Systems and methods for using electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) as absolute radiation beam measuring devices and as radiation beam alignment devices without implementation of elaborate and complex calibration procedures.

Embodiments of the present invention provide phantoms, and associated methods of calibration which are suitable for use in both medical resonance imaging and radiographic imaging systems. A phantom for calibration of a medical imaging system, comprises a first component having a first outer shape, a portion of which defines part of at least one pocket; and a second component coupled to the first component and having a second outer shape, a portion of which defines another part of the at least one pocket. At least one of the first and second components comprises a reservoir, the reservoir having a shape at least a portion of which locates a center of the at least one pocket.

The present invention relates a detector (11) for detecting megavoltage X-ray radiation (3), comprising a scintillator (2) including a plurality of heavy scintillating fibers (13) for emitting scintillation photons in response to incident megavoltage X-ray radiation (3), a support structure (15) for supporting said plurality of heavy scintillating fibers (13) and holding them in place; and a photodetector (17) for detecting the spatial intensity distribution of the emitted scintillation photons. The present invention further relates to an apparatus (35) for radiation therapy comprising a particle accelerator (37) and a detector (11) for detecting megavoltage radiation. Still further, the present invention relates to methods for detecting X-ray radiation and for radiation therapy.

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for directing protons to a tumor, comprising the steps of: (1) holding a patient with a patient support; (2) providing an imaging system comprising: a rotatable unit at least partially surrounding an axial perimeter of the patient support, a translation guide rail, an imaging source attached to the rotatable unit, and an imaging detector attached to the rotatable unit; (3) translating and rotating the imaging source and the imaging detector relative to the patient support using the translation guide rail and the rotatable unit; and (4) providing an attachment section connected: on a first end to a robotic arm positioning system and on a second end to the patient support and the imaging system, the robotic arm positioning system repositioning, relative to a nozzle system linked to the synchrotron, the attachment system supporting the patient support system and the imaging system.

The invention comprises a method and apparatus for using a single robotic positioning arm to simultaneously move, relative to a proton beam path entering a treatment room containing the patient, both: (1) a patient support and (2) an imaging system. The robotic arm moving the imaging system and patient independently from movement of a nozzle system directing protons into the treatment rooms allows: simultaneously translating past the patient and rotating around the patient an X-ray source of the imaging system; translating a rotatable unit, of the imaging system, longitudinally past the patient on a translation guide rail; moving the patient support and the imaging system through at least four degrees of freedom relative to a movable proton beam; and/or simultaneous or alternating movement of the proton treatment beam and the imaging system relative to the patient.

A method of radiation therapy comprises, while a gantry of a radiation therapy system rotates continuously in a first direction through a treatment arc from a first treatment delivery position to a second treatment delivery position, causing an imaging X-ray source mounted on the gantry to direct X-rays through a target volume and receiving a set of X-ray projection images from an X-ray imager mounted on the gantry; determining a current location of the target volume based on the set of X-ray projection images; and while the gantry to continues to rotate to the second treatment delivery position, initiating delivery of a treatment beam of a treatment-delivering X-ray source mounted on the gantry to the target volume, and continuing to cause the gantry to rotate in the first direction from the second treatment delivery position to a third treatment delivery position.

Systems, devices, and methods for dosimetric verification of radiation therapy treatments by selective evaluation of measurement points. Systems, methods, and computer program-products for providing dosimetric verification of radiation therapy treatments by evaluating measurement points using different evaluation criteria.

A self-shielded and computer controlled system for performing non-invasive stereotactic radiosurgery and precision radiotherapy using a linear accelerator mounted within a two degree-of-freedom radiation shield coupled to a three-degree of freedom patient table is provided. The radiation shield can include an axial shield rotatable about an axial axis and an oblique shield independently rotatable about an oblique axis, thereby providing improved range of trajectories of the therapeutic and diagnostic radiation beams. Such shields can be balanced about their respective axes of rotation and about a common support structure to facilitate ease of movement. Such systems can further include an imaging system to accurately deliver radiation to the treatment target and automatically make corrections needed to maintain the anatomical target at the system isocenter. Various subsystems to automate controlled and coordinated movement of the movable shield components and operation of the treatment related subsystems to optimize performance and ensure safety are also provided.

An image calibration method includes capturing and correcting a flood field image for background signal and effects of known image-panel features (dead/bad pixels). The corrected image is processed to separate frequencies characteristic of relative pixel sensitivities from frequencies characteristic of radiation energy fluence. The incident energy fluence has a known maximum in-field energy fluence gradient. A model that describes the incident energy fluence on a detector is generated or received. The corrected image may be modeled at frequencies at or below the maximum in-field energy fluence gradient. A pixel sensitivity matrix (PSM) is generated by adjusting the corrected image with the model of the incident energy fluence on the detector. For example, the corrected image signal may be divided by the model or the model may be subtracted from the corrected image. The PSM may be used to correct additional raw images captured by the detector.

Disclosed herein are radiotherapy systems and methods that can display a workflow-oriented graphical user interface(s). In an embodiment, a system comprises a radiotherapy machine comprising: a gantry having a screen in communication with a server, the screen configured to display a graphical user interface; and at least one camera, wherein the server is configured to present, in real time, images received from the at least one camera for display on a graphical user interface displayed on the screen.