US5764723A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus and method to gate a source for radiation therapy
Assignee: Columbia University
•
Filing: 1996-10-16
•
Granted: 1998-06-09
•
Expires: 2016-10-16
Abstract
Abstract A radiation therapy apparatus and method for applying radiation to a patient in synchronism with one of a plurality of states of a cardiac cycle of the patient and one of a plurality of states of a respiratory cycle of the patient. An electrocardiograph is operatively connected to the patient and a respiratory monitor is operatively connected to the patient. A controller is provided for receiving an output from said electrocardiograph indicative of which of said plurality of cardiac cycle states the cardiac cycle is presently in and for receiving an output from said respiratory monitor indicative of which of said plurality of respiratory cycle states said respiratory cycle is presently in. A radiation applicator applies radiation to the patient in response to a trigger signal from the controller, said trigger signal being generated by said controller in response to said output from said electrocardiograph and said output from said respiratory monitor.
Inventors
- 👤 Judah Z. Weinberger
- 👤 Howard I. Amols
- 👤 Peter B. Schiff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:02
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/54; A61B6/541; A61N; A61N5/00; A61N5/10; A61N5/1048; A61N5/1064
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
A radiation therapy apparatus for applying radiation to a patient in synchronism with one of a plurality of states of a cardiac cycle of the patient and one of a plurality of states of a respiratory cycle of the patient, comprising: an electrocardiograph operatively connected to the patient; a respiratory monitor operatively connected to the patient; means for interactively receiving user input indicative of a selected point or interval of time when a chosen one of said plurality of cardiac cycle states overlaps with a chosen one of said plurality of respiratory cycle states; control means supplied with the user input from the means for receiving, an output from said electrocardiograph indicative of which of said plurality of cardiac cycle states the cardiac cycle is presently in, and an output from said respiratory monitor indicative of which of said plurality of respiratory cycle states said respiratory cycle is presently in; and radiation application means for applying radiation to the patient in response to a trigger signal from said control means, said trigger signal being generated by said control means in response to said user input from the means for receiving, said output from said electrocardiograph, and said output from said respiratory monitor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
202 words
A radiation therapy apparatus for applying radiation to a patient in synchronism with one of a plurality of states of a cardiac cycle of the patient and one of a plurality of states of a respiratory cycle of the patient, comprising: an electrocardiograph operatively connected to the patient; a respiratory monitor operatively connected to the patient; means for interactively receiving user input indicative of a selected point or interval of time when a chosen one of said plurality of cardiac cycle states overlaps with a chosen one of said plurality of respiratory cycle states; control means supplied with the user input from the means for receiving, an output from said electrocardiograph indicative of which of said plurality of cardiac cycle states the cardiac cycle is presently in, and an output from said respiratory monitor indicative of which of said plurality of respiratory cycle states said respiratory cycle is presently in; and radiation application means for applying radiation to the patient in response to a trigger signal from said control means, said trigger signal being generated by said control means in response to said user input from the means for receiving, said output from said electrocardiograph, and said output from said respiratory monitor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said radiation application means comprises an x-ray production means for applying x-ray radiation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said x-ray production means includes a linear accelerator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a linear accelerator grid controller responsive to said trigger signal for controlling said linear accelerator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said x-ray production means includes a rotating slit collimator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a motor controller responsive to said trigger signal for controlling said rotating slit collimator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control means comprises a computer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
90 words
The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising an analog-to-digital converter connected to said electrocardiograph, said respiratory monitor, and said control means, said analog-to-digital converter being disposed between said electrocardiograph and said control means for converting an analog signal input thereto from the electrocardiograph into a digital signal that is output to said control means and said analog-to-digital converter being disposed between said respiratory monitor and said control means for converting an analog signal input thereto from the respiratory monitor into a digital signal that is output to said control means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said trigger signal from said control means is produced in response to the detection by the control means of the occurrence within a predetermined time period specified by the user input of a predetermined one of said plurality of cardiac cycle states and a predetermined one of said plurality of respiratory cycle states.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
212 words
A radiation therapy apparatus for applying radiation to a patient in synchronism with one of a plurality of states of a cardiac cycle of the patient and one of a plurality of states of a respiratory cycle of the patient, comprising: an electrocardiograph operatively connected to the patient; a respiratory monitor operatively connected to the patient; display means for receiving an output from said electrocardiograph for displaying which of said plurality of cardiac cycle states the cardiac cycle was in at a given time and for receiving an output of said respiratory monitor for displaying which of said plurality of respiratory cycle states said respiratory cycle was at a given time; means for interactively receiving user input indicative of a selected point or interval of time when a chosen one of said plurality of cardiac cycle states overlaps with a chosen one of said plurality of respiratory cycle states; control means supplied with the user input from the means for receiving for outputting a trigger signal at said selected point or interval of time based upon the output from the electrocardiograph input thereto and the output from the respiratory monitor input thereto; and radiation application means for applying radiation to the patient in response to the trigger signal from said control means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
212 words
