Abstract: A wall panel comprising a front face, a return lip extending from at least one edge of the front face to define a flange lying behind the front face, and a mounting clip formed in the flange for attaching the wall panel to a support structure is provided. The mounting clip may comprise a curved formation, thereby having a distance from the front face that varies along its length. The formation may be shaped to include a local minimum distance. The mounting clip may be a tab or tongue defined by a U-shaped slot cut in the flange. The U-shaped slot can be located in the flange between a pair of through-holes or slots. According to other embodiments of the present disclosure, a device for shaping the mounting clips, and a method of assembling a paneled wall using the device to manufacture the mounting clips are provided.

Abstract: Radiotherapy apparatus comprises a source of radiation mounted on a chassis, the chassis being rotatable about a rotation axis and the source being adapted to emit a beam of radiation along a beam axis that intersects with the rotation axis; a patient support, moveable along a translation axis; a set of magnetic coils located on either side of the beam, for establishing a magnetic field at the point of intersection, spaced from that point along a first direction; the translation axis, the rotation axis, and the first direction being substantially parallel; and further comprising a multi-leaf collimator fixed in its orientation with respect to the source of radiation, the multi-leaf collimator comprising a plurality of elongate leaves disposed with their longitudinal directions substantially aligned with the first direction and movable in that direction between a withdrawn position in which the leaf lies outside the beam.

Abstract: We have noticed that during assembly of a marker according to our previous application GB2512416, i.e. one having a solid first component and a liquid second component, a small amount of air is sometimes trapped within a housing of the marker. Precautions can obviously be taken to limit this, but it would be preferable if the structure was resilient to this.

Abstract: A wall panel comprising a front face, a return lip extending from at least one edge of the front face to define a flange lying behind the front face, and a mounting clip formed in the flange for attaching the wall panel to a support structure is provided. The mounting clip may comprise a curved formation, thereby having a distance from the front face that varies along its length. The formation may be shaped to include a local minimum distance. The mounting clip may be a tab or tongue defined by a U-shaped slot cut in the flange. The U-shaped slot can be located in the flange between a pair of through-holes or slots. According to other embodiments of the present disclosure, a device for shaping the mounting clips, and a method of assembling a paneled wall using the device to manufacture the mounting clips are provided.

Abstract: Radiotherapy apparatus comprises a source of radiation mounted on a chassis, the chassis being rotatable about a rotation axis and the source being adapted to emit a beam of radiation along a beam axis that intersects with the rotation axis; a patient support, moveable along a translation axis; a set of magnetic coils located on either side of the beam, for establishing a magnetic field at the point of intersection, spaced from that point along a first direction; the translation axis, the rotation axis, and the first direction being substantially parallel; and further comprising a multi-leaf collimator fixed in its orientation with respect to the source of radiation, the multi-leaf collimator comprising a plurality of elongate leaves disposed with their longitudinal directions substantially aligned with the first direction and movable in that direction between a withdrawn position in which the leaf lies outside the beam, an extended position in which the leaf projects across the beam and a plurality of interm

Abstract: Radiotherapy apparatus comprises a source of radiation mounted on a chassis, that is rotatable about a rotation axis and the source being adapted to emit a beam of radiation along a beam axis; a patient support, moveable along a translation axis; a set of magnetic coils located on either side of the beam, for establishing a magnetic field along a first direction; the translation axis, the rotation axis, and the first direction being substantially parallel; and further comprising a multi-leaf collimator fixed in its orientation with respect to the source of radiation, the multi-leaf collimator comprising a plurality of elongate leaves disposed with their longitudinal directions substantially aligned with the first direction and movable in that direction between a withdrawn position in which the leaf lies outside the beam, an extended position in which the leaf projects across the beam.

Abstract: A multi-leaf collimator for a radiotherapy apparatus comprises at least one array of laterally-spaced elongate leaves, each leaf being driven by an associated motor connected to the leaf via a drive means so as to extend or retract the leaf in its longitudinal direction, the drive means comprising a sub-frame on which at least a subset of the motors are mounted, the sub-frame being mounted at a location spaced from the leaf array in a direction transverse to the lateral and longitudinal directions, and including a plurality of threaded drives disposed longitudinally, each being driven by a motor and being operatively connected to a leaf thereby to drive that leaf.

