Patents by Inventor Mark Wofford

Mark Wofford has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20070297565
    Abstract: Use of an adaptive radiation therapy framework includes determination of a radiation beam size, radiation beam shape, and radiation beam position for delivering at least a portion of a prescribed radiation dose to a target volume based on first image data of a patient, and selection of one radiation therapy process from an available first process and second process. The first radiation therapy process comprises acquisition of two dimensional image data of the patient, determination of a position offset based on the two-dimensional image data and on the first image data, and movement of the patient based on the position offset. The second radiation therapy process comprises acquisition of three-dimensional image data of the patient, determination of a second position offset based on the three-dimensional image data and on the first image data, and movement of the patient based on the second position offset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2005
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: Mark Wofford, Ajit Singh, Christopher Amies, Peter Hoban, Jochen Kusch, Stefan Gliessmann, Joerg Stein
  • Publication number: 20050035861
    Abstract: An apparatus for identification of medically related technical accessories and patients comprises a connected transponder reader and a monitoring device. The transponder reader can read out an accessory transponder attached to a medical accessory (possibly an irradiation mask) and a patient transponder. The monitoring device can acquire information read out from an accessory transponder by the transponder reader as an input signal and, dependent on this input signal, can generate an accessory identification signal. It can also acquire information read out by the transponder reader from a patient transponder as an input signal and, dependent on this input signal, can generate a patient identification signal. The apparatus can be part of a radiation therapy system. A system for identification of medically related technical accessories, comprised of a monitoring device, a transponder reader connected with the monitoring device, and an accessory transponder attached to a medical accessory is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2004
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Inventors: Stefan Gliessmann, Andre Hillner, Stefan Leidenberger, Mark Wofford
  • Patent number: 6335961
    Abstract: A method and system in accordance with the present invention uses the existing hardware and divides the treatment port dose into segments. In between each segment the field, with respect to the beam, would be translated, and the leaf positions would be adjusted to maintain the tumor contour. By integrating the above-identified methodology with a hardware system, accurate conformal radiation therapy is provided while minimizing leakage. In addition, through the present invention, higher dose rates can be provided while not appreciably affecting treatment time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Wofford, Francisco M. Hernandez-Guerra, Joseph S. Saba, Todd H. Steinberg
  • Patent number: 6322249
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for calibrating a radiation therapy device, such as a collimator. A method for calibrating a collimator according to an embodiment of the present invention is presented. The method comprises moving a leaf of a collimator; determining whether a distance between the leaf and a line approximately equals a predetermined measurement; and associating the predetermined measurement with a collimator specific count if the distance between the leaf and the line approximately equals the predetermined measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Wofford, Francisco M. Hernandez-Guerra
  • Patent number: 6260999
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, an isocenter of an image may be found by using a multi-leaf collimator. According to this embodiment, a center leaf is projected into the center of the x-ray field with all other leaves retracted. An image is acquired. A line through the center of the center leaf is identified. This line is also a line through isocenter. Another method according to an embodiment of the present invention for finding isocenter uses an accessory. The accessory according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a metal marker in the center of the accessory with metal markers interspersed away from the center at a predetermined interval. An image may be acquired through the accessory, with the patient on the table. The resulting image may be analyzed to identify the position of the metal markers to determine isocenter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Wofford, Francisco M. Hernandez-Guerra
  • Patent number: D466306
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Combe Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary Michael Skwarek, Joh Mark Wofford, Anthony E. LaPetri