Elekta has been granted a patent for a radiotherapy apparatus that includes an imaging system, a therapeutic radiation source, and a patient support. The apparatus also features calibration markers that can be imaged by both the imaging system and a portal imaging device. The patient support is movable, allowing the calibration markers to be selectively positioned within or outside the treatment volume. A controller can initiate a calibration process by obtaining images from both the imaging system and the portal imaging device. GlobalData’s report on Elekta gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Elekta, Vaping device aerosol generators was a key innovation area identified from patents. Elekta's grant share as of September 2023 was 54%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Radiotherapy apparatus with movable patient support and calibration markers
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11752363B2) describes a radiotherapy apparatus that combines a source of therapeutic radiation with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The apparatus includes a portal imaging device for the therapeutic radiation, a patient support with integrated calibration markers, and a controller. The calibration markers are fixed in a predetermined position relative to the patient support and can be resolved in both the MRI system and the portal imaging device.
The patent claims that the patient support is movable relative to a common volume, allowing the calibration markers to be selectively brought into and out of the common volume. The controller is configured to initiate a calibration process by moving the patient support to a position where the calibration markers are within the common volume and obtaining images from both the MRI system and the portal imaging device.
The calibration markers are made of materials that can appear in the images produced by both the MRI system and the portal imaging device. This allows for accurate spatial correlation between the two imaging modalities. The patent also mentions that the patient support may have a central section into which the calibration markers do not extend.
The controller of the radiotherapy apparatus can be configured to move the patient support to a position where the calibration markers are outside the common volume before the treatment phase. Additionally, the controller may have a module for connection to an outside communication network, an override module, and can be connected to one or more monitoring devices.
The patent also describes the combination of the radiotherapy apparatus with a room and a security system. The security system includes at least one door connected to a locking arrangement, which can be set to allow or deny access to the room. The security system can be connected to the controller of the radiotherapy apparatus, and the room may have monitoring devices connected to the controller to provide information about the conditions of the radiotherapy apparatus.
The patent further includes a method of calibrating the radiotherapy apparatus. The method involves moving the patient support to place the calibration markers within the common volume, obtaining images from the MRI system and the portal imaging device, spatially correlating the images, and then moving the patient support to place the calibration markers outside the common volume.
Overall, this patent describes a radiotherapy apparatus that integrates MRI imaging and therapeutic radiation, allowing for accurate calibration and spatial correlation between the two modalities. The apparatus also includes features for security and monitoring, enhancing safety and efficiency in radiotherapy treatments.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
