Imaging devices
Granted: October 15, 2019
Patent Number:
10444378
An imaging device includes: a first scintillator layer; an array of detector elements, wherein the array of detector elements comprises a first detector element; a second scintillator layer, wherein the array of detector elements is located between the first scintillator layer and the second scintillator layer; and a first neutral density filter located between the first scintillator layer and the first detector element and/or a second neutral density filter located between the second…
Method and apparatus to employ a multi-layer multi-leaf collimator when administering a radiation therapy treatment
Granted: October 15, 2019
Patent Number:
10441814
A control circuit administers a radiation treatment plan that specifies a planned total radiation dose for a radiation treatment session for a given patient by modulating a radiation beam with at least one high-resolution aperture that is formed using one of a plurality of linearly-sequential high-resolution aperture possibilities. By one approach the foregoing comprises modulating the radiation beam using at least substantially only high-resolution apertures that are formed using a…
Medical systems with patient supports
Granted: October 15, 2019
Patent Number:
10441226
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…
Moving floor for radiotherapy system with cantilever gantry assembly
Granted: October 1, 2019
Patent Number:
10426977
A proton beam therapy system with a cantilever gantry system and a moving floor system. The moving floor system includes a flexible moving floor and a track that is disposed vertically and affixed to an external wall. The track includes a lateral portion providing a linear lateral path for the part of the moving floor and non-lateral portions providing a vertical path for the excess of the floor. The non-lateral portions may be located above or below the lateral portion. During rotation…
Apparatus and method for employing a multi-leaf collimator while administering a radiation dose
Granted: September 24, 2019
Patent Number:
10420958
These teachings provide for administering a radiation treatment plan to a patient in a single radiation treatment session using a multi-leaf collimator that is comprised of pairs of selectively movable collimating leaves. By one approach this comprises administering a sequential plurality of modulated radiation doses to the patient, where the sequential plurality of modulated radiation doses comprises at least a substantial majority of a planned total radiation dose for the radiation…
Methods and systems for radiotherapy treatment planning
Granted: September 17, 2019
Patent Number:
10417390
Example methods and systems for determining a treatment plan for a radiotherapy treatment system to deliver radiotherapy treatment to a patient are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method may comprise performing a particle transport simulation to initiate a first set of particle histories and a second set of particle histories from a radiation source of the radiotherapy treatment system to a treatment volume with multiple voxels representing an anatomy of the patient. The method may…
Dual-axis ring gantry radiotherapy systems
Granted: September 10, 2019
Patent Number:
10406382
A radiation system includes a radiation source providing therapeutic radiation, a first gantry supporting a second gantry carrying the radiation source. The first gantry is rotatable about a first axis passing through an isocenter, thereby allowing the radiation source to aim therapeutic radiation at a target volume from a plurality of locations in a first plane. The second gantry carrying the radiation source is rotatable about a second axis passing through the isocenter non-parallel…
Method and apparatus pertaining to configuring a radiation-delivery treatment plan
Granted: September 3, 2019
Patent Number:
10398912
A radiation-delivery treatment plan includes a first value for a limit as pertains to motion compensation-based adjustment of a radiation-delivery parameter during a first portion of a radiation treatment session as well as a second value for that same limit during a second, different portion of the treatment session. By one approach, the radiation-delivery treatment plan selects between this first and second value as a function of a preselected parameter. Examples of such parameters…
Beam filter assembly and beam filter positioning device
Granted: September 3, 2019
Patent Number:
10403413
In a beam filter assembly, a base filter is employed to modify a beam quality of a radiation beam of a base energy level and a first filter slice is stacked with the base filter to modify a beam quality of a radiation beam of a first energy level higher than the base energy level. In a beam filter positioning device, a base stage carries a base filter and a first stage carries a filter slice. The base stage is provided with a first engagement site and a second engagement site. The first…
Methods and systems for radiation dose estimation
Granted: September 3, 2019
Patent Number:
10402972
Example methods and systems are provided to perform radiation dose estimation for a target object. In one example, radiation dose estimation may include obtaining projection image data acquired using an imaging system, generating partially reconstructed volume image data based on the projection image data, and generating a partition of the projection image data. The partially reconstructed volume image data may be associated with a first region of a total radiation field. The partition…
