Soft-start adapter for AC heated electron gun
Granted: November 24, 2015
Patent Number:
9198276
A circuit to power an electron source includes a filament transformer comprising a primary side and a secondary side, a high-voltage transformer coupled to the filament transformer and the electron source, and an alternating current (AC) current limiter coupled in series with the primary side or the secondary side of the filament transformer. The AC current limiter includes a diode bridge and a current-limiting device in the diode bridge.
Method and system for automatic patient identification
Granted: November 10, 2015
Patent Number:
9179982
In a method of verifying patient identity, an image of an individual who is to receive radiotherapy is obtained and compared with a reference image of a patient to whom the radiotherapy is intended. Confirmation or negation of the individual to be the patient intended can be made based on the comparison of the image of the individual with the reference image of the patient.
X-ray tube cooling by emissive heat transfer
Granted: November 3, 2015
Patent Number:
9177754
An x-ray tube includes an evacuated envelope, and a cathode assembly and an anode assembly both disposed in the evacuated envelope. The cathode assembly includes a cathode shield, a supporting body disposed inside the cathode shield, and an electron source attached to the supporting body and partially enclosed by the cathode shield. The anode assembly includes a target configured to produce x-rays upon impingement by electrons produced by the electron source. The cathode shield comprises…
Apparatus and method for combining machine limitations information with target motion boundary information
Granted: October 13, 2015
Patent Number:
9155907
A control circuit accesses machine limitations information and target motion boundary information. The control circuit then combines the machine limitations information with the target motion boundary information when acting with respect to a radiation treatment plan. By one approach the control circuit acts with respect to a radiation treatment plan by presenting machine limitation information in combination with target motion boundary information. As another approach, the control…
Image processing of images that include marker images
Granted: October 6, 2015
Patent Number:
9153034
An image processing method, includes: obtaining an image, the image having marker images and a background image; identifying presence of an object in the background image using a processor; and providing a signal for stopping a procedure if the presence of the object is identified. An image processing apparatus, includes: a processor configured for: obtaining an image, the image having marker images and a background image; identifying presence of an object in the background image; and…
Methods for image processing
Granted: September 22, 2015
Patent Number:
9142016
An image processing method includes: obtaining an image that includes a ball image and a cone image; obtaining an estimate of a center of the ball image; converting the image to a converted image using a processor based at least in part on the estimate of the center of the ball image, wherein the converted image comprises a converted ball image that looks different from the ball image in the image, and a converted cone image that looks different from the cone image in the image;…
Method and apparatus pertaining to optimizing a radiation-treatment leaf-sequence plan
Granted: September 22, 2015
Patent Number:
9138598
Determine first information regarding physical-movement limitations pertaining to at least one multi-leaf collimator and also determine second information regarding movement of the treatment target with respect to the given patient. Then, while optimizing a radiation-treatment leaf-sequence plan, constrain individually-planned leaf positions as a function, at least in part, of the first information, the second information, and planned positions of adjacent leaves. By one approach, the…
Eyewear for patient prompting
Granted: September 1, 2015
Patent Number:
9119541
An apparatus for prompting a patient includes a structure configured to be mounted to a patient support, a screen coupled to the structure, and a projector located at a distance away from the screen. A method of prompting a patient that is being supported on a patient support includes adjusting a position of a screen relative to a projector, the screen having a surface, placing the screen in front of the patient such that the patient can see the surface, and providing an image on the…
Charged particle accelerator systems including beam dose and energy compensation and methods therefor
Granted: August 25, 2015
Patent Number:
9119281
A method of operating an acceleration system comprises injecting charged particles into an RF accelerator, providing RF power to the accelerator, and accelerating the injected charged particles. The accelerated charged particles may impact a target to generate radiation. The RF power is based, at least in part, on past performance of the system, to compensate, at least partially, for dose and/or energy instability. A controller may provide a compensated control voltage (“CCV”) to an…
Radiation scanning and disabling of hazardous targets in containers
Granted: August 11, 2015
Patent Number:
9103925
In one example, a method of examining a container is disclosed comprising detecting a potential threat within contents of a container using radiation scanning and disabling the potential threat with radiation. In another example, a method of examining a container is disclosed comprising scanning at least a portion of the container with a first radiation beam, detecting radiation interacting with contents of the container, identifying a potential threat contained based, at least in part,…
Six degrees of freedom motion platform
Granted: July 28, 2015
Patent Number:
9091391
A motion platform includes a base, a platform, and a suspension supporting the platform above the base. Strings preload the platform toward the base while the suspension pushes the platform away from the base. Actuators pull and release the strings to manipulate the platform in multiple degrees of freedom.
