Abstract: New and improved CT imaging systems are presented which are low cost, fully self-contained and easily installed/used. Example improvements include implementation of an integrated and self-contained drive system for moving a scanner component relative to a fixed or static platform/base which also acts as an imaging table. The CT imaging system is also greatly simplified to improve ease of use and to reduce cost.

Abstract: A diaphragm apparatus for the collimation of an X-ray bundle of an X-ray device is provided for scanning an examination object. An X-ray device including the diaphragm apparatus is also provided. In an embodiment, the diaphragm apparatus includes two diaphragms in the form of slotted diaphragms arranged in series in the direction of the X-rays and mounted to be positionable with respect to one another. Each of the diaphragms includes a fixed diaphragm aperture corresponding to maximum collimation of the X-ray bundle and a region that is impermeable to X-rays, which in each case includes an extension corresponding to the diaphragm aperture corresponding to the maximum collimation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for calibrating and controlling leaves of a multi-leaf collimator are disclosed. According to an exemplary method, a controller may receive images of collimator leaves and may determine a minor offset between an imaging marker and the tip of the respective leaf. In addition, the controller may quantify a barrel distortion effect associated with a leaf-imaging camera. The controller may correct leaf position data using the minor offsets and barrel distortion quantification, and may use the corrected leaf positions to accurately place the leaves during radiotherapy. Advantageously, a desired beam shaping window may be formed with the leaves, ensuring that healthy tissue is minimally irradiated while also ensuring that the target tissue receives the correct radiation dose. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide collimator calibration techniques which may be faster than prior calibration techniques, allowing shortened calibration times and faster radiotherapy sessions.

Abstract: A radiation treatment apparatus, comprising a gantry structure comprising a beam member extending between first and second ends of the gantry structure. The radiation treatment apparatus also includes a radiation treatment head movably mounted to the beam member in a manner that allows (i) translation of the radiation treatment head along the beam member between the first and second ends, and (ii) gimballing of the radiation treatment head relative to the beam member, the gimballing comprising pivotable movement in at least one independent pivot direction defined with respect to the beam member. The radiation treatment apparatus also includes a patient couch operative coupled with the radiation treatment head in manner to provide movement of the patient couch relative to the radiation treatment head.

Abstract: A radiotherapy system comprising an X-ray tube operating at 100 to 800 kVp for providing X-ray beams of 50 mm diameter or less (and preferably approximately 30 mm or less) and configured to move the entrance beam footprint on the body during irradiation to any arbitrary sequential position set that has been predetermined to limit the intervening tissue dose rate at any one location to a safe level, such that the sum of the skin area traversed during treatment is 20 to 100 times the beam area.

Abstract: An X-ray tube is provided. The X-ray tube includes a bearing configured to couple to an anode. The bearing includes a stationary member, a rotary member configured to rotate with respect to the stationary member during operation of the X-ray tube, and a support feature configured to minimize bending moment along a surface of the stationary member to reduce deflection of the stationary member relative to the rotary member due to radial loads during operation of the X-ray tube.

Abstract: A radiation therapy apparatus determines a set of angles that have a tracking quality metric value that satisfies a tracking quality metric criterion. During an alignment phase or a treatment phase for a treatment stage of a target by the radiation therapy apparatus, the radiation therapy apparatus performs selects at least a first angle and a second angle from the set of angles for a first rotation of the gantry. The radiation therapy apparatus generates, using an imaging device mounted to the gantry, a first tracking image of the target from the first angle during the first rotation of the gantry. The radiation therapy apparatus generates, using the imaging device, a second tracking image of the target from the second angle during the first rotation of the gantry. The radiation therapy apparatus performs the target tracking based on the first tracking image and the second tracking image.

Abstract: The present invention is a method to quantify biomarkers. The method uses an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer to perform an X-ray fluorescence analysis on the sample to obtain spectral features derived from the biomarker; and quantifying the X-ray fluorescence signal of the biomarker.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a radiation therapy device including: a main body; a gantry coupled to a side of the main part and rotatable relative to the main part in at least one direction; a radiation head provided on a side of the gantry to emit radiation; an image acquisition unit facing the radiation head to detect radiation emitted from the radiation head and obtain images by converting the detected radiation into electric signals; and a reference image acquisition frame provided on a side of the radiation head and including a plurality of markers formed thereon.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a radiotherapy planning system (100) for determining a solution (101) corresponding to a fluence profile. The invention proposes to use a Pareto frontier navigator (140) to select the best plan from a set of various auto-planned solutions. An interactive graphical user interface (400) is provided to the planner to navigate among convex combinations of auto-planned solutions. This proposed Pareto plan navigation can be considered as a further optional refinement process, which can be applied to find the best plan in those cases where auto-generated solutions are not fully satisfying the planner's requirements. The navigation tool (400) moves locally through a set of auto-generated plans and can potentially simplify the planner's decision making process and reduce the whole planning time on complex clinical cases from several hours to minutes.

