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. | 09-19-2013 |
| 20130259198 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ELECTRON RADIOTHERAPY - A radiotherapy system is disclosed. The radiotherapy system comprises an electron beam generator for generating an electron beam and a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field. In some embodiments of the present invention, the system further comprises a controller for controlling the electron beam and the magnetic field generators such that the electron beam is dynamically shifted and the magnetic field is dynamically redirected synchronously with the shifting. | 10-03-2013 |
| 20130301800 | ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - Radiosurgery systems are described that are configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, and in some embodiments, other disorders or tissues of a body are treated with the dose of radiation. In some embodiments, target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. | 11-14-2013 |
| 20130315374 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR DETECTING, CONTROLLING, AND PREDICTING RADIATION DELIVERY - Embodiments provide method and systems for determining alignment of a patient's body part, such as an eye, in an external coordinate system of a treatment or diagnostic device, such as a radiotherapy device, so as to define a reference axis for guiding device operation. Additional embodiments provide image-based methods and systems for aligning, tracking and monitoring motion of a body part and a treatment target in relation to a radiation beam axis. Particular ophthalmic embodiments provide method and systems including an eye-contact guide device and imaging system for aligning and tracking motion of an eye and ocular treatment target in relation to an orthovoltage X-ray beam axis, so as to monitor application of radiation to a lesion, such as a macular lesion of the retina. Particular methods for controlling radiation in response to motion of the target during treatment are described, such as algorithms for gating or interrupting radiation emission, both to ensure treatment goals and to avoid exposure to sensitive structures. | 11-28-2013 |
| 20130329857 | HIGH ENERGY MICROBEAM RADIOSURGERY - A method of performing microbeam radiosurgery on a patient whereby target tissue within a patient is irradiated with high energy electromagnetic radiation via one or more microbeam envelopes with photons having respective energy magnitudes in excess of 200 keV, and maximum defined beam widths sufficiently narrow to yield a biological damage width which does not exceed a predetermined value. | 12-12-2013 |
| 20140037063 | METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ORTHOVOLTAGE OCULAR RADIOTHERAPY AND TREATMENT PLANNING - A method, code and system for planning the treatment a lesion on or adjacent to the retina of an eye of a patient are disclosed. There is first established at least two beam paths along which x-radiation is to be directed at the retinal lesion. Based on the known spectral and intensity characteristics of the beam, a total treatment time for irradiation along each beam paths is determined. From the coordinates of the optic nerve in the aligned eye position, there is determined the extent and duration of eye movement away from the aligned patient-eye position in a direction that moves the patient's optic nerve toward the irradiation beam that will be allowed during treatment, while still maintaining the radiation dose at the patient optic nerve below a predetermined dose level. | 02-06-2014 |
| 20140044236 | DOSE CALCULATION METHOD FOR MULTIPLE FIELDS - Systems and methods for developing a treatment plan for irradiating a treatment volume within a patient are disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, control points used to calculate a dose of radiation delivered to the treatment volume may be combined to result in a smaller number of control points. The smaller number of control points may allow more efficient calculation of dose distributions resulting in a treatment plan that can be delivered to the patient earlier or may allow additional iterations of treatment plan optimization resulting in a more accurate dose distribution being delivered to the patient. | 02-13-2014 |
| 20140105362 | PORTABLE ORTHOVOLTAGE RADIOTHERAPY - A portable orthovoltage radiotherapy system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, the ocular structures are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, the ocular structures inside the global coordinate system lead to direction of an automated positioning system that is directed based on the ocular structures within the coordinate system. | 04-17-2014 |
| 20140126700 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR OCULAR ALIGNMENT AND COUPLING OF OCULAR STRUCTURES - Embodiments provide method and systems for determining or measuring objective eye alignment in an external-coordinate system so as to define a reference axis. Additional embodiments provide a method and system of aligning an objectively determined reference axis of the eye in a selected relationship to a therapeutic axis of an ophthalmic therapeutic apparatus and/or a diagnostic axis of an ophthalmic diagnostic apparatus. Embodiments provide a method and system for planning an ophthalmic treatment procedure based on objective eye alignment in an external-coordinate system so as to define a reference axis of an eye to be treated. The reference axis may be used to position a therapeutic energy component, for example, an orthovoltage X-ray treatment device, e.g., positioned to provide treatment to tissue on the retina, such as the macula. | 05-08-2014 |