Time-resolved pre-treatment portal dosimetry systems, devices, and methods
Granted: July 28, 2015
Patent Number:
9089696
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.
Feedback modulated radiation scanning systems and methods for reduced radiological footprint
Granted: July 21, 2015
Patent Number:
9086496
Methods and systems for scanning objects comprising scanning a portion of an object by a first radiation beam having a first value of a beam characteristic, such as the dose, and detecting the first radiation beam after interaction with the object by a first detector. It is determined whether to change the first value to a second value based, at least in part, on the detected first radiation beam. That portion of the object is then scanned by a second radiation beam having the first…
Systems and methods for segmentation of radiopaque structures in images
Granted: July 21, 2015
Patent Number:
9084888
A method of determining a model of a marker includes obtaining projection images, each of the projection images having an image of a marker that indicates a shape of the marker, determining binary images of the marker for respective ones of the projection images, and constructing a three-dimensional model of the marker using the binary images, the three-dimensional model comprising a set of voxels in a three-dimensional space that collectively indicates a three-dimensional shape of the…
Method and apparatus for preventing access to electrical contacts
Granted: July 14, 2015
Patent Number:
9083103
An electrical contact device may include an insulating first body having a first surface, one or more electrical contacts received in the first body and protruding a distance from the first surface, and an insulating second body configured to prevent access by an object such as a human body portion to the protruding electrical contacts. The second body may include a first side wall and a second side wall which are configured to allow the one or more electrical contacts protruding from…
Multi level multileaf collimators
Granted: July 14, 2015
Patent Number:
9082520
A multilevel MLC includes a first set and a second set of a plurality of pairs of beam blocking leaves arranged adjacent one another. Leaves of each pair in the first set are disposed in an opposed relationship and longitudinally movable relative to each other in a first direction. Leaves of each pair in the second set are disposed in an opposed relationship and longitudinally movable relative to each other in a second direction generally parallel to the first direction. The first and…
Guided radiation therapy system
Granted: July 7, 2015
Patent Number:
9072895
A system and method for accurately locating and tracking the position of a target, such as a tumor or the like, within a body. In one embodiment, the system is a target locating and monitoring system usable with a radiation delivery source that delivers a selected doses of radiation to a target in a body. The system includes one or more excitable beacons positionable in or near the target, an external excitation source that remotely excites the beacons to produce an identifiable signal,…
Radiation system with rotating patient support
Granted: June 23, 2015
Patent Number:
9060698
A patient support system includes a patient support having a surface for supporting a patient and a longitudinal axis, and a positioner coupled to the patient support for positioning the patient support, wherein the positioner is configured to move the patient support along a path that has an arc, circular, or zig-zag shape, and wherein the path lies within a plane that forms an angle with the surface of the patient support.
Method and apparatus to facilitate determination of a parameter that corresponds to a scanning geometry characteristic
Granted: June 9, 2015
Patent Number:
9052265
Relative movement about an axis of rotation is caused as between an energy source/detector array with respect to an object (where the object can comprise either an object to be projected to facilitate a study of the object or a calibration object to be projected as part of calibrating usage of the energy source/detector array). The energy source/detector array are used during this relative movement to scan the object and to obtain corresponding object project data. That object projection…
4D cone beam CT using deformable registration
Granted: June 2, 2015
Patent Number:
9047701
A method of obtaining a volumetric image includes obtaining a plurality of volumetric images, the volumetric images generated using respective sets of projection images, wherein the volumetric images and the respective sets of projection images correspond with different respective bins for a physiological cycle, and determining an additional volumetric image using one or more of the projection images from each of the sets that correspond with the different respective bins for the…
