System and method for improved diagnostic imaging in a radiation treatment system
AssigneeSiemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
InventorKenneth Whitham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A radiation therapy system according to the present invention includes a treatment system and an imaging system. The treatment system employs a first tungsten target to generate high power X-rays for treatment. The imaging system uses a second target to generate low power X-rays for imaging. The targets are arranged such that the resulting treatment and imaging beams are generally collinear.
Claims12
A radiation therapy device operable in a first mode and a second mode, comprising:
- a control unit for controlling application of radiation in said first mode and said second mode;
- and
- an electron accelerator, said electron accelerator including:
- an electron gun;
- a waveguide for receiving an electron beam from said electron gun;
- a guide magnet for directing said electron beam to a desired target via a window in said first mode;
- and
- a diagnostic target, wherein said electron beam is directed at said diagnostic target in said second mode.
A radiation therapy device operable in a first mode and a second mode, comprising:
- a control unit for controlling application of radiation in said first mode and said second mode;
- and
- an electron accelerator, said electron accelerator including:
- an electron gun;
- a waveguide for receiving an electron beam from said electron gun;
- a guide magnet housing having a guide magnet for directing said electron beam to a desired target via a window in said guide magnet housing in said first mode;
- and
- a diagnostic target, positioned substantially adjacent said window, wherein said electron beam is directed at said diagnostic target in said second mode.
A radiation therapy device comprising:
- a radiation beam source;
- an imaging unit employing a first target for generating low energy imaging beams from said radiation beam source;
- a treatment unit employing a second target for generating high energy treatment beams from said radiation beam source;
- wherein said first target and said second target are positioned substantially adjacent one another such that a resulting treatment beam and a resulting imaging beam are substantially collinear.
A radiation therapy method, comprising:
- providing a radiation beam source
- providing a radiation therapy unit having a first target for generating treatment beams from said radiation beam source;
- providing an imaging unit having a second target for generating imaging beams from said radiation beam source;
- wherein said first target and said second target are positioned such that resulting treatment and imaging beams are substantially collinear.
A radiation treatment method, comprising:
- generating low power X-rays using a first target, said low power X-rays being used for diagnostic imaging;
- generating high power X-rays using a second target, said high power X-rays being used for treatment, wherein said low power X-rays and said high power X-rays are generated generally collinearly and wherein said generating said high power X-rays comprises activating a guide magnet and directing an electron beam at said second target;
- said generating low power X-rays comprising deactivating said guide magnet and directing said electron beam at said first target.
An electron accelerator, comprising:
- an electron gun;
- a waveguide for receiving an electron beam from said electron gun;
- a guide magnet for directing said electron beam to a desired target via a window in a first mode;
- and
- a diagnostic target, wherein said electron beam is directed at said diagnostic target in a second mode, said electron beam in said first mode and said second mode being generally collinear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.