| 20140205067 | DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR RADIATION THERAPY - A device is used to precisely deliver the treatment plan created by an automatic planning system by positioning a single low energy radiation source, or a plurality of low energy sources connected to each other, in a predetermined parallel, planar, or similar geometry, each source equipped with blocking and attenuation mechanisms, thereby delivering a plurality of parallel overlapping beams indexed on a millimeter or submillimeter grid such that a concentration of dose is achieved at a variable depth in tissue relative to the dose where the radiation first enters the tissue. A plurality of overlapping beams indexed on a millimeter or submillimeter grid can converge on a target volume loaded with gold nanoparticles to deliver a tumorcidal dose of radiation in as little as a single session to tumor cells but not to normal cells or to deliver serial radiosurgical treatments. | 07-24-2014 |
| 20140270075 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED RADIOSURGERY COLLIMATION - A system and method is provided for radiation system collimation and design. A plurality of channel waveguide assemblies are provided to be operatively associated with respective beam collimators having varying longitudinal bore diameters. The plurality of channel waveguide assemblies includes a plurality of guides and concentric spacers. The plurality of guides and concentric spacers include varying inner diameters that are configured to be securably nested together by decreasing inner diameters and secured within the longitudinal bores of the respective beam collimators. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140270076 | Rodent Ionizing Radiation Treatment Device - The present application relates to rodent radiation device that enables simultaneous radiation treatment of a plurality of small animals such as mice with localized radiation therapy. The device can provide clinically-relevant homogeneous radiation dosing and scheduling to a plurality of small animals or other in vivo cancer models simultaneously. Specifically, the multi station/unit design of the device allows for rapid loading of anesthetized small animals into radiation shield chambers that absorbs over 95% of the delivered dose and protects the remainder of the untreated animal, allowing for more clinically accurate recapitulation of radiotherapy regimens. In one embodiment, a total of 40-50 Gy is delivered in 20-25 fractions to small animals with more than 95% survival rates. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140270077 | METHOD AND APPARATUS PERTAINING TO IRRADIATING A TREATMENT VOLUME WHILE MAINTAINING THE TREATMENT VOLUME A PREDETERMINED OFFSET DISTANCE FROM THE RADIATION-TREATMENT ISOCENTER - A control circuit is configured to control selective movement of at least the patient-support platform (during a radiation treatment session and typically while the radiation source is also moving) such that during at least a part of the radiation treatment session a patient's radiation-treatment target volume is maintained at a predetermined offset distance away from the radiation-treatment isocenter. By one approach the control circuit maintains that predetermined offset distance for the duration of the radiation treatment session. By one approach, the control circuit is further configured to control selective movement of at least the patient-support platform such that during the radiation treatment session the patient's radiation-treatment target volume moves along a predetermined trajectory (even while maintaining the aforementioned predetermined offset distance). | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140294153 | SAFETY METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR LOW DOSE-RATE RADIATION FOR MEDICAL AND VETERINARY THERAPIES - Various embodiments relate to a microbeam radiation therapy (microbeam radiosurgery) system, including: a radiation beam source; a collimator with slits, wherein the collimator only passes a radiation beam from the radiation beam source through the slits; a filtering and limiting system; a source shutoff controller connected to the radiation beam source; and a detector configured to detect events requiring the shutdown of the radiation beam source. | 10-02-2014 |
| 20140294154 | MAGNETIC CONFINEMENT FOR MICROBEAM RADIATION DAMAGE AREA - Various embodiments relate to a method of performing microbeam radiation therapy on a subject, including: producing a high-energy radiation beam in a first direction; producing planar microbeams using the high-energy radiation beam in the first direction, wherein the microbeams have a width, wherein the planar microbeams produce scattered electrons; and applying a magnetic field in a direction lying in a plane substantially parallel to the planar microbeams, wherein the strength of the magnetic field corresponds to the width of the microbeam. | 10-02-2014 |
| 20140341351 | Methods and systems in radiotherapy - A method of operating a radiotherapy system, comprising: receiving a treatment plan to be carried out using the radiotherapy system; detecting if there is a fault in a component of the radiotherapy system; determining whether the component is needed for delivery of the treatment plan; and if the component is not needed for delivery of the treatment plan, allowing the radiotherapy system to execute the treatment plan. | 11-20-2014 |
