Method and apparatus for conformal radiation therapy
AssigneeNomos Corporation
InventorMark P. Carol
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for conformal radiation therapy, with a radiation beam having a pre-determined, constant beam intensity, treats the entire tumor volume of a patient's tumor, and the beam intensity of the radiation beam is spatially modulated across the tumor, by separating the radiation into a plurality of treatment beam segments and independently modulating the beam intensity of the plurality of radiation beam segments. The independent modulation of the beam intensities may be accomplished by selectively and independently filling, or removing, a flowable, radiation blocking material from a compartment associated with each radiation beam segment.
Claims37
A method of conformal radiation therapy, with a radiation beam having a predetermined, constant beam intensity for treatment of a volume of tissue in a patient, the volume of tissue containing a tumor to be treated, the tumor having a total tumor volume and a varying thickness, comprising the steps of:
- (a) directing the radiation treatment beam toward the volume of tissue;
- (b) separating the radiation treatment beam into a plurality of radiation beam segments, with at least one beam segment being disposed contiguous to at least three adjacent beam segments;
- and
- (c) independently modulating the beam intensity of the plurality of radiation beam segments to spatially modulate the beam intensity of the radiation treatment beam across the volume of tissue, to treat the tumor with the plurality of radiation beam segments, each radiation beam segment having a beam intensity related to the thickness of the portion of the tumor through which each radiation beam segment passes.
An apparatus for use in conformal radiation therapy of a tumor, comprising:
- (a) a radiation beam source for producing a radiation beam having a predetermined, constant beam intensity;
- (b) means for separating the radiation treatment beam into a plurality of radiation beam segments, with at least one beam segment being disposed contiguous to at least three adjacent beam segments;
- and
- (c) means for independently modulating the beam intensity of the plurality of radiation beam segments to spatially modulate the beam intensity of the radiation treatment beam across the tumor.
An apparatus for use in conformal radiation therapy of a tumor with a radiation beam from a radiation beam source, the radiation beam having a predetermined, constant beam intensity, comprising:
- (a) means for separating the radiation treatment beam into a plurality of radiation beam segments, with at least one beam segment being disposed contiguous to at least three adjacent beam segments;
- and
- (b) means for independently modulating the beam intensity of the plurality of radiation beam segments to spatially modulate the beam intensity of the radiation treatment beam across the tumor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.