Integrated Radiation Field Analyzer for Simultaneous QA and Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radiation therapy systems require separate equipment for treatment delivery and quality assurance, leading to inefficiencies in time, cost, and data transfer, with no integrated solution for simultaneous quality assurance and treatment delivery.
Innovation Solution
An automated system integrating a Radiation Field Analyzer (RFA) with radiation therapy equipment, featuring three-axis modules and a three-dimensional phantom for performing data dosimetry operations, allowing for permanent or detachable integration and automated control via a singular user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate treatment delivery equipment and quality assurance equipment are used independently, then each equipment can be optimized for its specific function, but it results in wastage of time and effort in configuring equipment and requires sequential usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the radiation therapy treatment delivery equipment and the radiation field analyzer (quality assurance equipment) into a single integrated system. The RFA is positioned within the treatment delivery equipment's radiation path, allowing both treatment and quality assurance functions to be performed by the same hardware without sequential setup or data transfer between separate devices.
2Reliability
If separate treatment delivery equipment and quality assurance equipment are employed individually, then specialized testing can be performed, but the cost becomes extremely high
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated system allows the same radiation therapy equipment to serve dual purposes: delivering treatment to patients and performing quality assurance measurements. The radiation field analyzer shares the radiation source and detection infrastructure with the treatment delivery system, eliminating the need for separate specialized testing equipment while maintaining measurement reliability.
3Ease of operation
If data is transferred from quality assurance equipment to treatment delivery equipment, then treatment planning can be performed, but the process becomes laborious and risky
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the radiation field analyzer directly into the treatment delivery equipment, the system eliminates the data transfer interface between separate devices. The integrated system shares common control software, coordinate systems, and calibration references, thereby removing the laborious and error-prone manual or electronic data transfer process while maintaining full treatment planning capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This integrated solution reduces costs and time by enabling simultaneous quality assurance and treatment delivery, automating processes, and eliminating the need for multiple equipment setups and data transfer complexities.
Implementation Method 1
an RFA which is integrated with the radiation therapy equipment. The RFA comprises one or more radiation detectors for performing data dosimetry operations
Implementation Method 2
one or more radiation detectors for performing data dosimetry operations
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
AI summary
The present invention discloses an automated system for providing Quality assurance of radiation therapy with an integrated Radiation Field Analyzer (RFA), wherein the system (100) comprises a radiation therapy equipment (101) for emitting one or more radiation beams (101a) and an RFA (102) detachably integrated or permanently integrated to the radiation therapy equipment (101). Further, the integrated RFA (102) comprises one or more radiation detectors (103) for performing data dosimetry operations with assistance of 3 independent axis modules. Furthermore, the system (100) comprises a three-dimensional phantom (104) which is disposed on the couch tabletop (101c) or on a pedestal into the gantry ring during the process of performing data dosimetry operations on one or more radiation beams (101a).