Patents by Inventor David W. Nigg

David W. Nigg 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).

  • Patent number: 6965847
    Abstract: Methods and computer readable media are disclosed for ultimately developing a dosimetry plan for a treatment volume irradiated during radiation therapy with a radiation source concentrated internally within a patient or incident from an external beam. The dosimetry plan is available in near “real-time” because of the novel geometric model construction of the treatment volume which in turn allows for rapid calculations to be performed for simulated movements of particles along particle tracks therethrough. The particles are exemplary representations of alpha, beta or gamma emissions emanating from an internal radiation source during various radiotherapies, such as brachytherapy or targeted radionuclide therapy, or they are exemplary representations of high-energy photons, electrons, protons or other ionizing particles incident on the treatment volume from an external source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel E. Wessol, Michael W. Frandsen, Floyd J. Wheeler, David W. Nigg
  • Publication number: 20020046010
    Abstract: Methods and computer readable media are disclosed for ultimately developing a dosimetry plan for a treatment volume irradiated during radiation therapy with a radiation source concentrated internally within a patient or incident from an external beam. The dosimetry plan is available in near“real-time” because of the novel geometric model construction of the treatment volume which in turn allows for rapid calculations to be performed for simulated movements of particles along particle tracks therethrough. The particles are exemplary representations of alpha, beta or gamma emissions emanating from an internal radiation source during various radiotherapies, such as brachytherapy or targeted radionuclide therapy, or they are exemplary representations of high-energy photons, electrons, protons or other ionizing particles incident on the treatment volume from an external source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Applicant: Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel E. Wessol, Michael W. Frandsen, Floyd J. Wheeler, David W. Nigg
  • Patent number: 5920601
    Abstract: A neutron delivery system that provides improved capability for tumor control during medical therapy. The system creates a unique neutron beam that has a bimodal or multi-modal energy spectrum. This unique neutron beam can be used for fast-neutron therapy, boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), or both. The invention includes both an apparatus and a method for accomplishing the purposes of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company
    Inventors: David W. Nigg, Charles A. Wemple
  • Patent number: 5903622
    Abstract: A source for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) comprises a body of photoneutron emitter that includes heavy water and is closely surrounded in heat-imparting relationship by target material; one or more electron linear accelerators for supplying electron radiation having energy of substantially 2 to 10 MeV and for impinging such radiation on the target material, whereby photoneutrons are produced and heat is absorbed from the target material by the body of photoneutron emitter. The heavy water is circulated through a cooling arrangement to remove heat. A tank, desirably cylindrical or spherical, contains the heavy water, and a desired number of the electron accelerators circumferentially surround the tank and the target material as preferably made up of thin plates of metallic tungsten.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company
    Inventors: Woo Y. Yoon, James L. Jones, David W. Nigg, Yale D. Harker