Abstract: An output radiation treatment plan for at least one target in a treatment volume is determined. Each target is associated with a prescribed radiation dose. An updated treatment plan causes the prescribed radiation dose to be delivered to the target when implemented by a radiation therapy machine. The updated treatment plan requires an updated delivery time to complete and is calculated by: [i] receiving a numerical value designating an upper bound on modulation efficiency of the updated treatment plan, [ii] receiving a current treatment plan, [iii] calculating a current delivery time for the current treatment plan, [iv] calculating an un-modulated delivery time for the current treatment plan, and [v] calculating the updated treatment plan by executing an optimization process while satisfying the upper bound on the modulation efficiency. Steps [ii] to [v] are traversed a predetermined number of times. Thereafter, the output radiation treatment plan is generated.

Abstract: Emitter (3) and target (7) are arranged so as to face each other in vacuum chamber (1), and guard electrode (5) is provided at outer circumferential side of electron generating portion (31) of emitter (3). Emitter (3) is supported movably in both end directions of vacuum chamber (1) by emitter supporting unit (4) having movable body (40). To perform regeneration process of guard electrode (5), emitter is moved to no-discharge position by operating emitter supporting unit, and state in which field emission of electron generating portion (31) is suppressed is set, then by applying voltage across guard electrode (5), discharge is repeated. After regeneration process, by operating emitter supporting unit again, emitter is moved to discharge position, and state in which field emission of electron generating portion (31) is possible is set with movement of movable body (40) toward the other and side being restrained by movement restraining unit (6).

Abstract: Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems for calibration of a radiation system to compute a gain correction(s) are provided. A calibration procedure is performed during which a portion of the detector array is shadowed by an object, causing the detector array to be non-uniformly exposed to radiation. A portion of a projection generated from the calibration procedure and indicative of radiation that did not traverse the object is separated from a portion of the projection indicative of radiation that did traverse the object, and a gain correction(s) is computed from the portion of the projection indicative of radiation that did not traverse the object (e.g., and is thus indicative of radiation that merely traversed air).

Abstract: In order to provide a data processing device and the like, capable of performing highly accurate reference correction even in a case where an object protrudes in reference channels in most of the measurement views, an image processing device (data processing device) of an X-ray CT apparatus calculates a unit air calibration reference value which is a value per unit tube current of an air calibration reference value which is reference data measured during air calibration, calculates a reference value (estimated reference value) corresponding to an X-ray condition in the main scanning on the basis of an output tube current value in the main scanning and a unit air calibration reference value, and corrects normalized reference data obtained by normalizing a measured reference value in the main scanning with the estimated reference value, to be included in an allowable error range, so as to remove the influence of protrusion.

Abstract: A multi-layer multi-leaf collimation system includes at least a first layer of collimation leaves that are vertically offset with respect to a second layer of collimation leaves. A control circuit generates a preliminary radiation treatment plan using a model of a radiation therapy treatment platform using a single-layer multi-leaf collimation system following which the control circuit generates a final radiation treatment plan that takes into account at least a second layer of collimation leaves. The resultant final radiation treatment plan can then be used to administer radiation to a patient using the aforementioned multi-layer multi-leaf collimation system.

Abstract: A high energy radiation device may include a band and/or contact rod with surface properties to enhance field emissions or otherwise assist in control of x-ray generation.

Abstract: A multiplexing x-ray fluorescence (MXRF) system and method are provided. The system can include a simple detector that counts x-rays with time resolution. A time-variable applied radiation source is used. The MXRF applied radiation source can produce an excitation spectrum with a peak average energy that grows with time and then recycles. Elemental identification can be achieved by time-correlating x-ray counts detected by the detector, with the time-variable applied radiation field. The system and method provide design flexibility for both commercial and NASA applications.

Abstract: X ray apparatus includes a sample stage (4) for supporting a sample (6), an X-ray source (2) and an energy dispersive X-ray detector (8). A conical X-ray collimator (10) is provided either between the sample and the X-ray source or between the sample and the energy-dispersive X-ray detector, the conical X-ray collimator including a plurality of truncated cones arranged concentrically around a central axis, the truncated cones having a common apex defining a central measurement spot on the sample.

Abstract: A radiation image capturing system includes a capturing room and a console. The capturing room includes a bucky apparatus, a radiation irradiating apparatus and a detecting unit. A plurality of portable radiation image capturing apparatuses can be loaded on the bucky apparatus. The radiation irradiating apparatus is able to simultaneously irradiate radiation to the plurality of portable radiation image capturing apparatuses. The console is associated with the capturing room and obtains capturing order information. The console allows the portable radiation image capturing apparatuses to advance to a capturing possible state when the console judges that capturing in the capturing order information is long length capturing. The console allows only one of the portable radiation image capturing apparatuses to advance to the capturing possible state when the console judges that the capturing is not the long length capturing.

Abstract: The embodiments relate to a method, an analyzer, a radiation dose disturbance system, and a computer program for automatically calculating a target radiation dose of ionizing radiation. In this case, both patient-specific parameters and equipment-specific parameters are taken into account. On a cloud-based data store, reference images are read out that concern the same anatomical target region in which the imminent examination is also intended to be carried out. The anatomical target region is advantageously determined in a manner dependent on the clinical issue. The reference images are evaluated with regard to radiation dose and image quality in order to generate a target radiation dose with a corresponding control command.