The University of Toledo

Varian Medical Systems, Inc.

John J Feldmeier

E Ishmael Parsai

Ralph Bodenburg

Andy Partridge

A system combines hyperthermia and radiation treatments in a single treatment modality by using a radioactive seed having magnetic properties.

System for concurrent delivery of thermobrachytherapy in the treatment of cancers

This is a new technique in IMRT and 3D conformal gamma radiation dose delivery using a linear accelerator with no flattening filter. The technique improves patient radiation therapy by reducing radiation scattered to surrounding normal tissue and reducing electron contamination. It increases dose rate to shorten treatment time. Linear accelerators have for decades come with a photon flattening filter to make the photon profile of planar fluence to make the dose distribution more uniform. These filters, however, resulted in fluence attenuation and contamination of the beam. Now in the age of techniques such as intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) the function of the flattening filter becomes redundant. The flattening filter now merely reduces the efficiency of the beam by reducing the fluence and increasing scattered radiation. Our technique involves removal of the flattening filter for complex treatments. It uses inverse planning along with multi-leaf collimators to shape the dose distribution.

Unfiltered radiation therapy

A system is provided for use in brachytherapy where a central tube permits passage of a radioactive source therethrough to deliver a prescribed dosage of radiation. One or more balloons are coaxially positioned around the central tube. At least one balloon includes one or more peripheral tubes extending along at least a portion of the balloon. The peripheral tube is also attached to the high dose rate brachytherapy unit in order to permit passage of a radioactive source therethrough.

Intracavitary radiation system

A brachytherapy apparatus includes a distal support member and a proximal support member movable relative to the distal support member. The apparatus includes a plurality of elongate treatment members having distal first locations coupled to the distal support member, proximal second locations coupled to the proximal support member, and pathways between the proximal second locations and the distal first locations adapted to receive one or more radiation sources. Each of the treatment members is movable between a generally straight configuration and a curvilinear configuration. An expandable member encloses and provides a spatial volume for the plurality of the treatment members and is adjustable between a contracted configuration and an expanded configuration.

Growing community of inventors

Monroe, MI, United States of America

John J Feldmeier