Laser accelerator driven particle brachytherapy devices, systems, and methods
Granted: November 4, 2014
Patent Number:
8878464
A laser accelerator driven electronic brachytherapy system, device, and method for particle based treatment of a tumor or other human diseases and conditions.
On board diagnosis of RF spectra in accelerators
Granted: November 4, 2014
Patent Number:
8878432
A RF accelerator system includes an accelerator, a RF source coupled to the accelerator for providing RF power to the accelerator, a control for adjusting a frequency of the RF power provided by the RF source through a frequency range, and a sensor for sensing a response resulted from an operation of the accelerator based at least in part on the adjusted frequency of the RF power through the frequency range. A method of diagnosing a RF spectrum in an accelerator system includes providing…
Multi-source radiation system and method for interwoven radiotherapy and imaging
Granted: October 28, 2014
Patent Number:
8873710
An arc radiotherapy and imaging system is provided which includes a first radiation source and a second radiation source. The first radiation source is suitable for treating a region of a patient, and the second radiation source is suitable for imaging the region of the patient. A control is also provided for automatically adjusting system operation, according to a defined schedule, between treating the region of the patient using the first radiation source and imaging the region of the…
Asymmetric x-ray tube
Granted: October 21, 2014
Patent Number:
8867706
An asymmetric x-ray tube. In one example embodiment, an x-ray tube includes an evacuated enclosure, a cathode assembly at least partially positioned within the evacuated enclosure and defining a first axis, and an anode assembly at least partially positioned within the evacuated enclosure and defining a second axis. The anode assembly includes a rotating anode having a focal spot. The focal spot and the second axis define a plane. The first axis is positioned beneath the plane.
Multi-mode cone beam CT radiotherapy simulator and treatment machine with a flat panel imager
Granted: October 21, 2014
Patent Number:
8867703
A multi-mode cone beam computed tomography radiotherapy simulator and treatment machine is disclosed. The radiotherapy simulator and treatment machine both include a rotatable gantry on which is positioned a cone-beam radiation source and a flat panel imager. The flat panel imager captures x-ray image data to generate cone-beam CT volumetric images used to generate a therapy patient position setup and a treatment plan.
Radiation detector with multiple operating schemes
Granted: October 14, 2014
Patent Number:
8859976
A radiation detector includes a conversion element that converts an incoming radiation beam into electrical signals, which in turn can be used to generate data about the radiation beam. The conversion element may include, for example, a scintillator that converts the radiation beam into light, and a sensor that generates the signals in response to the light. The conversion element can be used in different schemes or data collection modes. For instance, the conversion element can be…
Method of manufacturing an implantable marker with a leadless signal transmitter
Granted: October 14, 2014
Patent Number:
8857043
A method of manufacturing a leadless marker for localizing the position of a target within a patient. According to one embodiment, the method includes providing a ferromagnetic element; positioning a coil of an inductor at least around a portion of the ferromagnetic element, wherein the coil comprises a plurality of windings of a conductor; and positioning the ferromagnetic element such that the radiographic and magnetic centroids of the marker are at least substantially coincident. The…
Real-time 3D dose visualization system
Granted: September 16, 2014
Patent Number:
8836697
A method of presenting a progress of a treatment planning includes determining dose information based on a treatment model, determining objective information that is associated with the treatment model, using the dose information and the objective information to determine a three-dimensional graphic that indicates with how well an objective of the treatment planning is met, wherein the three-dimensional graphic is determined using a processor, and displaying the three-dimensional graphic…
Gated radiation procedure using packages
Granted: September 16, 2014
Patent Number:
8835878
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…
Method and apparatus pertaining to use of jaws during radiation treatment
Granted: August 26, 2014
Patent Number:
8816307
These various embodiments are employed in conjunction with the use of both a multi-leaf collimator and jaws that are interposed between a source of radiation and a treatment target while sourcing radiation from the source of radiation towards the treatment target. Generally speaking, during some portion of the aforementioned treatment, these teachings provide for manipulating the jaws to more tightly constrain, in at least one dimension, a beam-shaping aperture as is formed by the…
Accelerator system stabilization for charged particle acceleration and radiation beam generation
Granted: August 12, 2014
Patent Number:
8803453
A method for generating stabilized particle acceleration by a radio-frequency (RF) accelerator is described, comprising operating the accelerator in a warm-up mode during a warm-up time period, without injecting charged particles or without accelerating injected charged particles, and operating the accelerator in a beam-on mode during a beam-on time period after the warm-up time period, to accelerate charged particles injected by the charged particle source. Automatic frequency control…
Circuitry and method for collecting image array data with separate addressing and dynamic clamping of pixels to allow for faster pixel data readout and full removal of pixel charges
Granted: August 12, 2014
Patent Number:
8803061
Circuitry and method for collecting image array data in which pixels are addressed and dynamically clamped separately. In accordance with one embodiment, pixels are addressed and clamped during different time intervals, thereby allowing faster pixel data readout while still allowing sufficient time to remove all pixel charges.