Abstract: A multi-leaf collimator for a radiotherapy apparatus comprises at least one array of laterally-spaced elongate leaves, each leaf being driven by an associated motor connected to the leaf via a drive means so as to extend or retract the leaf in its longitudinal direction, the drive means comprising a sub-frame on which at least a subset of the motors are mounted, the sub-frame being mounted at a location spaced from the leaf array in a direction transverse to the lateral and longitudinal directions, and including a plurality of threaded drives disposed longitudinally, each being driven by a motor and being operatively connected to a leaf thereby to drive that leaf.

Abstract: A multi-leaf collimator for a radiotherapy apparatus comprises at least one array of laterally-spaced elongate leaves, each leaf being driven by an associated motor connected to the leaf via a drive means so as to extend or retract the leaf in its longitudinal direction, the drive means comprising a sub-frame on which at least a subset of the motors are mounted, the sub-frame being mounted at a location spaced from the leaf array in a direction transverse to the lateral and longitudinal directions, and including a plurality of threaded drives disposed longitudinally, each being driven by a motor and being operatively connected to a leaf thereby to drive that leaf.

Abstract: Combined systems that rely on a single source able to switch between therapeutic emissions and diagnostic emissions for a cone-beam CT scanner can be improved by rotating the collimator during CT scanning to allow a wider maximum aperture. The detector can also be positioned in an offset manner so as to take best advantage of this aperture. The rotated position for a collimator with a rectangular aperture (such as a square) can be one in which a diagonal of the aperture lies transverse to the plane swept out by the beam axis during rotation of the mount. More generally, where the aperture has at least one straight edge, the predetermined position is one in which the straight edge lies at an oblique angle to the plane swept out by the beam axis during rotation of the mount.

Abstract: A medical environment can be personalised by displaying themes or visual sequences during the medical procedure. For a repeating medical procedure, the process can be improved by ensuring that the same theme continues from where it left off when the patient was last present. The theme can also include elements that indicate the patient's rate or degree of progress through the medical procedure.

Abstract: A radiotherapeutic apparatus comprises a source of therapeutic radiation, a source of visible light arranged to cast a light field corresponding to the beam of radiation, and a multileaf collimator for shaping the beams, wherein a filter is disposed in the path of the visible light beam having a plurality of linear dark sections corresponding to leaves of the collimator. This prevents the incident light from falling on the leaves and removes the ghost images at source. By placing the filter in the head, the line can be very narrow and will be blurred into penumbra at the isocentre. This is therefore a very inexpensive yet effective method of reducing ghosting. A mirror can deflect the path of the visible light to correspond to that of the radiation beam, and the filter can be disposed anywhere in the beam path, such as prior to the mirror, subsequent to the mirror and prior to the collimator, or subsequent to the collimator.

Abstract: A radiotherapy system comprises a patient support, moveable along a translation axis, an imaging apparatus, comprising a first magnetic coil and a second magnetic coil, the first and second magnetic coils having a common central axis parallel to the translation axis, and being displaced from one another along the central axis to form a gap therebetween, the imaging apparatus being configured to obtain an image of a patient on the patient support and a source of radiation mounted on a chassis, the chassis being rotatable about the central axis and the source being adapted to emit a beam of radiation through the gap along a beam axis that intersects with the central axis, the beam having a first extent in a first direction parallel to the central axis, and a second, greater extent in a second direction transverse to the central axis.

