System and method for high resolution radiation field shaping

A radiation treatment system including:

• a radiation source which emits radiation energy;
• a multi-leaf collimator positioned between the radiation source and an isocenter, such that a portion of the radiation energy from the radiation source is transmitted through the multi-leaf collimator to the isocenter;
• wherein the multi-leaf collimator includes a plurality of leaves, each leaf being movable to allow a selected portion of the radiation energy to blocked, whereby a shape is defined by the portion of radiation energy which is incident at the isocenter, and the shape is controlled by a positioning of the plurality of leaves;
• and
• wherein at least a first area of the shape has a first step resolution length in the range of approximately 3.0 mm or less and, wherein the first step resolution length corresponds to a length dimension of a dose calculation matrix.

A radiation treatment system including:

• a radiation source which emits radiation energy;
• a multi-leaf collimator positioned between the radiation source and an isocenter, such that a portion of the radiation energy from the radiation source is transmitted through the multi-leaf collimator to the isocenter;
• wherein the multi-leaf collimator includes a plurality of leaves, each leaf being movable to allow a selected portion of the radiation energy to blocked, whereby a shape is defined by the portion of radiation energy which is incident at the isocenter, and the shape is controlled by a positioning of the plurality of leaves;
• and
• wherein at least a first area of the shape has a first step resolution length in the range of less than approximately 3.0 mm or less and the first step resolution length corresponds to a whole number integer multiple of a length dimension of a dose calculation matrix.