Kilovoltage delivery system for radiation therapy

a delivery system and radiation therapy technology, applied in radiation therapy, x-ray/gamma-ray/particle irradiation therapy, therapy, etc., can solve the problems of inability to treat superficial lesions, difficult to deliver enough dose near the skin surface, and sophisticated mv delivery systems may not be able to treat superficial cancers, etc., to eliminate the need for worry, improve the effect, and high precision and tailored

US20050276377A1Inactive Publication Date: 2005-12-15CAROL MARK PHILIP
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
Publication Date
2005-12-15
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

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Abstract

A small tabletop stationary five-degree of freedom device such as a “robot” is used to define the treatment region by tracing the region under direct visualization and then to precisely deliver the treatment plan created by an automatic planning system by positioning a single low energy radiation source, or a plurality of low energy sources connected to each other in a predetermined parallel or similar geometry, each source equipped with blocking and attenuation mechanisms, at a plurality of positions in a planar fashion across or through a selected treatment field, thereby delivering a plurality of parallel overlapping beams indexed on a millimeter or submillimeter grid such that a concentration of dose is achieved at a variable depth in tissue relative to the dose where the radiation first enters the tissue and can be used to treat regions on or below the surface of tissue, in a cavity and underlying region created following a surgical resection, on or below the surface of an internal cavity, hollow viscus, or lumen, or deep in tissue adjacent to an inserted probe or conduit or catheter. By generating a plurality of overlapping beams indexed on a millimeter or submillimeter grid that converge on a target volume loaded with gold nanoparticles, a tumorcidal dose of radiation can be delivered in as little as a single session to tumor cells but not to normal cells within or outside the treatment volume. This approach also makes it possible to deliver serial radiosurgical treatments.
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Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is entitled to the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. Nos. 60578721 filed Jun. 10, 2004 and 60578720 filed Jun. 10, 2004.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] None BACKGROUND

[0003] 1. Field of the Invention

[0004] This invention relates to the use of low energy radiation as a treatment for cancer and other conditions.

[0005] 2. Description of Prior Art A. Radiation Therapy for Targets in Proximity to Treatment Device

[0006] Radiation therapy has been a very successful and well-utilized means for controlling and sometimes even curing cancer. Most commonly delivered in an outpatient setting over several weeks, RT is delivered usually using machines capable of delivering high energy photons (megavoltage, MV) in a very controlled manner using ancillary devices such as multileaf collimators, intensity modulating delivery paradigms, and portal imaging systems for monitoring treat...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

A. Targets in Proximity to Treatment Device

[0101] In the preferred embodiment a low energy x-ray tube with an energy ranging from 20 KV to 120 KV that is as small as 1 mm or less in diameter can be used as the source of radiation. Such tubes have been described by many and are now in commercial production. Radioactive sources of radiation or larger x-ray tubes also can also used with an appropriate increase in the size of all other components to be described, although as the size of the radiation source construct increases, the fewer are the areas that can be reached by the construct due to collision between the construct and the surrounding anatomy. The % dose versus depth in tissue curve from low energy x-rays 321 in FIG. 1B along the plane 326 in FIG. 1A delivered from such a low energy radiation source 322 that spreads 323 and is impingent on a target 324 in a patient 325 does not fall off in a pure exponential manner as is the case with megavoltage (MV) x-rays. Much of the beam...