Radiotherapeutic apparatus
US8995617B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 1, 2010 |
| Grant date | Mar 31, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 22, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61N5/1047
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The ability to provide a fine resolution variation in the dose rate of radiotherapeutic apparatus would allow delivery times of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) and related techniques to be reduced significantly. A radiotherapeutic apparatus is described, comprising a source of radiation able to issue pulses of radiation at a base frequency, and a control apparatus arranged to permit pulses provided these match a pulse pattern chosen to achieve a selected time-averaged power level, the chosen pulse pattern being one selected from a plurality of pulse patterns that include patterns consisting of trains of pulses that include, relative to the base frequency, at least every nth and every mth pulse where n≠m and the nth and mth pulses are non-coincident. Essentially, such an apparatus issues a pulse if it is the nth or the mth or the kth (etc) where n, m, k . . . are selectable independently.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.