Abstract: Radiotherapy apparatus comprises a source of radiation mounted on a chassis, the chassis being rotatable about a rotation axis and the source being adapted to emit a beam of radiation along a beam axis that intersects with the rotation axis; a patient support, moveable along a translation axis; a set of magnetic coils located on either side of the beam, for establishing a magnetic field at the point of intersection, spaced from that point along a first direction; the translation axis, the rotation axis, and the first direction being substantially parallel; and further comprising a multi-leaf collimator fixed in its orientation with respect to the source of radiation, the multi-leaf collimator comprising a plurality of elongate leaves disposed with their longitudinal directions substantially aligned with the first direction and movable in that direction between a withdrawn position in which the leaf lies outside the beam, an extended position in which the leaf projects across the beam and a plurality of interm

Abstract: A multi-leaf collimator for a radiotherapy apparatus comprises at least one array of laterally-spaced elongate leaves, each leaf being driven by an associated motor connected to the leaf via a drive means so as to extend or retract the leaf in its longitudinal direction, the drive means comprising a sub-frame on which at least a subset of the motors are mounted, the sub-frame being mounted at a location spaced from the leaf array in a direction transverse to the lateral and longitudinal directions, and including a plurality of threaded drives disposed longitudinally, each being driven by a motor and being operatively connected to a leaf thereby to drive that leaf.

Abstract: The present invention therefore provides a method of treating the surface of an item for a radiotherapy apparatus, comprising the steps of machining into a planar reflective surface of the item a stepped profile, each step having a first surface angled to the planar reflective surface such that, in use, the first surface reflects light incident on the planar reflective surface away from the isocenter of the radiotherapy apparatus and a second surface angled with respect to the planar reflective surface and the first surface such that, in use, the second surface is shadowed from light incident on the planar reflective surface by the first surface, the steps having a depth which does not exceed 2.15% of the total depth of the item.

Abstract: A multi-leaf collimator for use in a radiotherapeutic apparatus comprises a plurality of elongate narrow leaves arranged side-by side and supported in a frame, the frame having upper and lower formations for guiding each leaf into which extend ridges on the upper and lower edges of the leaves, thereby to allow the leaves to move in a longitudinal direction, the upper and lower formations being aligned so that the sides of the leaves when fitted are at a non-zero angle to the beam direction, the upper and lower ridges being located on the upper and lower edges of the leaves so that a line joining their centres is at a non-zero angle to the sides of the leaf, tilted relative to the sides in a sense opposite to that of the beam. An outer face of the upper and/or lower ridges can be aligned with a side face of the leaf, for ease of manufacture.

Abstract: A radiotherapeutic apparatus comprises a source of therapeutic radiation, a source of visible light arranged to cast a light field corresponding to the beam of radiation, and a multileaf collimator for shaping the beams, wherein a filter is disposed in the path of the visible light beam having a plurality of linear dark sections corresponding to leaves of the collimator. This prevents the incident light from falling on the leaves and removes the ghost images at source. By placing the filter in the head, the line can be very narrow and will be blurred into penumbra at the isocentre. This is therefore a very inexpensive yet effective method of reducing ghosting. A mirror can deflect the path of the visible light to correspond to that of the radiation beam, and the filter can be disposed anywhere in the beam path, such as prior to the mirror, subsequent to the mirror and prior to the collimator, or subsequent to the collimator.

Abstract: A multi-leaf collimator for use in a radiotherapeutic apparatus comprises a plurality of elongate narrow leaves arranged side-by side and supported in a frame, the frame having upper and lower formations for guiding each leaf into which extend ridges on the upper and lower edges of the leaves, thereby to allow the leaves to move in a longitudinal direction, the upper and lower formations being aligned so that the sides of the leaves when fitted are at a non-zero angle to the beam direction, the upper and lower ridges being located on the upper and lower edges of the leaves so that a line joining their centres is at a non-zero angle to the sides of the leaf, tilted relative to the sides in a sense opposite to that of the beam. An outer face of the upper and/or lower ridges can be aligned with a side face of the leaf, for ease of manufacture.

Abstract: We propose to shape the leaf by the use of electro-chemical machining (ECM). ECM is a technique by which a blank is suspended within a mould, with a small gap therebetween. A conductive fluid is caused to flow through the gap, and a large electrical current is passed from the mould to the blank. The blank steadily erodes, dissolving into the fluid. The fluid should not provoke a reaction from the material of the blank, such as a surface oxide. Sodium Chloride solution is a common choice. The current that is passed can, if desired, be controlled to a profile that will affect the manner of erosion. Thus, the current profile can be a steady on/off current, or it can be pulsed. One known arrangement is for the current to rise to a peak, then fall to zero, followed by a brief reverse flow.