Method and system for radiation application
Granted: July 22, 2014
Patent Number:
8788020
A method for generating one or more images includes collecting data samples representative of a motion of an object, acquiring image data of at least a part of the object over a time interval, synchronizing the data samples and the image data to a common time base, and generating one or more images based on the synchronized image data. A method for generating one or more images includes acquiring image data of at least a part of an object over a time interval, associating the image data…
Imaging method and system
Granted: July 22, 2014
Patent Number:
8785872
An example imaging system including a detector, a transconductance amplifier, a charge integrator, and a current mirror is disclosed. The detector is coupled to a first current and configured to accumulate charges in response to light or radiation. The transconductance amplifier is configured to receive a pixel voltage of the detector and generate a second current according to the pixel voltage, wherein the pixel voltage is associated with the accumulated charges and the first current.…
Multi-pass edge detection of collimator blades in digital radiography images
Granted: July 15, 2014
Patent Number:
8781182
A process for detecting the edges of collimator blades in digital radiography images in the first pass detects the edges of the collimator blades using original image, and the in the second pass repeats edge detection using an image enhanced by a histogram matching technique, for example. The edge detection using an enhanced image may also be repeated any number of times in cases of complex anatomy or when selected radiographic techniques does do not provide sufficient imaging data. The…
Compact, interleaved radiation sources
Granted: July 15, 2014
Patent Number:
8779398
Compact, dual energy radiation scanning systems are described comprising two particle beam accelerators, each configured to accelerate charged particles to different energies, positioned parallel to a direction of movement of an object to be inspected. The accelerator may be positioned perpendicular to a plane of the conveying system, instead. Bend magnet systems bend each charged particle beam toward a respective target. Alternatively, a single dual energy accelerator capable of…
Method and apparatus pertaining to computed tomography scanning using a calibration phantom
Granted: July 15, 2014
Patent Number:
8777485
These various embodiments serve to facilitate improving the accuracy of a computed tomography (CT) process. This can comprise operably coupling at least one calibration phantom to a CT scan table and then, during a CT scan of an object that is disposed on the scan table, also gathering calibration information using that calibration phantom(s). By one approach, this calibration phantom can comprise one or more annular-shaped members. When using a plurality of annular-shaped members, at…
Radiation therapy treatment plan improvement through use of knowledge base
Granted: July 8, 2014
Patent Number:
8774358
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…
Energy switch assembly for linear accelerators
Granted: June 24, 2014
Patent Number:
8760050
An energy switch assembly includes probe components that can undergo and survive elevated temperatures of a bake-out procedure, and drive components that have capabilities of continuous positioning a probe throughout the stroke of the probe. The drive components can be removable from the probe components and replaceable without breaking the vacuum of the accelerator guide assembly.
Beam filter positioning device
Granted: June 24, 2014
Patent Number:
8761347
A system includes a beam filter positioning device including a plate configured to support one or more beam filters, and one or more axes operable to move the plate relative to a beam line. A control mechanism is coupled to the one or more axes for controlling the movement of the axes and configured to automatically adjust the position of at least one of the one or more beam filters relative to the beam line.
