Radiation-Hard Imager for Therapy Scatter and Synchronized Readout
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Solution Overview
Problem
Radiation imagers in radiation therapy environments face challenges due to high doses of scatter radiation, which can damage the imager's electronics and produce image artifacts, leading to inaccurate patient positioning and tracking.
Innovation Solution
A radiation-hard imager design that withstands minimum doses of 80 kRad, with optional radiation shielding and synchronized readout with treatment beam pulses to reduce or eliminate line and banding artifacts, allowing for continuous, accurate patient monitoring and tracking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the imager is left at the extended position during treatment, then patient position monitoring is enabled, but the imager receives high doses of scatter radiation that damage its electronics and shorten its lifetime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies radiation-hardened electronics that can withstand high radiation doses (100 kRad or more) without degradation. This allows the imager to function continuously in the high-radiation environment without needing frequent replacement, effectively treating the imager as a durable, long-lived component rather than a disposable one.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements radiation shielding structures positioned between the treatment beam path and the imager electronics. These shields pre-protect the sensitive components from scatter radiation before the radiation can reach and damage the electronics, cushioning them against the harmful effects of prolonged exposure.
2Measurement precision
If the imager is left at the extended position during treatment, then continuous patient monitoring is possible, but line artifacts appear on images making processing difficult and results inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent synchronizes the imager readout timing with the pulsed treatment beam operation. By reading out image data during the intervals between beam pulses (when no scatter radiation is generated), the system periodically captures artifact-free images. This timing synchronization ensures that image acquisition occurs during radiation-free windows, eliminating line artifacts while maintaining continuous monitoring capability.
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
The imager remains functional and provides artifact-free images, ensuring accurate patient positioning and tracking even during prolonged radiation therapy sessions, extending its lifespan and improving treatment precision.
Implementation Method 1
The treatment beam generates a substantial amount of scatter radiation. As a consequence, any device in the radiation treatment environment, such as an extended imager, can receive a high dose of radiation.
Implementation Method 2
the readout of the imager described herein is synchronized to the treatment beam pulses to significantly reduce or eliminate line and banding artifacts
Data Source
AI summary
An imager includes: an array of imager elements configured to generate image signals based on radiation received by the imager; and circuit configured to perform readout of image signals, wherein the circuit is configured to be radiation hard. An imager includes: an array of imager elements configured to generate image signals based on the radiation received by the imager; and readout and control circuit coupled to the array of imager elements, wherein the readout and control circuit is configured to perform signal readout in synchronization with an operation of a treatment beam source.