Background

In radiation therapy, the location of an area needed to be treated is crucial. Accuracy prevents damage to healthy tissue. The accuracy of launching radiation is based off of the accuracy of the tomography of the body. However, previous tomographic arrays limit their accuracy because of the lack of rotation within the gantry, thus increasing the risk of radiation in healthy cells.

Technology

Delivering microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) includes a computed tomography scanner configured to generate tomographic images of a subject, or patient, which includes imaging apparatus, a gantry with an opening for positioning the patient therein, an axis of rotation around which the gantry rotates, and an x-ray source mounted to and rotatable with the gantry. It also includes a bed for patient positioning within the opening and a multi-slit collimator removably mounted downstream of the x-ray source for delivering an array of microbeams of MRT to a targeted portion of the patient. Switching between MRT and CT is provided, and MRT modes of operation include a stationary mode, and continuous and step-wise rotational modes.

Advantages

-More Accurate Tomography -Radiation Area Easily Identifiable -Less Harmful to Healthy Tissue

Application

Radiation Therapy - cancer - Bio-Medical Engineering - Research - Healthcare - Industry