A radiation therapy apparatus for applying radiation to a patient in synchronism with one of a plurality of states of a cardiac cycle of the patient and one of a plurality of states of a respiratory cycle of the patient, comprising: an electrocardiograph operatively connected to the patient; a respiratory monitor operatively connected to the patient; display means for receiving an output from said electrocardiograph for displaying which of said plurality of cardiac cycle states the cardiac cycle was in at a given time and for receiving an output of said respiratory monitor for displaying which of said plurality of respiratory cycle states said respiratory cycle was at a given time; means for interactively receiving user input indicative of a selected point or interval of time when a chosen one of said plurality of cardiac cycle states overlaps with a chosen one of said plurality of respiratory cycle states; control means supplied with the user input from the means for receiving for outputting a trigger signal at said selected point or interval of time based upon the output from the electrocardiograph input thereto and the output from the respiratory monitor input thereto; and radiation application means for applying radiation to the patient in response to the trigger signal from said control means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said radiation application means comprises an x-ray production means for applying x-ray radiation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said x-ray production means includes a linear accelerator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a linear accelerator grid controller responsive to said trigger signal for controlling said linear accelerator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said x-ray production means includes a rotating slit collimator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a motor controller responsive to said trigger signal for controlling said rotating slit collimator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said control means comprises a computer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
90 words
The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an analog-to-digital converter connected to said electrocardiograph, said respiratory monitor, and said control means, said analog-to-digital converter being disposed between said electrocardiograph and said control means for converting an analog signal input thereto from the electrocardiograph into a digital signal that is output to said control means and said analog-to-digital converter being disposed between said respiratory monitor and said control means for converting an analog signal input thereto from the respiratory monitor into a digital signal that is output to said control means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
91 words
The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said control means further comprises storage means for storing a plurality of selected points of time corresponding to a respective plurality of patients, whereby said plurality of selected points of time are received by said control means through said means for receiving user input, and whereby said control means outputs a trigger signal at one of said stored plurality of selected points of time based upon the output from the electrocardiograph input thereto in response to user input selecting one of said plurality of patients.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
196 words
A method of applying radiation to a patient in synchronism with one of a plurality of states of a cardiac cycle of the patient and one of a plurality of states of a respiratory cycle of the patient, comprising; operatively connecting an electrocardiograph to the patient; operatively connecting a respiratory monitor to the patient; interactively receiving, at means for receiving user input, user input indicative of a selected point or interval of time when a chosen one of said plurality of cardiac cycle states overlaps with a chosen one of said plurality of respiratory cycle states; receiving, at control means supplied with said user input, an output from said electrocardiograph indicative of which of said plurality of cardiac cycle states the cardiac cycle is presently in and receiving, at the control means, an output from said respiratory monitor indicative of which of said plurality of respiratory cycle states said respiratory cycle is presently; and applying radiation to the patient in response to a trigger signal from said control means, said trigger signal being generated by said control means in response to said user input, said output from said electrocardiograph, and said output from said respiratory monitor.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
196 words
A method of applying radiation to a patient in synchronism with one of a plurality of states of a cardiac cycle of the patient and one of a plurality of states of a respiratory cycle of the patient, comprising; operatively connecting an electrocardiograph to the patient; operatively connecting a respiratory monitor to the patient; interactively receiving, at means for receiving user input, user input indicative of a selected point or interval of time when a chosen one of said plurality of cardiac cycle states overlaps with a chosen one of said plurality of respiratory cycle states; receiving, at control means supplied with said user input, an output from said electrocardiograph indicative of which of said plurality of cardiac cycle states the cardiac cycle is presently in and receiving, at the control means, an output from said respiratory monitor indicative of which of said plurality of respiratory cycle states said respiratory cycle is presently; and applying radiation to the patient in response to a trigger signal from said control means, said trigger signal being generated by said control means in response to said user input, said output from said electrocardiograph, and said output from said respiratory monitor.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
219 words
A method of applying radiation to a patient in synchronism with one of a plurality of states of a cardiac cycle of the patient and one of a plurality of states of a respiratory cycle of the patient, comprising: operatively connecting an electrocardiograph to the patient; operatively connecting a respiratory monitor to the patient; displaying, on display means, an output from said electrocardiograph indicative of which of said plurality of cardiac cycle states the cardiac cycle was in at a given time and displaying, on the display means, an output from said respiratory monitor indicative of which of said plurality of respiratory cycle states said respiratory cycle was in at a given time; interactively receiving, at means for receiving user input, user input indicative of a selected point or interval of time when a chosen one of said plurality of cardiac cycle states overlaps with a chosen one of said Plurality of respirator cycle states; receiving, at control means, the user input and outputting a trigger signal from the control means at said selected point or interval of time based upon the output from the electrocardiograph input to the control means and the output from the respiratory monitor input to the control means; and applying radiation to the patient in response to the trigger signal from said control means.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
219 words
A method of applying radiation to a patient in synchronism with one of a plurality of states of a cardiac cycle of the patient and one of a plurality of states of a respiratory cycle of the patient, comprising: operatively connecting an electrocardiograph to the patient; operatively connecting a respiratory monitor to the patient; displaying, on display means, an output from said electrocardiograph indicative of which of said plurality of cardiac cycle states the cardiac cycle was in at a given time and displaying, on the display means, an output from said respiratory monitor indicative of which of said plurality of respiratory cycle states said respiratory cycle was in at a given time; interactively receiving, at means for receiving user input, user input indicative of a selected point or interval of time when a chosen one of said plurality of cardiac cycle states overlaps with a chosen one of said Plurality of respirator cycle states; receiving, at control means, the user input and outputting a trigger signal from the control means at said selected point or interval of time based upon the output from the electrocardiograph input to the control means and the output from the respiratory monitor input to the control means; and applying radiation to the patient in response to the trigger signal from said control means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2967944A
Cited
US3524058A
Cited
US3520295A
Cited
US3626932A
Cited
US3871360A
Cited
US4031884A
Cited
US4994965A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-08 | 2001-12-08 | 2002-06-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-08 | 2005-12-08 | 2006-06-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-08 | 2009-12-08 | 2010-06-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |