Methods and systems for beam intensity-modulation to facilitate rapid radiation therapies

US9931522B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University · US

Inventors

• Vinod Bharadwaj · Stanford, US
• Valery A. Dolgashev · Redwood City, US
• Rebecca Fahrig · Palo Alto, US
• Billy Wiseman Loo · Oakland, US
• Peter G. Maxim · Palo Alto, US
• Sami G. Tantawi · Stanford, US
• Cecile Limborg · Palo Alto, US
• Ludovic Nicolas · Menlo Park, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 11, 2016
• Grant date: Apr 3, 2018
• Expiry date: Mar 11, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H05H2007/048
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Methods and system for facilitating rapid radiation treatments are provided herein and relate in particular to radiation generation and delivery, electron source design, beam control and shaping/intensity-modulation. The methods and systems described herein are particularly advantageous when used with a compact high-gradient, very high energy electron (VHEE) accelerator and delivery system (and related processes) capable of treating patients from multiple beam directions with great speed, using all-electromagnetic or radiofrequency deflection steering is provided; or when used with a high-current electron accelerator system of energy range more conventionally used in photon radiation therapy to produce much faster delivery of intensity-modulated photon radiation therapy, that can in both cases deliver an entire dose or fraction of high-dose radiation therapy sufficiently fast to freeze physiologic motion, yet with a equal or better degree of dose conformity or sculpting compared to conventional photon therapy.