Radiation therapy machine calibration apparatus providing multiple angle measurements
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorHazim Ahmed Jaradat
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A phantom for rotational radiation therapy machines allows beam fluence and energy to be measured at a variety of beam angles without intervening adjustment of the phantom. The phantom in the preferred embodiment provides two half cylinders directed along the axis of rotation of the machine abutting about a common center.
Claims35
A test apparatus for radiation therapy machines providing radiation beams at multiple angles, the test apparatus comprising:
- a radiation attenuating material positionable to have a portion radially symmetric about an axis in a vertical plane;
- an electronic radiation detector placed in the radiation attenuating material at the axis;
- and
- a monitor communicating with the electronic radiation detector to provide radiation measurements of a radiation beam of the radiation therapy machine at multiple angles of the radiation beam.
A test apparatus for radiation therapy machines providing radiation beams at multiple angles within a vertical plane, the test apparatus comprising:
- a radiation attenuating material positionable within the vertical plane to have at least two different portions providing a different thickness of attenuating material between a center axis of the radiation attenuating material and an edge of the radiation attenuating material in the vertical plane at different of a plurality of angles within the vertical plane;
- an electronic radiation detector placed in the radiation attenuating material at the center axis;
- and
- a monitoring device communicating with the electronic radiation detector for providing radiation measurements of a radiation beam of the radiation therapy machine at multiple angles of the radiation beam.
A method of testing a radiation therapy system providing radiation beams at multiple angles within a vertical plane using a test apparatus having a radiation attenuating material positionable within the vertical plane to have at least two different portions providing a different thickness of attenuating material between a center axis of the radiation attenuating material and an edge of the radiation attenuating material in the vertical plane at different of a plurality of angles within the vertical plane, and an electronic radiation detector placed in the radiation attenuating material at the center axis, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) positioning the test apparatus with the center axis at an isocenter of the radiation therapy system at which different radiation beams at multiple angles intersect;
- (b) operating the radiation therapy system to expose the test apparatus to radiation beams at different angles through the different thicknesses of attenuation material;
- and
- (c) deducing energy of the radiation beams by comparing outputs of the electronic radiation detector for comparable beams through different thicknesses.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.