| 20140341352 | SYSTEM AND METHODS OF PHOTON-BASED RADIOTHERAPY AND RADIOSURGERY DELIVERY - Photon-based radiosurgery is widely used for treating local and regional tumors. The key to improving the quality of radiosurgery is to increase the dose falloff rate from high dose regions inside the tumor to low dose regions of nearby healthy tissues and structures. Dynamic photon painting (DPP) further increases dose falloff rate by treating a target by moving a beam source along a dynamic trajectory, where the speed, direction and even dose rate of the beam source change constantly during irradiation. DPP creates dose gradient that rivals proton Bragg. Peak and outperforms Gamma Knife® radiosurgery. | 11-20-2014 |
| 20150071408 | DOSIMETRIC SCINTILLATING SCREEN DETECTOR FOR CHARGED PARTICLE RADIOTHERAPY QUALITY ASSURANCE - An apparatus and method are provided for performing Quality Assurance of complex beams of penetrating radiation inside a patient. A detector with a transverse scintillating screen images the radiation inside a tissue phantom with high spatial resolution. The scintillator is comprised of a mixture of two or more scintillators emitting different spectra of light and having different characteristic responses as a function of the beam LET value. The optics relaying the scintillation output have variable transmission with wavelength, further shaping the spectrum of light transmitted to the imaging sensor which also has spectrally varying sensitivity. Parameters of the scintillator construction, the optics, and the imaging sensor are chosen so the output of the composite detector is proportional to a characteristic of the input beam, for example the dose deposited as a function of depth inside the tissue phantom. | 03-12-2015 |
| 20150085982 | COLLIMATOR FOR RADIOTHERAPY APPARATUS - A collimator for a radiotherapy apparatus, comprising a block of radiation-attenuating material having a front face forming the leading edge of the block and at least one main rear face defining the trailing edge of the block, in which the or each rear face is substantially planar in the direction of the depth of the block and non-parallel to the front face. The collimator may form part of a radiotherapy apparatus, and methods of operation of such apparatus are described. | 03-26-2015 |
| 20150146856 | Radiation Therapy Techniques Using Targeted Wave Superposition, Magnetic Field Direction and Real-Time Sensory Feedback - New techniques for radiotherapy and radiosurgery are provided. In some aspects of the invention, multiple sources of radiation with characteristics that are projected to constructively interfere at a treatment target are provided. In other aspects, hardware directs multiple radiation sources from the same side of a treatment target, and focuses the initiation of substantial interference on a leading structure in the target. In other aspects, refractive models updated by live feedback are used to improve dosage distribution by, among other things, optimizing the number, length, superposition, overlap, angle and nature of radiation beams. In additional aspects, interstitial beacons and radiation path diversion structures are inserted to improve dosage distribution to a target and avoid critical neighboring structures. In particle therapy, regionally actuable external magnetic fields are also provided, to improve dosage accuracy and avoid collateral damage. | 05-28-2015 |
| 20150343239 | QUALITY-CONTROL JIG FOR USE WITH RADIOTHERAPY APPARATUS - A jig for calibrating an image-guided radiotherapy apparatus is disclosed. The jig includes a ball bearing and a three-axis positioner. Once the ball bearing has been moved to the calculated radiation isocenter of the apparatus, other calibration procedures can be performed by directing light onto the jig. | 12-03-2015 |
| 20150360051 | SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR INVERSE TREATMENT PLANNING - The present invention concerns an inverse treatment planning system, comprising:
| 12-17-2015 |
| 20150360052 | SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR RADIATION INVERSE TREATMENT PLANNING - The present invention concerns a radiation inverse treatment planning system for a linear accelerator, comprising:
| 12-17-2015 |
| 20160059040 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROL OF EXTERNAL BEAM RADIATION - A system for radiation therapy includes an ionizing radiation source for producing a beam oriented along an axis aligned with a target volume for delivering ionizing radiation to the target volume along a beam path and at a dose rate, wherein the beam includes a soft spectrum and a hard spectrum. The system also includes a filter arranged within the beam path and including a central aperture that is free of beam-filtering material, wherein the central aperture is surrounded by a beam-filtering material having a thickness dimension selected and positioned in the beam path to highly attenuate the soft spectrum of the beam to reduces external scatter of the beam and allow a majority of the hard spectrum of the beam to pass through the central aperture unfiltered. The beam path is free of beam-filtering material arranged to attenuate a central portion of the beam. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20160166693 | RADIATION ENHANCED MACROMOLECULAR DELIVERY OF THERAPEUTIC AGENTS FOR CHEMOTHERAPY | 06-16-2016 |
| 20160175616 | MUCOSAL DOSE CONTROL RADIOTHERAPY APPARATUS USING MAGNETIC FIELDS | 06-23-2016 |
| 20190143147 | EVALUATION OF DOSE ACCURACY OF RADIATION THERAPY TREATMENT PLANS | 05-16-2019 |
