Bremstrahlung target for intensity modulated X-ray radiation therapy and stereotactic X-ray therapy

A direct write electron to x-ray converter apparatus comprising:

• an integrated structure comprising:
• a collimating grid comprising a plurality of individual cells, each individual cell being defined by a plurality of cell walls made of an x-ray absorbing material;
• a housing assembly enclosing the collimating grid, the housing assembly comprising an upper substrate, a lower substrate, and a frame, wherein the upper substrate and the lower substrate each comprises a foil sheet with a dielectric coating on an interior face of the foil sheet, the upper substrate attaches to an upper edge of the frame and, the lower substrate attaches to a lower edge of the frame;
• and
• a target fluid contained within the housing assembly and at least partially filling the individual cells;
• an electron linear accelerator that produces an electron beam, the electron linear accelerator being configured to aim the electron beam toward the integrated structure;
• and
• a pair of steering magnets configured to raster the electron beam toward one or more selected individual cells of the integrated structure, whereby an x-ray beam is formed in the target fluid when the electron beam passes through the one or more selected individual cells.

A method of producing an x-ray beam, the method comprising:

• projecting an electron beam onto an integrated structure of a direct write electron to x-ray converter apparatus, the direct write electron to x-ray converter apparatus comprising:
• the integrated structure comprising:
• a collimating grid comprising a plurality of individual cells, the individual cell being defined by a plurality of cell walls made of an x-ray absorbing material;
• a housing assembly enclosing the collimating grid, the housing assembly comprising an upper substrate, a lower substrate, and a frame, wherein the upper substrate and the lower substrate each comprises a foil sheet with a dielectric coating on an interior face of the foil sheet, the upper substrate attaches to an upper edge of the frame and, the lower substrate attaches to a lower edge of the frame;
• and
• a target fluid contained within the housing assembly and at least partially filling the individual cells;
• an electron linear accelerator that produces the electron beam and aims the electron beam toward the integrated structure;
• and
• a pair of steering magnets configured to raster the electron beam toward one or more individual cells;
• and
• steering the electron beam into a selected individual cell to produce the x-ray beam in the target fluid contained within the one or more selected individual cell.