Microwave frequency modulation of x-ray beam for radio therapy treatment system
First Claim
1. A radio therapy treatment system for radiating a subject comprising:
- means for generating an x-ray beam; and
amplitude modulation means operative with said generating means for providing amplitude modulation of the x-ray beam at a predetermined microwave frequency.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Radiation of specific material within a subject is accomplished by use of a beam of x-radiation modulated at a microwave frequency. The beam with its modulation is directed at the subject wherein the material interacts with the beam to extract a portion of the radiant energy carried by the beam. In the interaction, an electric field at the modulating frequency appears at the material. By selecting the modulated frequency equal to a resonant interactive microwave frequency of the material, a photon at the microwave frequency is absorbed by the material to alter its physical and chemical properties. By way of example, the material may be an oncogene or virus having a macromolecule and constituting a malignancy within a living subject. Absorption of the modulated radiation selectively destroys the malignancy. The klystron is disposed along the path of an electron beam in an x-ray source for modulating the electron beam and the resulting x-ray beam. An array of x-ray sources and detectors is arranged symmetrically about a site of the subject. Sequential activation of the x-ray sources along with a scanning of the microwave modulating frequency permits measurement of absorption of radiant energy at the various modulation frequencies. This information is used to select the appropriate modulation frequency.
49 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A radio therapy treatment system for radiating a subject comprising:
means for generating an x-ray beam; and
amplitude modulation means operative with said generating means for providing amplitude modulation of the x-ray beam at a predetermined microwave frequency.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of radio therapy treatment by radiating a subject with radiant energy at a resonant frequency for interaction with selected material of the subject comprising steps of:
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amplitude modulating an x-ray beam with an amplitude modulating signal at a predetermined microwave frequency; directing said beam upon the subject; sweeping the modulating microwave frequency; detecting radiant energy of said beam after passing of said beam through the subject; determining a microwave frequency at which absorption of radiant energy of said beam occurs in the subject; amplitude modulating said beam at a microwave frequency at which absorption occurs; and radiating the subject with the beam, the beam being modulated at the absorption microwave frequency.
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8. A method of radio therapy treatment by selective irradiation of pathological material in situ, comprising the steps of:
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amplitude modulating an x-ray beam with an amplitude modulating signal, the modulating signal being at the microwave frequency of selective absorption of radiant energy by the selected pathological material; and irradiating the pathological material with the modulated beam, whereby the selected pathological material absorbs the radiant energy of the beam. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification