An x-ray micro-beam radiation production system is provided having: a source of accelerated electrons, an electron focusing component configured to focus the electrons provided by the source, and a target which produces x-rays when electrons impinge thereon from the source. The electron focusing component is configured to focus the electrons provided by the source such that they impinge at a focal spot having a width δ formed on a surface of the target. The focusing component is configured to move the electron beam relative to the target such that the focal spot moves across the target surface in the width direction, and/or the target is movable relative to the focusing component such that the focal spot moves across the target surface in the width direction, the surface velocity of the focal spot across the target surface in the width direction being greater than v.sub.t where:formula (I), k, ρ and c denoting respectively the heat conductivity, the density and the heat capacity of the target material, and d denoting the electron penetration depth in the target material. $v_t=\frac{\pi k}{4\rho c}.Math.\frac{\delta }{d^2},$

An x-ray treatment system includes an electron beam generator configured to generate an electron beam and an x-ray treatment head comprising an array of pixel source cells including side walls defining an x-ray transmissive interior. The side walls include an x-ray absorptive material. A target element is positioned to, when impacted by the electron beam, generate x-ray photon radiation within the x-ray transmissive pixel source cell interior. An electron beam control system includes a controller configured to control responsive to a treatment plan at least one of the direction and intensity of the electron beam to a particular one of the pixel source cells, and then responsive to the treatment plan to control at least one of the direction and intensity of the electron beam to at least one additional pixel source cell. A method of treating a patient with x-ray photon radiation is also disclosed.

The present disclosure offers therapeutic solutions to cancer patients up to now considered as unable to undergo a standard-of-care treatment involving radiotherapy or at high risk to undergo a standard-of-care treatment involving radiotherapy. The disclosure relates to nanoparticles and/or aggregates of nanoparticles for use in the treatment of cancer in such a patient, wherein the nanoparticles and/or aggregates of nanoparticles preferably comprise more than 30% by weight of at least one chemical element having an atomic number (Z) between 20 and 83. The disclosed treatments involve a step of administering the nanoparticles and/or aggregates of nanoparticles to the patient, and a step of exposing the patient to a total dose of ionizing radiations that is equal to or less than 85% of the total dose delivered in the standard-of-care treatment. The present description also discloses new compositions comprising such nanoparticles and/or aggregates of nanoparticles as well as uses thereof.

A method of operating imaging and tracking. The method includes determining, for each angle of a plurality of angles from which tracking images can be generated by an imaging device, a value of a tracking quality metric for tracking a target based on an analysis of a projection generated at that angle. The method also includes selecting, by a processing device, a subset of the plurality of angles that have a tracking quality metric value that satisfies a tracking quality metric criterion, one or more angles of the subset to be used to generate a tracking image of the target during a treatment stage, wherein the subset comprises at least a first angle and a second angle that is at least separated by a minimum threshold from the first angle.

Systems and methods for determining beam asymmetry in a radiation treatment system using electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) without implementation of elaborate and complex EPID calibration procedures. The beam asymmetry is determined based on radiation scattered from different points in the radiation beam and measured with the same region of interest ROI of the EPID.

System for treatment positioning is provided. The system may include a treatment component, an imaging component, and a couch. The treatment component may include a radiation source that has a radiation isocenter. The couch may be movable between the treatment component and the imaging component, and include a positioning line that has a positioning feature. The system may acquire at least one first image relating to a subject and the positioning line using the radiation source at a set-up position. The system may also acquire at least one second image relating to the subject and the positioning line using the imaging component at an imaging position. The system may further determine a treatment isocenter of a target of the subject based on the at least one second image, and determine a treatment position of the subject based on the first image(s), the second image(s), and the positioning line.

A radio therapy system includes a first x-ray source. The first x-ray source is configured to produce first x-ray photons in a first energy range suitable for imaging and project the first x-ray photons onto an area designated for imaging. The system includes a second x-ray source configured to produce second x-ray photons in a second energy range higher energy than the first energy range, produce third x-ray photons in a third energy range higher energy than the first energy range, project the second x-ray photons onto the area designated for imaging, and project the third x-ray photons onto an area designated for treatment. The system includes an analytical portion configured to collect and combine data to create a composite output including at least one image, the combining based in part on a spectral analysis.

A method for treating damaged peripheral nerves of a subject includes irradiating at least a portion of the damaged PNs with an array of x-ray microbeams having an in-beam dose sufficient to at least initiate demyelination, each of the microbeams being no greater than 0.7 mm in thickness, and separated for tissue sparing, e.g., by at least 0.05 mm, and optionally administering schwann cell progenitors (SCPs) to the irradiated portion to remyelination before or after irradiating. In-beam dose may be between about 30 to 200 Gy. The method may include irradiating using an x-ray tube of a CT scanner having a multi-aperture collimator mounted thereto and on/near the subject. The SCPs may be adult rat olfactory sphere cells or neural stem cells.

A method of sequential monoscopic tracking is described. The method includes generating a plurality of projections of an internal target region within a body of a patient, the plurality of projections comprising projection data about a position of an internal target region of the patient. The method further includes generating external positional data about external motion of the body of the patient using one or more external sensors. The method further includes generating, by a processing device, a correlation model between the projection data and the external positional data by fitting the plurality of projections of the internal target region to the external positional data. The method further includes estimating the position of the internal target region at a later time using the correlation model.

A method for treating a disease, disorder, or condition in a subject in need thereof, by administering either or both of (i) at least one photoactivatable pharmaceutical agent, or (ii) a first plurality of energy-emitting particles, into the subject in a region of the disease, disorder, or condition, whereby the administering is performed through inhalation; and applying an applied electromagnetic energy to the subject, wherein the applied electromagnetic energy directly or indirectly activates the at least one photoactivatable pharmaceutical agent, when present, and wherein when the first plurality of energy-emitting particles is present, the first plurality of energy-emitting particles absorbs the applied energy and emits an emitted electromagnetic energy, wherein the emitted electromagnetic energy interacts directly with the region of the disease, disorder, or condition or activates the at least one photoactivatable pharmaceutical agent.