Patent US3639565A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3777124A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Computer assisted radiation therapy machine
Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Inc
•
Filing: 1970-11-27
•
Granted: 1973-12-04
•
Expires: 1990-11-27
Abstract
Abstract A computer assisted radiation therapy machine is disclosed. The machine includes a rotatable gantry having a radiation source portion and a beam stopping portion. The gantry is rotatable about a patient treatment couch which is rectilinearly translatable in three orthogonal directions as well as being rotatable about the vertical axis. Geometric and dose parameters defining a prescribed treatment plan of radiation are stored in the memory of the computer. Positional signals are derived from the various movable controls and parts of the radiation machine. The prescribed treatment parameters are compared with the actual positionings of the elements and controls of the machine to derive an interlock output when at least one of said actual parameters differs from the respective prescribed parameter. The interlock output is employed to inhibit application of radiation to the patient until the mistake is rectified.
Inventors
- 👤 J Pavkovich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 07:36
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/44; A61B6/4429; A61B6/4435; A61B6/4441; A61B6/10; A61B6/102; A61B6/4476; A61N; A61N5/00; A61N5/01; A61N5/10; G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/18; G05B19/188; G05B19/4093; G05B19/40931; G05B19/40935; G21; G21K; G21K5/00; G21K5/10; H; H05; H05G; H05G1/00; H05G1/08; H05G1/26; H05G1/30; H05G1/38; H05G1/42; H05G1/44; A61N5/1048; A61N2005/1074; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/34; G05B2219/34242; G05B2219/34376; G05B2219/35; G05B2219/35285; G05B2219/35307; G05B2219/36; G05B2219/36087; G05B2219/36153; G05B2219/36551; G05B2219/42; G05B2219/42205; G05B2219/42256; G05B2219/45; G05B2219/45169; G05B2219/49; G05B2219/49143
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
In a radiation therapy apparatus, couch means for supporting a patient to receive radiation, radiAtion source means for applying radiation to the patient, means for supporting and moving said radiation source means about said couch means, means for establishing outputs corresponding to prescribed positions of said source means and said couch to define a prescribed treatment plan of radiation for the patient, means for generating positional outputs representative of the actual positions of said couch and radiation source means, means for comparing the prescribed positional outputs of said radiation source means and said couch means with actual positional outputs of said radiation source and couch means to derive an interlock output when at least one of such actual positional outputs differs from the respective prescribed positional output, interlock means responsive to the interlock output for inhibiting application of radiation to the patient, whereby treatment mistakes are minimized.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
147 words
In a radiation therapy apparatus, couch means for supporting a patient to receive radiation, radiAtion source means for applying radiation to the patient, means for supporting and moving said radiation source means about said couch means, means for establishing outputs corresponding to prescribed positions of said source means and said couch to define a prescribed treatment plan of radiation for the patient, means for generating positional outputs representative of the actual positions of said couch and radiation source means, means for comparing the prescribed positional outputs of said radiation source means and said couch means with actual positional outputs of said radiation source and couch means to derive an interlock output when at least one of such actual positional outputs differs from the respective prescribed positional output, interlock means responsive to the interlock output for inhibiting application of radiation to the patient, whereby treatment mistakes are minimized.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for comparing the prescribed positional outputs of said radiation source and couch means with the actual positional outputs thereof, to derive an interlock, includes, a programmed general purpose computer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including, display means for displaying to an operator the prescribed positions of said radiation source and couch means and the actual positions of said radiation source means and said couch means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for establishing the prescribed positional output of said radiation source and said couch means includes, information storage means for storing a prescribed treatment plan which includes information defining the prescribed positions of said radiation source means and said couch means, and means for reading the prescribed positional definitions from said information storage means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said information storage means includes, a storage tape, and wherein said information reading means includes, a tape reading means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
95 words
The apparatus of claim 4 including general purpose computer means having a memory, said information storage means including first storage means for storing the treatment plan of prescribed positional information of said radiation source and couch means for each given patient, said computer means being programmed to transfer the prescribed positional information from said first storage means into said memory of said computer means, and said computer being programmed to read the prescribed definitions from said memory of said computer to establish the prescribed positional outputs of said radiation source means and said couch means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
163 words
In a radiation therapy apparatus, couch means for supporting a patient to receive radiation, radiation source means for applying radiation to the patient, means for supporting and causing relative movement between said radiation source means and said couch means, means for establishing outputs corresponding to prescribed relative positioning of said source means and said couch means to define a prescribed treatment plan of radiation for the patient, means for generating positional outputs representative of the actual relative positioning of said couch means and radiation source means, means for comparing the prescribed positional outputs of the relative positioning of said radiation source means and said couch means with actual positional outputs of the relative positioning of said radiation source and couch means to derive an interlock output when at least one of such actual positional outputs differs from the respective prescribed positional output, and interlock means responsive to the interlock output for inhibiting application of radiation to the patient, whereby treatment mistakes are minimized.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
163 words
In a radiation therapy apparatus, couch means for supporting a patient to receive radiation, radiation source means for applying radiation to the patient, means for supporting and causing relative movement between said radiation source means and said couch means, means for establishing outputs corresponding to prescribed relative positioning of said source means and said couch means to define a prescribed treatment plan of radiation for the patient, means for generating positional outputs representative of the actual relative positioning of said couch means and radiation source means, means for comparing the prescribed positional outputs of the relative positioning of said radiation source means and said couch means with actual positional outputs of the relative positioning of said radiation source and couch means to derive an interlock output when at least one of such actual positional outputs differs from the respective prescribed positional output, and interlock means responsive to the interlock output for inhibiting application of radiation to the patient, whereby treatment mistakes are minimized.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
98 words
The apparatus of claim 7 in which said means for causing relative movement between said radiation source means and said couch means includes means for moving each of said couch means and radiation source means relative to the other, said means for comparing said prescribed and acTual positional outputs comprises a computer programmed to derive error signals representative of difference between said prescribed and actual positions and to feed said signals to said means for moving said couch means and radiation source means, whereby said actual relative positioning is automatically caused to coincide with said prescribed relative positioning.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
CA831597A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-03 | 1977-06-04 | 1977-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-03 | 1981-06-04 | 1981-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-03 | 1985-06-04 | 1985-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |