A radiotherapy equipment including: a rotating gantry, an X-beam generating assembly and a treatment couch. The X-beam generating assembly is on the rotating gantry, rotates about a rotation axis of the rotating gantry driven by the rotating gantry, and generates an X-beam deflected with respect to a rotating plane of the rotating gantry in a direction of the rotation axis, and the rotating gantry and the X-beam generating assembly are stationary in the direction of the rotation axis. The treatment couch is on a side of the rotating gantry for supporting a patient, and moves along the direction of the rotation axis to cooperate with a deflection of the X-beam to irradiate a target of the patient with the X-beam.

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for imaging a tumor with X-rays while, simultaneously or alternatingly, treating or imaging the tumor with positively charged particles. An X-ray imaging system, such as one or two sets of a cone beam X-ray source coupled to an X-ray detector, is rotatable about a first axis and a patient. The X-ray imaging system is positioned off axis a path of charged particles delivered through an exit port of a nozzle system from a synchrotron and does not block a path of the positively charged particles from the exit nozzle to the patient or an imaging path from the patient to a scintillation detector. Fiducial indicators are used to confirm an unobstructed path of the positively charged particles in a treatment room comprising many movable elements, such as the X-ray imaging system and a patient positioning system/couch.

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for treating a tumor of a patient with charged particles, comprising the step of developing a multi-modality treatment plan, the multi-modality treatment plan directing: (1) use of a first beam type to treat a first volume of the tumor, the first beam type a first mass per particle and (2) use of a second beam type to treat a second volume of the tumor, the second beam type comprising a second mass per particle, where the second mass per particle is at least ten percent different than the first mass per particle and the second volume differs from the first volume. The multi-modality treatment plan is optionally formed by selectively merging treatment plans using the respective particle types or is developed using properties of the multiple particle types.

The present disclosure relates to a motion guidance assembly for guiding the motion of a collimator device. The motion guidance assembly may include a first pair of flexible plates connected to the collimator device. The first pair of flexible plates may be deformable in a direction perpendicular to an opening of the collimator device. A deformation of the first pair of flexible plates may guide the motion of the collimator device based on a driving force.

A radiotherapy head can include an electron accelerator, a deflection control assembly, a collimator, and a target material. The deflection control assembly is provided between the electron accelerator and the collimator, the collimator is provided with a plurality of collimating holes, and the target material is provided at an entrance of the each of the plurality of collimating holes; the deflection control assembly is configured to adjust a deflection angle of electron beams emitted by the electron accelerator, and emit angle-deflected electron beams to the target material; the target material is configured to convert the electron beams emitted to the target material into X-rays; and the collimator is configured to project the X-rays to a target via the plurality of collimating holes.

A method is for changing a spatial intensity distribution of an x-ray beam. In an embodiment, the method includes generating an x-ray beam by an x-ray source; guiding a beam path of the x-ray beam through a form filter with a plurality of lamellas, the form filter including a holder apparatus and the plurality of lamellas being arranged in the holder apparatus such that each lamella has at least one straight line running through the respective lamella in parallel to the further lamellas. The method further includes aligning the plurality of lamellas relative to the beam path by controlled movement of at least one part of the plurality of lamellas relative to one another and thereby changing the spatial intensity distribution of the x-ray beam. An apparatus, configured to carry out such a method, an irradiation arrangement and a medical imaging apparatus are further disclosed.

An ultrasound probe includes an ultrasound probe housing and one or more ultrasound transducers disposed in the ultrasound probe housing. A dosimeter or ionizing radiation detector is disposed in or attached to the ultrasound probe housing. An alarm device receives radiation dose or radiation exposure data acquired by the dosimeter or ionizing radiation detector. The alarm device includes an electronic processor programmed to detect excessive radiation dose or radiation exposure received by the ultrasound probe based on the radiation dose or radiation exposure data acquired by the dosimeter or ionizing radiation detector, and output an alarm warning of the detection of excessive radiation dose or radiation exposure received by the ultrasound probe. In some embodiments, the dosimeter is a one-time use dosimeter that is not resettable.

A beam modifier shapes the distribution of a dose delivered to a target by a radiation beam emitted from a beam emitter of a radiotherapy device, particularly a beam that delivers a high radiation dose within a single, short period of time (e.g., less than a second). Elements of the beam modifier (e.g., rods) include material that can block or attenuate the beam. The elements can be dynamically and quickly configured to form an opening or transparent area through which a portion of the beam can pass unimpeded and to present different thicknesses of material to block or attenuate other portions of the beam, in this manner shaping the dose distribution at the target while protecting surrounding tissue.

A measurement device includes a sensing portion and a measuring portion. The sensing portion contains at least a fluorescent material whose emitting of fluorescent light ceases due to an action of a radioactive beam. The measuring portion measures a radiation quantity of the radioactive beam, with which the sensing portion is irradiated, based on an amount of decrease in the intensity of the fluorescent light emitted by the fluorescent material contained in the sensing portion when the radioactive beam acts on at least a portion of the fluorescent material. The fluorescent light is emitted due to irradiation of the fluorescent material by an excitation source.

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for treating a tumor, comprising the steps of: (1) a main controller sequentially delivering charged particles from a synchrotron along a first beam transport line, through a nozzle system, and to the tumor according to a current version of the radiation treatment plan; (2) concurrent with the step of delivering, generating an image of the tumor using an imaging system; (3) the main controller automatically generating an updated version of the radiation treatment plan using the image, the updated version of the radiation treatment plan becoming the current version of the radiation treatment plan; and (4) repeating the steps of: delivering grouped bunches of the charged particles, generating an image of the tumor, and automatically generating the updated or current version of the radiation treatment plan with optional intervening doctor approval.