Support system for breast irradiation
OwnerMoshe Ein-Galinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A support system for breast irradiation including a turntable for supporting and rotating a patient about a generally vertical rotational axis, a body-leaning support for supporting the patient leaning thereupon throughout rotation of the patient about the vertical rotational axis, and a radiation shield arranged for shielding non-breast anatomy of the patient from stray radiation, wherein the body-leaning support and the radiation shield are separated from each other by a gap in which breasts of the patient are placeable for irradiation by a horizontal radiation beam.
Claims16
A support system for breast irradiation by a horizontal radiation beam, the support system comprising:
- a turntable for supporting and rotating a patient about a generally vertical rotational axis, said turntable having a portion for the patient to stand thereupon;
- a body-leaning support for supporting the patient leaning thereupon throughout rotation of the patient about said vertical rotational axis, said body-leaning support supporting the patient in a lean-forward position such that a center of gravity of the patient is generally below said body-leaning support;
- and
- a radiation shield arranged for shielding non-breast anatomy of the patient from residual radiation that has passed through a breast of the patient, wherein said radiation shield comprises a radiation-shielding tiltable support pad for the patient to rest against, wherein said tiltable support pad is pivotally mounted on a vertical member that extends vertically from said turntable and axially spaced from said portion for the patient to stand thereupon.
A breast irradiation system comprising:
- a radiation source operative to emit a generally horizontal radiation beam towards a breast of a patient;
- a turntable for supporting and rotating the patient about a generally vertical rotational axis, said turntable having a portion for the patient to stand thereupon;
- a body-leaning support for supporting the patient leaning thereupon throughout rotation of the patient about said vertical rotational axis, said body-leaning support supporting the patient in a lean-forward position such that a center of gravity of the patient is generally below said body-leaning support;
- and
- a radiation shield arranged for shielding non-breast anatomy of the patient from stray radiation, wherein said body-leaning support and said radiation shield are separated from each other by a gap in which breasts of the patient are placeable for irradiation by said horizontal radiation beam, and wherein said radiation shield comprises a radiation-shielding tiltable support pad for the patient to rest against, wherein said tiltable support pad is pivotally mounted on a vertical member that extends vertically from said turntable and axially spaced from said portion for the patient to stand thereupon.
A method for breast irradiation comprising:
- supporting and rotating a patient about a generally vertical rotational axis, wherein the patient leans against and is supported by a body-leaning support throughout rotation of the patient about said vertical rotational axis, said body-leaning support supporting the patient in a lean-forward position such that a center of gravity of the patient is generally below said body-leaning support;
- and
- irradiating the breast with a generally horizontal radiation beam, and shielding non-breast anatomy of the patient from residual radiation that has passed through a breast of the patient with a radiation shield that comprises a radiation-shielding tiltable support pad for the patient to rest against, wherein said tiltable support pad is pivotally mounted on a vertical member that extends vertically from a turntable and axially spaced from a portion of said turntable for the patient to stand there upon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.