Method and apparatus for making a focused shield

Apparatus for making a focused shield for use in connection with a radiation therapy machine or the like, said apparatus including:

• a focused shield blank having a planar top side and a rounded bottom side opposite said top side;
• a shield blank holding fixture having a rounded shield blank supporting surface provided with a radius of curvature complementary to the curvature of the bottom side of said shield blank;
• and
• means for placing at a predetermined location on the top side of said shield blank an outline representing a required boundary of a field of radiation and having a configuration corresponding to a predetermined area of a patient to be exposed to a field of radiation whereby a focused shield having a bevel-walled aperture with a transverse configuration corresponding to that of said predetermined area is provided when said shield blank is cut along said outline by a band saw or the like while maintaining the bottom side of said shield blank in contact with the rounded surface of said fixture.

A focused shield for use in connection with a radiation therapy machine or the like, said focused shield comprising:

• a generally rectangular body having a planar top side and a rounded bottom side opposite said top side;
• and
• an aperture extending through said body from said top side to said bottom side and having a transverse irregular configuration corresponding to that of a predetermined area of a patient to be exposed to a field of radiation,
• said aperture being selectively located in said body and having beveled sidewalls for permitting those radiation rays in alignment with said aperture to enter the same and to pass therethrough unimpeded when said focused shield is operably inserted in a radiation therapy machine.