Blade collimator for radiation therapy

US5889834A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• BrainLAB Med. Computersysteme GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Stefan Vilsmeier · Munich, DE
• Michael Bertram · Borgo San Lazzaro, DE
• Joseph Doyle · Marlton, US
• Ueli Graf · Mettmenstetten, CH

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 27, 1996
• Grant date: Mar 30, 1999
• Expiry date: Sep 27, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G21K1/046
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The accuracy of radiation therapy is enhanced with the blade collimator of the claimed invention. Particularly, this collimator includes a support device for supporting at least two sets of radiation attenuating blades in a single plane or layer. The blades are reciprocally movable within this support. Shaping of the therapy may be increased by constructing the blades to include a varying width increasing from the central blade toward the exterior blades.