Method and apparatus for using a multi-layer multi-leaf collimation system
Granted: September 3, 2019
Patent Number:
10398911
A multi-layer multi-leaf collimation system includes at least a first layer of collimation leaves that are vertically offset with respect to a second layer of collimation leaves. A control circuit generates a preliminary radiation treatment plan using a model of a radiation therapy treatment platform using a single-layer multi-leaf collimation system following which the control circuit generates a final radiation treatment plan that takes into account at least a second layer of…
Optimization of image acquisition parameters for registration with reference image
Granted: August 27, 2019
Patent Number:
10390787
An apparatus includes input(s) for obtaining a first image and for obtaining a plurality of image parameters that includes at least a first image parameter and a second image parameter; a simulated image creation module configured for computing a plurality of simulated images based on the first image and the plurality of image parameters, the plurality of simulated images having at least a first simulated image computed based on the first image parameter, and a second simulated image…
Time-resolved pre-treatment portal dosimetry systems, devices, and methods
Granted: August 6, 2019
Patent Number:
10369383
Systems, devices, and methods for pre-treatment verification of radiation dose delivery in arc-based radiation therapy devices using a time-dependent gamma evaluation method.
Electromagnetic interference containment for accelerator systems
Granted: July 30, 2019
Patent Number:
10366859
An apparatus for attachment to a component of a microwave device, includes: a cage; a shield within the cage, wherein the shield is in a form of a container, at least a majority of the shield spaced away from an interior wall of the cage; and a connector at the cage, wherein the connector is configured to connect to a cable connection, and wherein the connector is electrically connected to two terminals within the shield. An apparatus for coupling to an input connection of an electron…
Real time treatment parameter algorithm for moving targets
Granted: July 30, 2019
Patent Number:
10363437
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,…
Methods and systems for estimating scatter
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10342504
One example method for estimating scatter associated with a target object may include acquiring a set of original projection data that includes primary radiation and scattered radiation at one or more selected projection angles associated with the target object, generating a first set of estimated scatter data from the set of original projection data, generating reconstructed image data by performing a first pass reconstruction using the first set of estimated scatter data, and…
Methods and systems for radiotherapy treatment planning
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10346593
Example methods for radiotherapy treatment planning are provided. One example method may include obtaining training data that includes multiple treatment plans associated with respective multiple past patients; and processing the training data to determine, from each of the multiple treatment plans, at least one of the following: first data associated with a particular past patient or a radiotherapy system for delivering radiotherapy treatment to the particular past patient, second data…
Dynamic beam's eye view of proton therapy irradiation shown in anatomical context
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10342997
System and method of dynamically presenting visual representations of a target volume in an anatomical context to an operator-user of a charged particle radiation therapy system. The visual representations are integrated as a part of a treatment console graphical user interface (GUI) and presented as a part of a holistic view of treatment information. The visual representations are digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs) constructed based on anatomical images captured before the…
System and method for scanned ion beam interplay effect mitigation using random repainting
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10342995
Interference of dose application in scanned ion beam therapy and organ motion, also called interplay effect, may lead to dose deviations at target volumes. Current repainting methods are susceptible to artifacts due to a predominant scanning direction, ranging from fringed field edges to under and overdosed regions (hot and cold spots). To overcome the difficulties inherent in the repainting techniques of conventional proton therapy systems, new random repainting techniques are described…
Methods and systems for generating dose estimation models for radiotherapy treatment planning
Granted: July 9, 2019
Patent Number:
10342994
One example method for generating a dose estimation model for radiotherapy treatment planning may include obtaining training data that includes multiple treatment plans associated with respective multiple past patients. The method may also include processing the training data to determine, from each of the multiple treatment plans, first data that includes one or more features associated with a particular past patient, second data associated with treatment planning trade-off selected for…
