Apparatus and method for external beam radiation distribution mapping

摘要

An apparatus and method for in vivo and ex vivo control, detection and measurement of radiation in therapy, diagnostics, and related applications accomplished through scintillating fiber detection. One example includes scintillating fibers placed along a delivery guide such as a catheter for measuring applied radiation levels during radiotherapy treatments, sensing locations of a radiation source, or providing feedback of sensed radiation. Another option is to place the fibers into a positioning device such as a balloon, or otherwise in the field of the radiation delivery. The scintillating fibers provide light output levels correlating to the levels of radiation striking the fibers and comparative measurement between fibers can be used for more extensive dose mapping. Adjustments to a radiation treatment may be made as needed based on actual and measured applied dosages as determined by the fiber detectors. Characteristics of a radiation source may also be measured using scintillating materials.

主权项

1. A radiation detector comprising:
a catheter configured with a hollow portion extending along a length of the catheter and configured with at least one expandable portion; and scintillating material, wherein the scintillating material is arranged in a continuous manner along a perimeter of a wall of the at least one expandable portion or arranged along a length of the hollow portion from a location within the expandable portion to a location outside of the expandable portion, the scintillating material configured to be coupled to a photo detector for detecting incident levels of radiation in a therapy procedure, wherein the scintillating material comprises only one of: a scintillating gas, a scintillating liquid and a scintillating solid.