Water Tank Sensor Mounting for Radiotherapy Calibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The limited dimensions of MRI system bores in radiotherapy systems make frequent calibration difficult and time-consuming, especially when trying to measure radiation output effectively.
Innovation Solution
A water tank apparatus with a base, side walls, end walls, and a top wall, featuring an aperture and a sensor mounting body to position a radiation sensor equidistant from the walls, allowing for precise radiation measurements, and optionally using polymer blocks to mimic water behavior, with a mounting plate for secure positioning on a patient couch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a water tank is used for radiation measurements in an MRI system, then measurement accuracy is improved, but setup time and system disruption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The water tank is divided into a tank body and a separate sensor mounting body. The sensor mounting body can be independently positioned and adjusted within the tank, allowing for quick setup and reconfiguration without moving the entire tank structure. This segmentation enables rapid calibration setup while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor mounting body is designed to be movable and adjustable within the tank structure, allowing dynamic positioning at different locations including the isocentre. This dynamic capability enables quick adaptation to different measurement requirements without time-consuming reconfiguration of the entire tank system.
2Measurement precision
If the sensor is positioned within the tank structure, then measurement precision is improved, but the complexity of positioning and securing the sensor increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure is segmented into a separate sensor mounting body that can be independently positioned and secured within the tank. This body includes integrated positioning features and securing mechanisms, simplifying the overall complexity by localizing the mounting function to a dedicated component rather than requiring complex integration into the tank structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor mounting body acts as an intermediary between the tank structure and the sensor. It provides a simplified interface with pre-defined positioning features and securing mechanisms, reducing the complexity of directly integrating the sensor into the tank while ensuring precise and stable positioning.
3Strength
If the tank structure includes walls and base, then structural integrity is improved, but radiation beam interference and measurement accuracy worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The tank structure is designed with different properties in different locations. The walls and base provide structural integrity, while the sensor mounting body creates a localized region with optimized radiation interaction properties. The measurement point is positioned to be equidistant from the walls, minimizing wall interference in the radiation beam path.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor mounting body serves as an intermediary structure that bridges the structural requirements of the tank walls and the precise positioning requirements for radiation measurement. It provides a stable mounting platform while allowing the sensor to be positioned at the optimal location for accurate measurements with minimal wall interference.
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
Enables quick and efficient calibration measurements with minimal disruption to the radiotherapy system, ensuring accurate radiation control and dose delivery by allowing precise positioning and measurement of radiation output at multiple angles.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor arranged in the tank body part to measure a radiation dose irradiated
Data Source
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AI summary
A water tank apparatus for use with a radiotherapy system, comprising a base, side walls, end walls, and a top wall, together defining a tank structure, wherein an aperture is defined in the top wall near one end wall, and an upstanding rim surrounding the aperture; and a sensor mounting body fixed within the tank structure, and having formations by which a radiation sensor can be located in a fixed position within the tank structure so as to detect radiation at a point equidistant from the side wall and top wall and base.