Beam position monitors for medical radiation machines
AssigneeVarian Medical Systems, Inc.
InventorsMark E. Trail, James E. Clayton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus includes: a structure having a lumen for accommodating a beam (e.g., electron beam, proton beam, or a charged particle beam), wherein the structure is a component of a medical radiation machine having a target for interaction with the beam to generate radiation; and a first beam position monitor comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode being mounted to a first side of the structure, the second electrode being mounted to a second side of the structure, the second side being opposite from the first side; wherein the first beam position monitor is located upstream with respect to the target.
Claims33
An apparatus comprising:
- a structure having a lumen for accommodating a beam, wherein the structure is a component of a medical radiation machine having a target for interaction with the beam to generate radiation;
- a beam bender located downstream with respect to the structure;
- a first beam position monitor comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode being mounted to a first side of the structure, the second electrode being mounted to a second side of the structure, the second side being opposite from the first side;
- and
- circuitry configured to obtain signals from the first and second electrodes every 0.01 nanosecond to 10 microseconds;
- wherein the first beam position monitor is located upstream with respect to a location where the radiation is generated;
- wherein the beam comprises an electron beam;
- and
- wherein the first beam position monitor comprising the first electrode and the second electrode is separated from the beam bender.
An apparatus comprising:
- a structure having a lumen for accommodating a beam, wherein the structure is a component of a medical radiation machine having a target for interaction with the beam to generate radiation;
- a beam bender located downstream with respect to the structure;
- and
- a first beam position monitor comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode being mounted to a first side of the structure, the second electrode being mounted to a second side of the structure, the second side being opposite from the first side;
- wherein the first beam position monitor is located upstream with respect to a location where the radiation is generated;
- wherein the beam comprises an electron beam;
- wherein the first beam position monitor comprising the first electrode and the second electrode is separated from the beam bender;
- and
- wherein the beam has a pulse duration, and wherein the apparatus further comprises circuitry configured to obtain signals from the first and second electrodes at every period that is a fraction of the pulse duration of the beam.
A method of monitoring a position of a beam at a medical radiation machine that includes an accelerator, a beam bender downstream with respect to the accelerator, and a target for interaction with the beam to generate radiation, the beam comprising an electron beam, the method comprising:
- obtaining a first signal from a first electrode;
- obtaining a second signal from a second electrode, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are on first opposite sides of a space in the medical radiation machine through which the beam is being delivered, wherein the signals are obtained from the first and second electrodes every 1 nanosecond to 10 microseconds;
- and
- processing the first signal and the second signal to determine a first position of the beam;
- wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are parts of a first position monitor, and wherein the first position monitor is located upstream with respect to a location where the radiation is generated;
- and
- wherein the first position monitor comprising the first electrode and the second electrode is separated from the beam bender.
A method of monitoring a position of a beam at a medical radiation machine that includes an accelerator, a beam bender downstream with respect to the accelerator, and a target for interaction with the beam to generate radiation, the beam comprising an electron beam, the method comprising:
- obtaining a first signal from a first electrode;
- obtaining a second signal from a second electrode, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are on first opposite sides of a space in the medical radiation machine through which the beam is being delivered;
- and
- processing the first signal and the second signal to determine a first position of the beam;
- wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are parts of a first position monitor, and wherein the first position monitor is located upstream with respect to a location where the radiation is generated;
- wherein the first position monitor comprising the first electrode and the second electrode is separated from the beam bender;
- and
- wherein the beam has a pulse duration, and wherein the signals are obtained from the first and second electrodes at every period that is a fraction of the pulse duration of the beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.