Mammography of computer tomography for imaging and therapy
AssigneeBio-Imaging Resource, Inc.
InventorJohn Fitzallen Moore
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for irradiating a tumor within a living subject. The method includes the steps of locating the tumor within the living subject, moving a radiation source around the located tumor along a predetermined locus of points having a varying distance between the radiation source and the tumor and steering a radiation beam of the radiation source to irradiate the tumor from each point of the locus of points, where such steering allows the radiation beam to irradiate the tumor at an arbitrary position with respect to the locus of points.
Claims25
A method of irradiating a tumor within a living subject, such method comprising the steps of:
- locating the tumor within the living subject lying face-down on a patient platen;
- during a first time period moving a radiation source around the located tumor along a predetermined locus of points having a varying distance between the radiation source and the tumor and where the predetermined locus of points lie substantially in a horizontal plane;
- steering a radiation beam of the radiation source to irradiate the tumor from each point of the predetermined locus of points during the first time period, where such steering allows the radiation beam to irradiate the tumor without the tumor being located at an isocenter of the locus of points;
- tilting the locus of points during a second time period so that the locus of points lies in a second plane different from the horizontal plane;
- and
- steering the radiation beam of the radiation source to irradiate the tumor from each point of the tilted locus of points during the second time period, where such steering allows the radiation beam to irradiate the tumor without the tumor being located at an isocenter of the locus of points.
An apparatus for irradiating a tumor within a living subject, such apparatus comprising:
- means for locating the tumor within the living subject;
- means for moving a radiation source around the located tumor along a predetermined locus of points having a varying distance between the radiation source and the tumor during a first time period where the predetermined locus of points lies substantially within a horizontal plane;
- means for tilting the locus of points during a second time period so that the locus of points lie in a second plane different from the horizontal plane;
- and
- means for steering a radiation beam of the radiation source to irradiate the tumor during the first and second time periods from each point of the locus of points, where such steering allows the radiation beam to irradiate the tumor without the tumor being located at an isocenter of the locus of points.
An apparatus for irradiating a tumor within a living subject, such apparatus comprising:
- a display adapted to locate the tumor within the living subject;
- a rotating assembly adapted to move a radiation source around the located tumor during a first time period along a predetermined locus of points having a varying distance between the radiation source and the tumor and where the predetermined locus of points lie substantially within a horizontal plane;
- an elevator adapted to tilt the rotating assembly during a second time period so that the locus of points lie in a second plane different than the horizontal plane;
- and
- a set of collimator blades adapted to steer a radiation beam of the radiation source during the first and second time periods to irradiate the tumor from each point of the locus of points, where such steering allows the radiation beam to irradiate the tumor without the tumor being located at an isocenter of the locus of points.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.