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…
Cathode assembly for a long throw length X-ray tube
Granted: June 2, 2015
Patent Number:
9048064
Cathode assembly for a long throw length x-ray tube. In one example embodiment, a cathode assembly for an x-ray tube includes an electron emitter, an acceleration region, and a drift region. The electron emitter includes a curved emitting surface configured to emit an electron beam having a y-dimension that is greater than an x-dimension at the electron emitter. The acceleration region is defined adjacent to the electron emitter. The acceleration region is configured such that when the…
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…
Systems and methods for delivering radiation therapy
Granted: May 26, 2015
Patent Number:
9039593
Described here are conformable brachytherapy applicators. The conformable brachytherapy applicators generally follow the contour of tissue surfaces so that distances between radiation sources and target tissues can be precisely determined and radiation dose clouds can be readily shaped. Systems and methods for using the conformable brachytherapy applicators are also described.
X-ray matrix imager based on a multiple-gate-line driving scheme and a shared-gate-line driving scheme
Granted: May 12, 2015
Patent Number:
9029794
An X-ray matrix imager is configured to operate based on a multiple-gate-line driving scheme and a shared-data-line driving scheme. The X-ray matrix imager includes a matrix with multiple pixels, multiple gate line sets, multiple data lines, multiple gate drivers, multiple row multiplexers, and multiple pull-down units. Each gate line sets includes a first gate line coupled to a first pixel and a second gate line coupled to a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel. Each data line is…
Laser accelerator driven particle brachytherapy devices, systems, and methods
Granted: May 5, 2015
Patent Number:
9022914
A laser accelerator driven electronic brachytherapy system, device, and method for particle based treatment of a tumor or other human diseases and conditions.
Knowledge-based automatic image segmentation
Granted: April 28, 2015
Patent Number:
9020216
A method for medical image segmentation includes accessing and updating a knowledge-base. First, a medical image is received and a sparse landmark signature is computed based on the medical image. Next, either a representative or a cohort average reference image set is selected. A portion of either representative reference image set or the cohort average reference image set is deformed to generate mappings to the medical image set. A segmentation for each structure of interest of the…
Method and apparatus pertaining to images used for radiation-treatment planning
Granted: April 21, 2015
Patent Number:
9014454
A radiation-treatment planning apparatus accesses first information regarding a first image that pertains to a patient's body at a first time as well as second information regarding a second image that pertains to the patient's body at a second, later time. The radiation-treatment planning apparatus then correlates components of the patient's body as appear in the second image with components that appear in the first image while treating the components as comprising rigid structures…
Compact proton therapy system with energy selection onboard a rotatable gantry
Granted: April 21, 2015
Patent Number:
9012866
Systems and apparatuses for providing particle beams for radiation therapy with a compact design and suitable to a single treatment room. The radiation system comprises a stationary cyclotron coupled to a rotating gantry assembly through a beam line assembly. The system is equipped with a single set of dipole magnets that are installed on the rotating gantry assembly and undertakes the dual functions of beam energy selection and beam deflection. The energy degrader may be exposed to the…
Template matching method for image-based detection and tracking of irregular shaped targets
Granted: April 14, 2015
Patent Number:
9008398
An image processing method includes: obtaining an input image; enhancing an object in the input image; and after the input image is enhanced, applying a low-pass filter using a processor to obtain a processed image. A computer product includes a non-transitory medium storing a set of instructions, an execution of which causes a method to be performed, the method comprising: obtaining an input image; enhancing an object in the input image; and after the input image is enhanced, applying a…
Methods of scatter correction of X-ray projection data 1
Granted: April 7, 2015
Patent Number:
9001961
Embodiments of the disclosure generally set forth techniques for adjusting an estimate of scattered radiation of a target object. One example method includes generating a plurality of radiographic projections, selecting a first radiographic projection and a second radiographic projection of the target object from the plurality of radiographic projections, forming first estimates of scattered radiation in the first and second radiographic projections, applying the first estimates of…
