System and method for dual-use computed tomography for imaging and radiation therapy

A system for delivering microbeam x-ray radiation therapy to a subject, the system comprising:

• a computed tomography scanner comprising imaging apparatus, a gantry having an inner surface surrounding an opening for positioning a subject therein, an axis of rotation around which the gantry rotates, and an x-ray source mounted to and rotatable with the gantry, the imaging apparatus including detectors positioned on the gantry diametrically opposite the x-ray source and rotatable therewith, and controllers and processors operatively connected to the detectors to collect and process data from the detectors, wherein the computed tomography scanner further includes computer processing hardware and software configured to generate tomographic images, from the data collected from the detectors, of an axial section of a subject positioned within the opening;
• a bed on which the subject is positioned within the opening;
• a multi-slit collimator operatively mounted to the gantry in front of, and within a trajectory of, the x-ray source for delivering an array of microbeams of therapeutic x-ray radiation to a targeted portion of the axial section;
• a shutter formed of an x-ray absorbing material, wherein the shutter is configured to cover and protect the detectors from the array of therapeutic x-ray radiation;
• and
• a control module configured to operate in a computed tomography scanner mode, and to switch to, and operate in, a microbeam radiation therapy mode to deliver microbeam radiation therapy to the subject with the multi-slit collimator positioned within the trajectory of the x-ray source, and wherein the shutter is operable to automatically cover the detectors in the microbeam radiation therapy mode.

A system for delivering microbeam x-ray radiation therapy to a subject, the system comprising:

• a computed tomography scanner comprising imaging apparatus, a gantry having an inner surface surrounding an opening for positioning a subject therein, an axis of rotation around which the gantry rotates, and an x-ray source mounted to and rotatable with the gantry, the imaging apparatus including detectors positioned on the gantry diametrically opposite the x-ray source and rotatable therewith, and controllers and processors operatively connected to the detectors to collect and process data from the detectors, wherein the computed tomography scanner further includes computer processing hardware and software configured to generate tomographic images, from the data collected from the detectors, of an axial section of a subject positioned within the opening;
• a bed on which the subject is positioned within the opening;
• and
• a multi-slit collimator for delivering an array of microbeams of therapeutic x-ray radiation to a targeted portion of the axial section, wherein the targeted portion corresponds to a portion of a spinal cord, and wherein the multi-slit collimator is mounted to the bed at a position along a central axis of the bed corresponding to the targeted portion, and wherein the x-ray source is rotatable with the gantry to a location underneath the bed, and wherein the bed, with the multi-slit collimator mounted at the position thereto, is adjustably positioned such that the multi-slit collimator is positioned within the trajectory of the x-ray source to irradiate the targeted portion of the spinal cord with the microbeams vertically upward from beneath the bed.