DEDICATED BREAST RADIATION IMAGING/THERAPY SYSTEM
First Claim
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1. A method of treating breast-related tissue of a prone patient comprising:
- placing the patient on a surface of a patient table in a prone position, with a patient'"'"'s breast protruding downward from the table surface through an opening or into a depression in the table;
irradiating the breast-related tissue with treatment radiation from a source mounted for movement about an upwardly extending axis to emit a treatment radiation beam that originates below the table surface; and
selectively angling the beam to irradiate with primary radiation portions of the prone patient'"'"'s breast-related tissue that are above the table surface.
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Abstract
System, apparatus and methods specialized for breast and related tissue radiation therapy and imaging of a prone patient but also usable for supine patient if desired or needed. A special treatment radiation source such as a LINAC unit generates radiation of types and energy ranges specifically matched to breast tissue. Any one or more of several imaging technologies may be used to localize the tissue to be irradiated and to generate information for therapy planning, adjustment, and verification.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of treating breast-related tissue of a prone patient comprising:
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placing the patient on a surface of a patient table in a prone position, with a patient'"'"'s breast protruding downward from the table surface through an opening or into a depression in the table; irradiating the breast-related tissue with treatment radiation from a source mounted for movement about an upwardly extending axis to emit a treatment radiation beam that originates below the table surface; and selectively angling the beam to irradiate with primary radiation portions of the prone patient'"'"'s breast-related tissue that are above the table surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for radiation treatment of breast-related tissue comprising:
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a patient table having an upper surface for supporting a patient, said table having a selectively revealed opening or depression for a patient breast to extend downwardly from the patient table surface when the patient is in the prone position on said table; a therapy radiation source selectively emitting therapy radiation and a mounting structure supporting the source and selectively moving the source in a first motion in which it irradiates a first target volume with a primary radiation beam that has a centerline below the table surface and in a second motion in which it irradiates a second target volume with a with primary radiation beam that has a centerline angled from the horizontal and intersecting the table surface. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for radiation treatment of breast-related tissue comprising:
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a patient table having an upper surface for supporting a patient, said table having a selectively revealed opening or depression for a patient breast to extend downwardly from the patient table surface when the patient is in the prone position on said table; a therapy radiation source selectively emitting therapy radiation and a mounting structure supporting the source and selectively moving the source in a first motion in which it irradiates a first target volume with a primary radiation beam that has a centerline below the table surface and in a second motion in which it irradiates a second target volume with a with primary radiation beam that has a centerline angled from the horizontal and intersecting the table surface; and wherein said therapy radiation comprises heavy charged particles having average energy in excess of 20 MeV and having a characteristic dose distribution with depth in breast tissue that has a Bragg peak followed by a rapid fall-off. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 26)
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24. A method of treating breast-related tissue of a prone patient comprising:
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placing the patient on a surface of a patient table in a prone position, with a patient'"'"'s breast protruding downward from the table surface through an opening or into a depression in the table; irradiating the breast-related tissue with treatment radiation from a source mounted for movement about an upwardly extending axis to emit a treatment radiation beam that originates below the table surface; and selectively angling the beam to irradiate with primary radiation portions of the prone patient'"'"'s breast-related tissue that are above the table surface; said treatment radiation comprising heavy charged particles having average energy in excess of 20 MeV and having a characteristic dose distribution with depth in breast tissue that has a Bragg peak followed by a rapid fall-off. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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27. A method of verifying brachytherapy treatment comprising:
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placing a patient in a prone position on a patient table surface having an opening or depression in which a patient'"'"'s breast involved in brachitherapy treatment pendulously extends downwardly; imaging the breast with radiation to verify brachytherapy related parameters using an imaging device located below the patient table surface; and generating image data for the patent'"'"'s breast for assessing brachytherpay-related parameters. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification